Here's a short video of some of my peers; "getting it done" for the U.S. Open at Merion.

Great job, Matt and all of his staff!

Click on link below 

Merion US Open Agronomy team

It's been 1 year and 6 months since I took over the course.

Here are a few before and after pics

Practice Green Before^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Practice Green After vvvvvvvvv

#2 Green Before^^^^^^^^^^^

#2 Green After    vvvvvvv

#2 Green and bunker

Before

#2 Green and Bunker 

After

     Making the greens "putt" true

One activity that golf courses undertake on greens is a process called “Verticutting”.  This may also be called “Vertical Mowing”.  Unlike regular greens mowing, where the blades are horizontal to the putting surface, verticut blades are vertical to the greens.  What these blades do is very simple and very important to putting green quality. 

          On each verticut reel are approximately two dozen blades.  These are typically set to only slightly nick the turf.  The blades then break up the stolons of the plant, allowing the plant to produce more leaves for a denser turf.  Older, dying leaf material is pulled up, giving room for new leaves.  Also, the effects of “grain” are reduced.

          Occasionally, verticut blades are set lower when thatch removal is desired.  When turf renovation is desired, such as when attempting to introduce new seed, verticut blades are set very deep.

           In conclusion, verticutting of greens is a time-tested practice that encourages plant growth, dense turf and smoother greens.  

If you have any questions about verticutting or any other maintenance topic, please contact;

Mark Patterson

Golf Course Superintendent
Vista Plantation Golf Club

vistasuper67@gmail.com 

Videos of "reverse reel" verticutting

Today we tried something "different" for lack of better words. We verti-cut greens and other turf to eliminate thatch and to reduce the "spongy" characteristics of  the putting surface. This effect is common this time of year on our type of greens. starting now through the heavy growing season, we will verti-cut at a depth of 1/8 of an inch every week and "reverse reel" verti-cut once of month. The latter process requires for the mower reels to turn in reverse and will cut deeper, more aggressive into the turf. As you can see in the videos, we are removing copious amounts of thatch. 

I love doing this to the greens!

Deep cultivation of greens!

Having older greens of the TIF dwarf variety Requires a lot of cultivation or as we call it Verti - cutting.

We will be doing this once a week through the months of June and July it will help provide the golfer with a smoother, firmer surface to cut And more importantly, to putt on!

13 green renovation

13 Green is undergoing a complete renovation.

last week we tore down the green and remove 4 inches of the existing soil. 

we took the sod leftover and built the nursery and patched some of the weak spots on other greens. 

we have replaced the soil in the green with soil amendments, peat moss and a variety of other soil conditioners. 

we will grass the green June 10, weather permitting. You will love the new putting surface!

The First Topdressing after 2 weeks

Greens expansion project

We are expanding the perimeter on some of our greens holes 3-5-11 and a couple of the other greens will be larger upcoming season.