Hole # 8 is still heavily shaded at 10:30 am in mid-May

Hole # 8 is finally in full sun late in the afternoon during Sept.  Unfortunately at this time a day the temperatures often exceed the optimal temperatures for the turf to convert the light to stored energy through photosynthesis

Lingering snow on the green and down right side of hole # 8 illustrate how heavily this hole is shaded.

One of the projects we have been working on this winter is the 8^th hole.  First, we reclaimed lost putting surfaces on the front right of the green and back of the green.  Currently, we are working on thinning trees down left and right side.  The trees down the left side have encroached to the point where they force golfers to the right side an already undersized tee box.  The trees on the right side severely shade the green and most of the hole.

The most obvious impact of shade is a reduction in the amount of light available to the turf. Grasses, like all green plants, convert light energy into carbohydrates via photosynthesis. These carbohydrates serve as the building blocks and energy source for plant growth and development. Thus, if a plant does not receive enough sunlight to manufacture sufficient "food" (carbohydrates), its vigor and growth will be reduced. In addition to reducing the total amount of light available, tree shade also severely limits the amount of useful light reaching the turf. All wavelengths of light are not equally effective in photosynthesis. Green plants absorb (and use for carbohydrate production) primarily orange, red and blue light, while they reflect mainly green and yellow (which are not very effective in photosynthesis). Therefore, the majority of light reaching shaded turf is likely to be light which has filtered through the tree canopy and is low in the wavelengths most valuable in photosynthesis and carbohydrate production.

Aside from altering the light reaching the turf, some trees produce surface roots which compete with the grass for nutrients and water. This competition further inhibits the ability of the grass to grow, and it becomes very difficult to maintain a turf of desirable quality. Increased relative humidity and decreased air circulation in wooded areas favor development of turfgrass diseases such as powdery mildew, as well as encouraging moss and algae problems.

Once we get the trees down and cleaned up, we are planning to add a proper approach and make a few grade tweaks to highlight some of the already existing features of this hole.  We have high expectation for this hole in the upcoming season and look forward to finishing the upgrades.