Rough Around The Edges

I played on Saturday and there's nothing like it to really get a close look at the course. Aside from the usual divots and ball marks that I blather on about day after day and year after year the course looks very nice. A few people need to pick up their feet on the greens though. What did stand out for me was the rough. I know we have had our rough mowers out most of the time but it doesn't look like it. Now I'm asking myself what's the problem here? The weather is one of the answers. It has rained a lot and so be it. The rough has really flourished. Another reason as to why it is so thick is probably the fertilizer we applied earlier this season as well as the residual effects of fertilizing the last few years. Increased moisture and with it increased microbial activity has released locked up nutrients and boom!!! Deep green grass. Better than brown though.

The next step is to lower the height of the secondary rough mowers. Those are the big Toro 4000 and the Toro 328D's. They cut the rough in the tree lines and surrounding the fairways. You know? The area most of us spend our time in while playing golf.

Now that the Club Championship, Member Guest and the Edmonton Amateur are long over with its time to see if we can go lower without scalping too badly. The height will go from 2.5 inches to 2 inches on Monday. The height around greens will stay the same at 1.5 inches. We just need staff to drive the equipment. That is becoming an issue as well (the usual end of season routine).

I personally love the rough the way it is but I realize that a majority of the membership is having a tough time out there and I need to meet the demands of that majority. So with lower rough heights, a slowdown in the growing season and less moisture conditions should improve in the next few days. It was great while it lasted. Highlands is no pushover but the last few years made us a few strokes easier than usual. This year made up for it. Golf is a great sport and even greater when conditions change and you as a golfer have to adapt to the changes. Now, I have to go look for that Pro V that's in the rough on the right side of #10 somewhere. Later.