Due to grees aeration golf course will be closed today.

With the hot weather we have experienced over the last week, aeration procedure will be limited today. We will still be aerating greens but will be conservative on how many we do. The entire golf course will be closed all day today.

Summertime Bermudagrass suppression in action.

                      Bermudagrass:

                     Where did it come from and why do we still have it?   

 

     In the 1950's Whitemarsh Valley CC brought in common Bermuda-grass to ensure green fairways in the summer. The irrigation systems of the day were inadequate to supply the proper coverage for the existing grass. For the next 30 years the club enjoyed dense fairways in the summer and fall but put up with the thin lies in the spring.
     The club decided to change over to Bentgrass in 1994 after a brutal winter killed all the Ryegrass and Poa annua on the fairways. The plan was to spray roundup (non-selective herbicide) to remove all Bermuda, Ryegrass and Poa annua from the fairways only while keeping the rough playable during the grow in of the Bentgrass. This plan succeeded in the fairways but over the years the un-effected Bermuda-grass in the roughs tillered their way into fairways. At this time there are not any products that can outright kill Bermuda-grass and not harm Bentgrass. In  2012 a product came out that actually suppresses Bermuda-grass while being relatively harmless to Bentgrass. This is where we are at today, constant suppression during the summer months and reduced Bermuda-grass the following year.                                                    

 



This is a view of the 10th fairway after treatment of the Bermuda-grass suppression product. It causes the tips of the effected grass to turn white which sticks out compared the green color of the fairway.

 

This is a closer look at common Bermuda-grass while in the suppressed state.

 

 



This is a real up close look at what is going on. Over the past 4 years we have made real head-way in reducing the total Bermuda-grass population on the course, with further reduction expected in the future.

Men's jr. Member guest results.

2016 Whitemarsh Valley CC Member guest champions! Chuck Lynch & Bill Jeremiah(Bidermann GC)

     After 3 days of golf including (5) 9 hole matches and a very competitive practice round, the 2016 Whitemarsh Valley CC member guest concluded with a new champion team. Whitemarsh's Chuck Lynch and Bidermann GC member Bill Jeremiah won the shootout of flight winners to claim the top prize.

     Congratulations to Chuck & Bill and to all the flight winners of this member guest tournament.

2016 Member guest results!

New landscaping near the 1st tee.

Horticulturist Christian Horst showing off his new planting near the 1st tee.

Play for Pink tournament

Sod installed on #5 foward tee surface.

 

Pictured is Senior Asst. Superintendent Jerry Stockmal watering the newly installed Bentgrass sod on #5 forward tee. The tee should be available for play in about two weeks or when it is deemed rooted in properly for play. This tee will be a major improvement over the one it replaced. Enjoy! 

New tee surrounds being sodded.

Would you put down new sod when the forecast temperature will be well into the 90's ? Well, we did it anyway...... the timing of this new tee pointed to the week of July 4th and with the help of the majority of the staff we put down almost 5,000 square feet of a Fescue\Bluegrass mix sod. Water was applied both before and after the sod work. Now the only thing left is the Bentgrass sod for the tee surface.

GOLF COURSE CLOSED TO ALL PLAY TODAY .

The golf course will be very busy during the next two weeks, we will take full advantage of the golf course being closed today. With that said, the course is completely closed today to all play (even after 12:00)