I was going to start by saying every time we take a step forward, we take two steps back, in terms of drying out. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ve actually taken a full step forward towards that goal. Now into the third week of July, we’ve only seen two days without measurable rainfall. Hovering around 14 inches for the month – a record breaking July already – the course passed the point of saturation around Fourth of July weekend.
I think most superintendents would tell you they’d prefer not enough rain (provided water supply is adequate for irrigation), over too much. We’d like to have some control over the amount of water on the course, for the purposes of playability and plant health. This weather pattern has caused several applications of pesticides, fertilizers, wetting agents, and sand to back up on us. And, probably more importantly to golfers, it has prevented us from presenting the type of playing conditions we’ve become accustomed to this time of year.
Yesterday we picked up another tenth of an inch of rain, on a damp, grey day. In and of itself, a tenth doesn’t seem like much but every little bit of rain right now has an enormous impact. We’ve tried to limit our own cart use and traffic patterns around the property as best we can, but for the first time during this stretch I had to consider pulling the crew off the course yesterday, as we were on the verge of doing more harm than good. If you’ve been on the course you know, we are still having issues accessing and maintaining some large areas. Today we have a crew out trying to tackle some of these areas “by hand”. There’s probably 2-3 acres each of rough and fairway that a small crew will be lining up and mowing with walk-behinds. Mowing areas still too wet and soft for larger mowers, but stopping where they end up ankle deep. And they will end up ankle deep.
The first thing I’ve done each morning this month, is take a pre-dawn ride or walk around the course to evaluate if or where or when we can get carts out on the course. Some areas that were safe for carts just a short time ago, are no longer accessible. Very few things would make me happier than eliminating this chore from my morning routine, but its done with the best of intentions for the short and long term condition of the golf course. Wall to wall cart paths would someday be the solution to having to keep carts in the barn for extended periods, but 125 year old courses weren’t designed or built with that option in mind, and retrofitting them can be tricky and expensive. And it’s not going to help us in the present.
Today looks to be sunny and warm, but unfortunately humid. Beyond tomorrow, I think we’re going to see some outstanding, yet more unusual July weather. But the forecast for tomorrow has the strong potential for more unwanted and heavy rain. For now the best we can do is take each day as it comes.
Norfolk Greens - Jon Zolkowski, Supt. 
You’re a very smart super who has always had the best interest of producing a great product daily. Your members and there guests have a great place to play the game we all love because of you and your staff. Good people do great things during stressful times. Keep up your great work. It seems like it’s going to be a long summer.