Rain. Rain. Go Away...

As we move from winter to spring I am hopeful but guarded about what this unrelenting weather will bring.

In 2018, we received 60 inches of rainfall over 108 days; this year is not starting out much better. So far in 2019, we have had 21 days of rainfall totaling just under 14 inches. For those of you keeping track, Cornelius receives on average of 43 inches of rainfall per year.  From September 1, 2018 - February 28, 2019, (meteorological autumn and winter) the golf course has received over 33 inches of rainfall. According to Brad Panovich, WCNC Chief Meteorologist, no one alive has seen that much rainfall in Charlotte.  

This means the golf course has been saturated for the majority of the fall and winter months when the bermudagrass and zoysia are at their weakest state. As temperatures begin to warm up and the grass wakes up we will begin to see if these over-saturated conditions have increased our chances of winter kill or increased our spring disease pressure. Shaded areas, extremely wet areas and trafficked areas will be most susceptible to winterkill. 

#17 has seen its fair share of puddles this winter

Please obey all cart rules

We are asking all members to please follow all cart rules during this transition time especially with how wet we have been. As the grass awakens from its dormant state it is extremely susceptible to cart damage.

On a positive note, even with these wet days the GCM department have been busy, applying pre-emergent herbicides, installing drainage, updating irrigation heads with yardages to greens, spring application of fertilizer and chemicals to our specimen oak trees, updating many landscape beds on the course and around the clubhouse and continuing irrigation repairs.

Jared Nemitz