Golf Course Superintendent- Paul 'PeeJay' Precone and 'Rooney'
February has come to an end with the weather outlook looking bright for the return of the 2024 season. As the days get longer, the air starts warming and the sound of wildlife starts to fill the hills, my excitement grows. It will still take a little consistency of the temperatures to jumpstart soil conditions. While the surface layer is being thawed out, the subsurface is still frozen. During this stage we can experience what is called “Root Shearhing”. This happens when the roots are damaged from the plants because they are frozen in subsurface and are torn from plant due to foot traffic or cart traffic. I will continue to monitor closely and make the best decision for the golf course and members on when we can open for play. As we come into this time of year, please be aware it is time to spread preventative applications for weeds and insects. By using monitoring and scouting practices I will be making these applications as soon as soil conditions become favorable. As we start to see growth, we will start our routine mowing practices.
Crunch time is here, and my focus right now is to get the golf course prepped and ready. We made a huge effort last fall cleaning up the course, so the spring focus could be on presenting a well-manicured course for our members. Moving forward through March, posts for hole signs will be placed back out on the golf course, ball washers & posts will be put back in, and hazards stakes will be staked out. This year I have re-marked our native areas with orange flags, I am hoping by the end of this season these areas are established tenough so marking flags are no longer needed. I ask as we move forward that you do not use these areas as shortcuts to drive through as it will only delay the establishment of these areas. I am also looking to seed some areas on greens that are still not fully grown in from last season.
The challenge of this winter was that it was on the warm and wet side, but progress was made on improving the golf course given these conditions. Tree work around the golf course has been wrapped up for the season, and the cleaning up of stumps will be done as we begin stump grinding soon. The removal of dead pine trees has opened up some areas, and also created new views. Tee boxes have been overseeded and fertilized, with the hope that as soil conditions become favorable there will be new growth. This was the first winter in a multi-year vision for me here at Towanda Golf Club and I am really excited fto begin seeing changes this season and for what is to come. Please remember as we move forward, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without my crew, they are really the ones who make this all happen. Again it has been a long winter, but we all look forward to welcoming you back this year in 2024.
THANK YOU,
PeeJay Precone
Golf Course Superintendent