If You Haven't Heard, It's Hot

The heat has been relentless this week. The lowest-high temperature our weather station recorded this week was 95.0 on Monday.  It said 99.1 for the high yesterday, and is at 91.2 already today (at 9:45am).  The course has been doing well through it all (this picture was taken Wed. morning), but it is ready for a break in the heat.  We like to look at the daily low temperatures to get an idea of how stressed the plant may get.  The grass can weather high temperatures during the day much easier when the low temperatures get into the mid 60s at night.  We have not seen a temperature in the 60s since Saturday morning(6/30), and we have not been below 75 degrees since Tuesday morning(7/3).  The forecast has temperatures in the low 60s in the coming days, if that holds true, it will be just what the golf course needs after the stretch we are seeing now.

We have made it through this stretch with few issues.  On the morning of July 4th, some pythium (right) did show up in some areas in the rough.  We do not treat the rough for disease, so it was not surprising that we spotted some.  These spots have not been active since then.

We certainly hope this is the only stretch of weather like this we get for the year, but a lot of summer is left.  Keep your fingers crossed for some lower temperatures this weekend.