May Course Report

Dear Members,

Another great month of weather has seen the course continue to present and play extremely well. As we head into winter, we are currently in great shape to enjoy excellent playing conditions over the foreseeable future.

Greens

I’m not sure I’ve seen the greens in better shape for late May, and I’m delighted with how firm they have continued to be as the colder weather sets in.

This has naturally been aided by the drier-than-normal conditions, but I’ll also give myself and the course staff some credit—greens don’t play this well without good management practices in place.

May saw us undertake some important cultural practices, including verti-cutting twice, air injection, and an 8mm solid tine—each aimed at improving root health and water movement.

These practices will begin to taper off as grass growth slows during winter, with the main aim being to punch holes every four to five weeks over the next four months. This helps relieve compaction and allows water and air into the root zone, supporting healthier and drier putting surfaces.

Fairways / Tees / Surrounds

All playing surfaces have slowed in growth considerably over the past three to four weeks, largely due to three consecutive days of heavy frosts in mid-May. These frosts had a significant impact on the Santa Ana surfaces, changing the colour from green to yellow in a short time—which is normal when frosts affect this grass type.

One complaint we hear from some members leading into winter is that the fairways are being cut “too low”. I’d like to address this, as it’s important for members to understand what’s actually occurring.

The last time we cut our Santa Ana fairways was on April 11th—that’s now seven weeks ago.

In Drouin, soil temperatures typically drop below 14°C in early April. At that point, Santa Ana grass stops growing and becomes dormant. As conditions become cooler and wetter, the grass tends to lie down, becoming “tighter” and, for some, more difficult to play from. This is simply the natural characteristic of Santa Ana.

By comparison, kikuyu grass—which you’ll see predominantly on our 12th fairway—will continue to grow in cooler conditions. Its blade is also much coarser and thicker than Santa Ana, which is why kikuyu appears longer and higher during winter. The blade stands more upright, while Santa Ana lies flatter.

You may wonder: Why don’t we use kikuyu grass everywhere?

That’s a valid question. Kikuyu is generally not considered a desirable grass type on golf courses due to its coarseness and invasive nature. It grows almost twice as fast as couch grasses in spring and summer, making it very difficult to maintain—particularly for smaller clubs like ours. It also provides minimal ball run and can make swinging through the grass much tougher if not kept very short.

This is why more elite clubs, with larger resources, invest heavily in removing kikuyu from their surfaces each year.

To close on this topic: if you see us cutting fairways during winter, it will only be to manage the winter grass that grows through during the colder months. This does not affect the dormant Santa Ana, which won’t be cut at all.

Racetrack

A number of members have asked me about the condition of the racetrack. I can assure you, no one is more aware of it than I am.

The grass has become very long—both under the rail and on the track itself—making it challenging to find golf balls, which we acknowledge.

Please note: the Racing Club has advised us that we are not to maintain the track in any capacity. We are hopeful they will undertake maintenance soon.

17th Green

The green and surrounding areas are progressing well, with significant improvement—particularly in the front section, which has been slower to grow in than other areas. While the green drains well overall, the lower tier receives most of the water. As a result, this section stays damper for longer, which limits lateral growth and slows the filling of gaps.

To assist, we applied a growth mat to this area in late May. The mat helps trap heat in the soil, promoting growth through winter. It also discourages ducks from disturbing the surface. Made from very fine polyethylene, the mat allows sunlight, water, and oxygen to reach the plant while keeping soil temperatures warmer.

Overall, I’m very happy with the green’s progress, and a mid-spring opening remains our target.

With course conditions still in excellent shape, I hope you’re all getting out for a consistent game of golf. We have several exciting course improvements planned for spring and summer, which we’ll share soon.

Kind regards,
Ryan Hammond
DG&CC Course Superintendent