Everyone Plays an Important Role in Our Success!

As we progress further into the busy season here at Avila, there are a few important things I would like to touch on. We are very pleased with the way our new Champion greens have withstood what colder weather we've had so far, but must remember that we are still in the season of slower growth and recovery. Our greens have certainly held up to their reputation of being more tolerant of the elements, but we ask that everyone do their part to help them remain true and healthy by repairing ball marks. Besides potentially disrupting putts, ball marks that go unrepaired will take significantly longer to fully heal, especially during the cooler seasons, as well as leave damaged and unsightly spots. This goes for filling divots as well, as our non overseeded turf is already experiencing slower recovery times. Properly filling divots helps the turf recover more quickly and evenly.

An un-repaired ball mark: Damaged turf and an uneven surface

A properly repaired ball mark is almost unnoticeable  2 days later

So far this season we have been fortunate in the fact that we have not had any severe frost or extended cold snaps, combined with rather warmer temperatures than usual, which has helped our new grasses continue to develop and remain strong. It will be important to remember that the coldest weather is still ahead, so continuing to practice good habits of filling divots and repairing ball marks will benefit everyone.

Greens Management During a Challenging Time of Year

Since November 15th, Avila has received over an inch of rain in combination with shorter days and cooler temperatures, which are all Mother Nature's way of working against faster greens speeds. Our nighttime temperatures, however, have been relatively warm, and our Champion greens have been elongating their leaf blades in an effort to reach out for more of the sun's energy. The reason that we are not able to aggressively lower our mowing heights to compensate for this is because the recovery rate of the turf is significantly slower at this time of year than during the summer season, and will only continue to slow down as the winter season progresses. At this point in time, our primary focus is to dial in the lowest possible mowing height that will allow us to keep the greens as fast as we can without compensating the quality and overall health of the plant. We will also roll the greens as much as possible to increase speeds and provide a true roll. However, this process is also somewhat of a turf stress, and can only be performed in moderation in order to maintain a healthy turf. Finally, we will be constantly monitoring the greens for the presence of any fungi or diseases, as the shorter days and less intense sunlight provide optimal conditions for their growth. At this time, we have adjusted our fungicide applications to provide preventive control in order to deter the emergence of any diseases, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to control these diseases before they have a chance to thrive.

Mowing heights on greens were slightly raised this week to reduce stress

Applying a preventive fungicide spray to fight off disease and fungus