9.10.26 Update

August certainly lived up to its reputation and gave us a healthy dose of sun, heat, and extreme temperatures. This time of year on the golf course is really about preservation and maintaining the health of our turfgrass.

We are not looking to be overly aggressive or push the playing surfaces during these conditions. The plants are already under a tremendous amount of stress from Mother Nature, and our focus is on helping them survive the heat while maintaining the best playing conditions possible.

Our maintenance practices during this period are centered around managing moisture, reducing stress, and protecting the turf so it can recover as temperatures begin to moderate.

One of the tools we rely on during the heat of summer is our spiker attachment, which connects to one of our three-wheel units. This tool allows us to create small channels in the soil, providing pathways for water, air, and nutrients to move into the root zone.

The spiker is a great alternative to our traditional aerification equipment, which is much more aggressive and can create additional stress on the turf during this time of year. In August, our goal is to help the turf without putting unnecessary stress on the plants.

The spiker is one of my favorite tools to use during the summer because it is less intrusive, has very little impact on playability, and still provides significant benefits to the turf. It allows us to improve air and water movement into the root zone while keeping the playing surfaces in good condition for our membership.

Sand continued to be incorporated into the tees throughout the summer, and I’ve been very pleased with the progress we’ve made. The consistent sand applications have helped improve the playing surfaces and continue to move us in the direction we want to go.

One adjustment I’m considering for 2027 is applying sand at lighter rates throughout the year. We experienced a few situations this summer where heavier sand applications left excess material sitting on the turf canopy. With the extreme temperatures we experienced, that sand became very hot and caused some areas of turf to burn. In a few cases, we had to go back and complete some sod work to repair those areas.

As we continue to fine-tune our approach, the goal is to find the right balance—using enough sand to provide the agronomic benefits we’re looking for while minimizing stress on the turf during periods of extreme heat.

Turf stress can really be amplified this time of year when the plant is already under pressure from extreme heat and high temperatures. Here on the #6 Approach, for example, we have been battling an issue with Bermuda grass mites.

These tiny insects feed on the plant tissue near the growing tips of the grass blades. As they continue feeding in a concentrated area, they can cause the grass blades to stop developing normally, leaving behind what looks like a small “knub” or shortened tip on the end of the

blade.

Bermuda grass mites can be especially challenging during periods of heat stress because the turf is already working hard to survive the environmental conditions. The mites jump on the grass and make it really difficult to grow healthy, strong grass in these areas.

Luckily, concentrated applications of insecticide that is watered in immediately helped us get these under control but we will continue to monitor and reapply as needed if they come back.

Overall, I was really happy with how the team managed irrigation and water this summer. With the extreme heat and temperatures we experienced, managing moisture throughout the property was one of our biggest priorities.

Most of our irrigation takes place overnight using our computerized irrigation system. Each morning, our team evaluates the golf course and applies additional water by hand or with quick irrigation cycles where needed. While irrigation can never completely replace the benefits of natural rainfall, these practices help us maintain healthy turf and manage the demands of the summer heat.

As always, our goal is to provide the best possible playing conditions while protecting the long-term health of the golf course. No irrigation system is perfect, and factors such as wind, sun exposure, soil conditions, and drainage can all influence how individual areas of the course respond.

This summer, we battled both wet areas and dry areas across the property. In some locations, despite our best efforts, we struggled to maintain healthy turf and ultimately had to complete some sod work to repair those areas. These challenges are part of managing a golf course through extreme summer conditions, and we will continue to evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and where we can make improvements moving forward.

Happy with the buy in from the staff down at the maintenance facility. Expectation is that all chairs are placed on tables before we leave for the day.

We purchased a robotic vacuum that cleans and mops our floors nightly. It's always great coming to a clean shop in the early morning hours.

Fresh pine straw was applied to the clubhouse grounds. A big thank you to the team from Royal Golf Services for their help with this project.

Our Pecan trees are dropping many of their leaves already. We do our best to blow, mulch, and remove this material this time of year. It's a huge undertaking and requires a lot of manpower.

I’ve really appreciated the Monday closures throughout the summer months. These days have allowed our team to accomplish a tremendous amount of important work and maintenance while the property is closed to play.

We will continue with our 12:00 p.m. opening time on Mondays throughout September, but please remember that these are still “true” maintenance days for our team. A significant amount of planning, preparation, and resources go into making the most of these windows when we have the golf course to ourselves.

Our goals on Mondays are often different than they are throughout the rest of the week. You may see maintenance practices taking place later into the morning, and certain areas may not be in their typical playing condition when we open.

We ask for your patience and understanding on Mondays as our team works to improve the golf course for everyone. Please check with the Golf Shop for daily updates on what to expect when playing on Mondays.

Thanks for reading and for being a member,

Willie Hoppe

Director of Agronomy Shadow Hawk Golf Club

GCSAA Class A