In travels to golf courses the past few weeks in CO, WY, MT, and UT, it has been d�j� vu all over again! Continuing cold, not just cool temperatures, have stalled winter recovery at almost every facility. The calendars at most courses are all the same -- large group outings are the norm, as are the spring kick-off events for many women's and men's associations. The problem is that the current conditions have not allowed golf course superintendents to enjoy all the hard work they have put into the golf course this spring. Most courses have completed their spring aerations of the golf course, but it is the greens that golfers are watching most closely. Greens have been successfully core aerated, cleaned up, topdressed, overseeded , and fertilized. It has been a testing time for maintenance crews as they "hurry up and wait" for growth to begin.

Winter Damage Update - A couple of days of hot and humid weather are welcomed this week, at least by those working to recover from winter damage. The periods of cooler, dry, and windy weather in April and May have been a challenge. Even with that said, the recovery efforts I have observed have made tremendous progress. It is easy to lose sight of where we are on the calendar, especially with the early start experienced this season. Areas that remain thin should be spike-seeded and topdressed. Use a hexagon plugger to repair the larger gaps that have not yet recovered. A soil probe can be used for plugging the smaller pock marks that remain. Hand-dress the pock-marked areas with a sand/peat/compost mix and seed to smooth those surfaces. Repeat the practice on a weekly basis until the surface is full.