Pictured above is the rear working end of our GA24 aerifier.  We are using solid tines in a quad block to loosen the surface and create a path for oxygen and moisture to easily enter the soil profile.
The lower picture is the inside of the cup after the aerifier has passed over.  You can see the solid tines have penetrated to a depth between 3 and 4 inches.
The lighter color to the upper soil profile is the accumulation of sand after years of sand topdressing.  I am very proud of our soil profile, it is perfect for proper putting green turfgrass growth and is a true testament to our hard work in the past.  What we do today is for tomorrow!
All of the Heritage greens have now been solid tine aerified (you probably did not even notice).  We will next follow up that process on Thurs. with a deep vertical mowing (utilizing 2mm carbide tip blades on 1/2 spacing) and sand topdressing.  Vertical mowing at the proper depth and using the proper blades is the best way to manage upper level organic matter or thatch.  It is minimally disruptive to the surface and provides great ball-roll after clean-up.
This is a great example of just one more way 'The Crew' is being Green.  By reducing the amount of thatch on our putting surfaces we limit the food source for most fungal pathogen.  This in-turn reduces the amount of chemical inputs needed to maintain quality turfgrass at 1/8 of an inch.  Nothing better than quality cultural controls when managing an eco-system.

Andy has been going around to all of our quick couplers (hose connection) on the Heritage course and installing a 6 inch sleeve around them and a drain cover on top.  This set up not only looks better but it will keep them clean of excessive soil, make them easier to locate and eliminate potential mower damage.  Great work Andy!

The perfect Track Rake job in one our most popular bunkers in front of number 11 green.
Good work guys!!

Please do not take divots out of our putting greens.  Anger does not help your game; but it sure does screw up someone else's game - especially when the divot is taken less than a foot from the cup.
If you see someone violently attacking a defense-less putting greens please report their actions.

A change in the original Heritage Aerifcation and deep vertical mowing schedule....
I had it scheduled for Monday-Tuesday but seeing how Monday is Memorial Day that is changed.  We will actually start to solid tine some of the greens this week and finish them on next Tuesday morning.  We will follow that with our deep vertical mowing and sand topdressing on Thursday May 31st.

A nice frosty morning in mid May.

We finished up with all of our initial spring fertilizer application today on the Heritage course.  The rain last weekend and the warmer temperature this week got the turf excited and the place looks fantastic.  Andy McCormick is my new Asst. on the Heritage course; he is doing some fine work directing the Heritage staff and he is a joy to teach. 

The front 9 on Greywalls will be closed on Monday and the back nine will be closed on Tuesday for a deep vertical mowing and topdressing of the greens.  The greens will be cleaned up and rolling very true by Weds. afternoon.  Mike and I have our hands full training all of the new staff but they are learning quick and we are very happy with their outstanding work ethic.  

Kyle and Jake after a job well done.
They laid some fescue sod over the exposed irrigation pipe on number 7 tee.  Foot traffic erodes this area away making it very difficult to man-handle our walk mowers from tee to tee on this rock cliff.

Tuesday morning Mowing Crew on Greywalls number 7.  Great foggy morning!

Rain

Well it took all spring but that nice slow all day rain finally moved in yesterday afternoon.  Our local soils needed that.  Increasing temperatures later this week should make plant growth explode.

Heritage irrigation is now all charged. Only 4 broken heads!

Starting the heritage irrigation today. Wish us luck

Opening day for greywalls! Enjoy