depending on the time of year. Tey are converting some of the south facing slopes and bunker edges to turf type tall fescue, shopping the NTEP trails for the best performing varieties. Nate Spense (center in photo below) interacts with attendees.
Property use dates back to the 1600s, when it was a dairy farm. Tis road, which runs through the course, is a public road which is frequently used as a route to the many dairy and horse operations spread across the countryside. A little north of the course, the dirt roads are common to better serve the horse hobbyists.
Te courses used to be closed from Tanksgiving until March. Now they keep 18 holes open during the winter if there’s no snow. Tey also have a small group of goats they allow to browse in certain areas during the winter to clear out unwanted plants that are difficult to access. Always looking ahead, they’re already anticipating flying another flag across the course when they host the PGA Championship in 2022.
Tey are proactive in managing water, using soil moisture meters to track conditions, and are well aware that as a high-profile property owned by the Trump organization their use is watched closely. Tere are 13 wells on the property and they monitor the levels knowing they can pull water from one of the ponds spread across the courses if necessary. Tose ponds do capture rainfall. Tey also have a two-acre retention pond. Teir heavy clay soils are easily compacted and they do tie up nutrients so controlling pH does require inputs and irrigation to combat the tie-up. Teir summer staff size ranges between 50 and 65, including the seasonal high school and college students. In November and December, that drops to about 12.
TPI Turf News September/October 2017 33
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