Fairways

Our next process in the fairway improvement plan began today with the verticutting.  Verticutting or Vertical Mowing is very labor intensive practice that, simply put, has blades cut vertically thru the turf canopy, slicing the lateral growth of the kikuyu and bermuda grass plants. This removes thatch and creates a tighter and denser fairway turf.  This will also help reduce scalping and improve the cut we get from our fairway mowers.  We completed the front nine fairways this week, and will start the back nine next week.  This is a process we will plan on completing at least three times every summer, as recommended by University of Riverside studies and other superintendents that are managing kikuyu fairways. 
I have included a during and after picture.

The new fairway mower arrived today, so I ran it out to #1 and mowed the fairway.  I worked very well, just needs a couple of adjustments.  It will be great to have to help maintain the fairways with the added maintenance required.  Its also nice to get in time for the Girard.