Page 74 - Dockside Magazine Muskoka, Summer/Fall 2018

CHOICE greens
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT TURNBULL
also to appreciate the flora and fauna around the course.”
Healthy fairways begin with healthy soil.
Steve tests the soil annually
on half a dozen different greens, fairways and tee decks interspersed throughout the course. Their chemistry is analyzed and used to plan an appropriate fertilizer program, one that will deliver the precise nutrients the grass needs without over-feeding it.
Other cultural practices include proper pruning, grass cutting, watering, core aeration and top dressing.
Core aeration and top dressing in the spring and fall provides a better balance of air and water in the soil and promotes deep rooting. Well- maintained, healthy grass
can better withstand hot, dry summers – like this year.
“We use a deep-tine aeration technique, going eight-inches down, to relieve compaction and allow water and oxygen deeper into the soil,” says Steve, who continues to upgrade his skills and education in the off-season. “Deeper roots can access more water. The process also makes the greens firmer and more playable for golfers.”
Steve and his turf team scout the course daily, looking for potential diseased areas. If disease is spotted, natural solutions are the first line of defence. They may choose
to provide extra water or cut back on the irrigation, or refrain from cutting the grass for a time to reduce stress on the turf.
The team checks greens regularly for moisture content, using handheld digital moisture meters to see if certain areas of a
It takes skill and technology to maintain the ideal course
Maintaining a stunning 6,400-yard golf course with
one eye on playability and the other on Muskoka’s natural environment is not easy.
Port Carling Golf and Country Club superintendent
Steve Saunders says the key is a mix of human
expertise and technology,
using cultural practices combined with up-to-date computer programs and quality turf equipment to make magic happen.
“It’s about being in harmony with nature, but also knowing the kind of course our members want to play on,” says Steve. “They want solid fairways and greens – not too soft and not too hard – but
Grounds crews scout the course daily.
Every one of the 500 sprinklers can be individually controlled.