Turf Team Spring Newsletter
01 APR 2025
It's almost time!
As I begin writing this on April 2nd, I look out my window and it’s a torrential blizzard of white. I take a second glance at my calendar, and it is in fact not April 1st…. fool's day. This is Canada and we get a strange variety of weather just about every off-season. Tomorrow's forecast is 20 Celsius with sun.
This fluctuation in weather is one reason we do not get out and start cutting our turf grass yet. The removal of weathered tissue and subsequent exposure to fresh growth and untreated turf make it very susceptible to snow molds and desiccation.
Our winter has been eventful. We have had ups and down in temperature with snow accumulations that are far greater than prior years. We protect our fine turfs with fungicides to prevent snow molds but with such an extreme amount of snow and a slow melt there is a small risk of breakthrough and potential damage. We also monitor any ice accumulation on our greens and count the days if it persists.
We are very happy to say everything has wintered very well
- No snow mold damage
- No ice damage
- No desiccation
- Minimal tree and branch cleanup
Everything looks really great and we are looking at impressive opening conditions. Our new bunkers look spectacular, and they look to be in mid-season condition. Sands have aggregated and packed for some really great surfaces.
We are amid tee renovations on 8 Copperhead. The tee deck was not level, and we were in need of some increased playing area. We expanded the white and red tees and joined them giving us some considerable added teeing ground. The blue deck is also being expanded with an armored stone wall in front. We are looking at finishing grading and sodding next week. This means (open dates pending) that there may be a week or more of playing off a temporary mat. We will make sure the tee is in play as quickly as possible. There is always the option of playing from the gold deck if you would like to play from real turf.
We will also be beginning removal of cart paths to be asphalted within the next month. This will be done throughout the property and should not create too much disturbance.
We have had a great winter in the shop and from an administrative perspective. We have a great crew for 2025. Mike Banton is back as our Associate Superintendent, Derek Guest as our Assistant Superintendent, Zak Thompson as Second Assistant. We also have two Assistants in Training who are Guelph University turf grass students, Sam Ostafin and Deyann Harlos. Many of the rest of our turf crew are also returning with the odd addition. All in all, it may be one of the best crews I have had at Rattlesnake.
Our shop and equipment are tuned and repaired, and our course hardware is all refurbished and ready to go.
A big happy new year and we will see you on the course very soon!
Bill McAllister
RattleSnake Point Superintendent