Not only has the season progressed rapidly in the Northern climate but the golfer expectations are ramped up as well. Often the pressure for peak performance is the greatest around US Open time. Now it seems with the weather a month ahead, the pressure is also ahead of schedule. DONT GIVE IN TO IT. Be True.

When Im talking about pressure to peak it is code for fast greens. You start pushing the greens now you are going to pay later. Do not push for speed now when you are pounding them with PGRs for seedhead suppression, drying them down for conditioning, when they are barely growing. Be true.

Convince your golfers the greens need to be TRUE at this time of year not necessarily fast. Spring greens can often be bumpy from seedheads, differential growth, PGR use, dryspots, etc. Keep up your topdressing (dusting) and maintain a reasonable height. Do some grooming to pull the seedheads out that make the green roll inconsistent. And lest I forget, ROLL ROLL ROLL.

When the conversation about speed comes up with your golfers turn it to trueness of roll that is less stressful to achieve. When the pressure starts to rise early remind them that preparing for the Masters or US Open requires planning and working back from when you want the greens to peak, like in June and July. Peaking now often means pain later. The truth is a bitch.