Its Always Something...

We managed to make it into spring without any major snow mold problems, desiccation, ice damage, or major flooding concerns.  However, a "perfect" spring would be too much to ask for.

We seem to have been struck with a major vole problem over the winter.  Voles are small creatures resembling field mice that live in burrows underground, but during the winter have to come out and feed.  While our deep snowpack was great for turf health, it provided a great deal of insulation as well as protection from predators for the voles to be able to come out and feed.  And of course, what better to feed on that healthy turf on a golf course....

Vole damage on the collar around 8 green

They absolutely destroyed the back of 13 tee

We have usually had very small amounts of vole damage in previous years, but it has usually been confined to the rough.  This year for some reason they decided to venture into the shorter cut turf, doing quite a bit of damage to some tees, collars, and fairways.

Usually with a little bit of topdressing and some extra fertilization these damage areas will go away fairly quickly.