PC Greens - Algae

      The past several days have produced a growing concern from the membership. What is the "fungus/mold" on the greens? Will we be ready to open on August 13th?
      I will address the second question first. Yes. We will be ready to open on August 13th. The surfaces are currently at 65-70% coverage. We are mowing the green's at (.165") and the surfaces are getting smoother everyday. We have no doubts that the Players Club will be open and ready by August 13th.
      The second concern is with the health of the greens. The concern is concentrated on the black/gray areas between the turf stands. This is algae. Algae is a common development during a grow-in. Here is a picture of the algae at the Players Club.

      At the bottom of the photo, you can see the algae build up on the surface. Please do not be alarmed. Surface algae is prevalent when temperature and humidity conditions are favorable. A few causes of surface algae include.

• Frequent irrigation
• Use of organic products (fertilizers, topdressing w/peat)
• Microclimate (temperature and humidity)

      While we can not control the weather, we are taking steps to address the algae on the surfaces. We have decreased the frequency of irrigation. We are currently watering the greens two times a day as opposed to four or five.
      We plan to lightly groom the greens in the upcoming days. A light verticutting and/or spiking will help to disrupt the surface of the algae. This will increase the exchange of gases between the soil and surface above.
      And last but not least we will be making our first application of fungicide this week. This fungicide will help subdue the algae that is present. It will also aid in keeping algae from forming in the future.
      We again want to stress that algae formation is common during a grow-in. The frequent irrigation associated with the early stages of conversion is the driving factor behind algae buildup on the surfaces. The steps above, plus increased turf coverage will eliminate the presence of algae on the surface. We encourage you to come by and check out our progress through the remainder of the conversion. And of course, continue to follow the blog for updates from the turf staff at St. James.