We've been answering these questions since we sprayed tees last Wednesday: "Did you dye the tees? Why are they so green? Were they dying?"Yes, we sprayed the tees with a fungicide as part of our routine spray program, and no, we did not intentionally dye them and they certainly were not dying.

The fungicide we used was a newly available product on the market named Civitas. This product application involves including an additive to the spray mix named Harmonizer. Harmonizer is simply green pigment that stimulates the turf and enhances the performance of the fungicide. The characteristic green colour of Harmonizer makes the turf appear to be dyed following the spray application.

I am anxious to see how they look today after last night's irrigation cycle and this morning's mowing. We too are curious to know how long the "green tinge" will be hanging around for. I'm not a big fan of this new look our tees are sporting at this time, but it does appear as though the product is performing as expected.

Visit Jason's blog at http://qgolfclub.blogspot.com/

Why sand the fairways? From a golfers perspective: longer drives, consistent ball reaction with bump and run approach shots, firm up-right turf for excellent club to ball striking performance, swing plane angle superior due to positive foot, leg and hip pivoting on the firmer surface, no plugged lies, less fatigue pushing a cart or carrying your bag, use of golf cars more frequently after rains, no muddy core aeration or multitudes of earthworm casts to interfere with THE GAME.

From an agronomic perspective: less disease, better drainage, deeper rooting, superior wear tolerance, fewer earthworm Poa-planting casts, competitive advantage for bentgrass over Poa annua means less winter-kill potential, fewer summer stress situations, organic matter control, less scalp potential, fewer chemical inputs, better drought avoidance means fewer irrigation events and the ability to use equipment much sooner after heavy rains and snow melts. All of this equates out to economic and quality sustainability.

To reap all of the above you need at least a 2" layer of sand. The maximum you can safely apply in the cooler spring and fall period is 1/4" per applicatio. This is best done in two 1/8" applications with incorporation of the sand into the canopy between the 1/8" applications. During the summer months 1/20" to 1/16" should be the target so as to avoid the smothering of turf and tissue damage that would be caused by incorporation techniques of higher quantities.

Our goal is to apply 3/4" of sand per year with a ultimate target depth of 4". Once the 4" depth is attained our yearly total will be reduced to just over 1/4" for maintenance of the surface.

Visit Jerry's blog at http://westmoorturf.blogspot.com

Today we will be venting our greens. This process involves using our greens aerifiers to punch very small holes with solid tines. This process does not affect play or the roll of the golf ball. However, it does greatly affect the amount of beneficial air that we can get into the root zone of our greens.

This season we are using a very precise moisture meter to measure moisture in our greens. The maximum % that our greens should ever read is approximately 35% (at field capacity). Currently we are getting readings of anywhere from 40-59%. This tells us that the soil has reached complete saturation and cannot take on any more water. Our greens are drained, but the amount of precipitation that we have received is overwhelming to the soils and drainage system. With this much water holding in our greens profile, there is little room for vital root growth. The heat and humidity that is upon us now coupled with these high moisture levels can be very detrimental to the health of our greens. This is a preventative measure that can reap huge returns down the road this summer.

As you can see from the picture, the venting tine is dwarfed by a pen. Once rolled, the holes are virtually undetectable.

Visit Greig's blog at http://highlandccgroundsdept.blogspot.com