Greens Brushing & Topdressing

 

This morning we took advantage of the beautiful weather before the outing, to double cut the greens with brushes in opposing directions and applied a light topping of sand. The greens are double cut daily here at GLCC and we typically mow with brushes down a minimum of three days each week throughout the summer golfing season, as part of our normal greens maintenance program.

Brushing is a non aggressive means of grooming the surface of the greens during the heat of the summer, eliminating grain and tightening the putting surface with minimal injury inflicted on the plants, when more aggressive cultivation is not recommended. This operation can be thought of much like combing out your hair before it's cut to length each time.

After the greens were mowed and brushed in two different directions this morning, we applied their light weekly sand topping. Topdressing helps to dilute thatch and organic matter, while smoothing the putting surface for fantastic ball roll distance and increasing the greens ability to accept a shot. 

The finished product today on greens looks outstanding, leaving the turfgrass plants happy and healthy! After a double cut in the morning and a dry roll in the early afternoon tomorrow, the greens will be rolling well for league and the week ahead.

The crew did a fantastic job today, mowing the entire course and completing many detail jobs before the outing started. Well done Team!!! 

First Verticut & Sand Topdressing

Verticutting the Greens In Two Directions

Today we double verticut the greens and spread a light sand topdressing for the first time this season. Vertical mowing of the greens is performed on a biweekly basis throughout the season as Mother Nature allows. The greens are topdressed weekly with a light coating of sand to smooth the playing surface and continue to dilute organic matter in the greens surface. Both of these cultural practices along with many others, play a intricate roll in our greens management program here at the club.

Green Surface After Light Two Direction Verticut

Verticutting utilizes a mechanical device with vertically rotating blades that cut into the turf surface to remove excess thatch or leaves, depending upon how deep the blades are set. Verticutting can have a positive influence on putting green firmness, as well as trueness and ball roll distance.

Mowing the Greens After Verticut

After verticutting, the green is mowed to tighten up the surface. This catches any leaf material that's sticking straight up and combed out from the verticutters.  

Light Sand Topdressing Being Applied

Sand is applied at the precise amount to match the growth of the turfgrass plants and smooth the putting green surface weekly throughout the growing season. Topdressing has many benefits for the golfer and the superintendent  including, firming/smoothing the surface, modifying the soil structure in the top layer, thatch dilution, and ball mark recovery.  

Blowing Sand Into Green Surface

The sand topdressing is then blown into the verticut grooves and into the canopy of the turfgrass plants. Using a blower to incorporate sand into the surface of the greens helps to eliminate bruising and added traffic from a cart and drag brush/mat.

Firm, Fast and Healthy!

Finished product ready to be rolled with the speedroller and watered in with a light irrigation cycle. This entire process takes 3-4 staff members about 4 hours to complete and is usually preformed on Monday's throughout the golfing season. Weekly light sand topdressing has a huge positive impact on ball roll distance and our ability to keep greens at a championship level on a daily basis.