Hershey Golf Collection Turf Blog

Our turf maintenance team decided to take a new approach with goose control on the golf courses. A coyote decoy has been placed near the pond on hole 18 of the East Course, with hopes of deterring any geese. As many of you know geese can have a detrimental effect on grass and will make [...]

Over the winter the Hershey Links staff spent time repairing and remodeling the split rail fencing which has become an iconic amenity of the golf course. If you take a look at the new fence you will notice a slight difference in its appearance this season. When the course was constructed on old dairy farmlands, [...]

Our turf maintenance team here at Hershey Country Club takes advantage of the winter months to accomplish several golf course projects during the off season.  During this time our team of mechanics are hard at work preparing and servicing all turf equipment for the upcoming season. Below is a list of projects that have been [...]

As the leaves change color and temperatures continue to get cooler, frost delays become more common. Frost can be unpredictable, and will often times form right at sunrise. This can cause a delay to the first tee time even though there did not appear to be a frost as you traveled to the golf course. [...]

 Following aerification of the West Course, our turf maintenance team decided it was in the best interest of the country club to cut bent grass seed into # 6 green. The playing surfaces on the West Course were pushed to their limit during the USGA Senior Women’s Championship. Overall the event was a success, although [...]

The Hershey Country Club hosted the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship from September 8th to September 13th 2012. Our turf maintenance team did an outstanding job preparing the West Course for the championship. With the help of the USGA we were able to prep the course to championship conditions with greens speeds ranging within six [...]

​Last week on the West Course we found signs of Annual Bluegrass Weevil(ABW) in the collars and approaches.  The ABW, or previously know as the Hyperode Weevil, is a small insect that selectively feeds on annual bluegrass/poa annua plants.  The adult weevils do not harm turf, but when they lay eggs, the larvae will then [...]

One of the most effective cultural practices we use to manage thatch is vertical mowing. During this process blades cut small grooves into the turf and remove excessive biomass (thatch) and standup elongated leaf blades. A mower will follow behind the verti cutter to cut off the elongated blades. We conclude the process by applying [...]

Using needle tines on greens is a vital supplement for healthy turf.  This method of aerification or cultivation helps to maintain a playable putting surface while reaping the benefits that aerifying has to offer.  By using small needle like tines, we are able to create an oxygenated root zone that encourages roots to grow deeper [...]

Attached is a link to an article written by Ty McClellan from the USGA about driving range practice. There are some very good references made on preferred divot patterns and ways to maximize the total space available on the driving range tees. These practices will help our turf maintenance staff aid in the recovery and [...]