PRoperWay

A Word From The Pro

Hello Tapatio Members!

The National Weather Service just announced that the amount of rain we’ve received so far this year has surpassed the TOTAL amount received in 2022!!! With that has come a tremendous amount of growth for our fairways and greens, and the lakes are rising. I hope everyone is enjoying the improved playing surfaces.

We are just a few weeks away from our 2nd Greens Aerification for the season (June 19th and 20th).

As mentioned back in April, our aerification process is much cleaner and takes less time to recover at other clubs I’ve seen. It’s a vital practice that helps strengthen the root system of the greens.

Leading up to that, and throughout the rest of the season, we continue the cultural practices of “topdressing” and “verti-cutting” the greens on a more regular basis. If you’re unfamiliar with these processes, I’ll briefly explain.

“Top-dressing” is the application of a light layer of sand on the greens, which is then brushed smoothly. The benefits of topdressing include filling in any minor imperfections and promotes horizontal growth (spreading) of the turf instead of only vertical.

The sand gives the grass something to “grab onto” to grow sideways and fill in weak or thin areas.

Verti-cutting is the practice of slicing the turf vertically instead of horizontally. This removes a lot of thatch which can inhibit water and nutrients from penetrating the roots of the grass. It also gives the grass more growth points, making it a stronger plant.

All these cultural practices have some immediate minor impact on playing conditions but are essential to the long-term health of the turf and playing conditions for the remainder of the season.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. The team is working hard to provide the best possible playing surfaces for our members.