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Our Director of Agronomy, Scott Anderson, has written extensively in his Turf Talk articles about the science behind this process, but it boils down to three critical things: relieving soil compaction, managing thatch, and letting the grass breath.
Between the heavy golf cart traffic and thousands of rounds played here every season, our desert soil gets tightly compressed. This compaction crushes the microscopic air pockets that grass roots need to survive. At the same time, an organic layer of old roots and stems—known as thatch—builds up right under the surface. If left unchecked, that thatch acts like a giant sponge, trapping water at the top, choking out oxygen, and inviting turf disease.
By punching the greens and backfilling them with sand topdressing, Scott’s team physically breaks up that sponge. It flushes oxygen into the profile, forces the roots to dive deeper for water, and guarantees the firm, smooth, fast-rolling greens we all enjoy during our peak seasons.
Furthermore, doing this right now in the intense July heat is highly intentional. Because our warm-season Bermuda grass thrives in the summer, it is growing at its absolute fastest. This high-growth window ensures the turf recovers rapidly, minimizing the overall disruption to your game.
While our crews are hard at work, we want to ensure you still get your time out on the fairways. We have structured a cross-play schedule so an open course is available to everyone all week long.
Golf Course Closures Schedule:
- July 6–10: Palo Verde Golf Course CLOSED for aeration.
- Where to Play: Head over to Cottonwood Golf Course.
- Schedule: Cottonwood will be open on Tuesday, July 7th (Tee Time Day) and will run its normal tee time/shotgun schedule for the rest of the week.
- July 13–19: Cottonwood Golf Course CLOSED for aeration.
- Where to Play: Head over to Palo Verde Golf Course.
- Schedule: Palo Verde will open on Wednesday, July 15th (Tee Time Day) and will run its normal tee time/shotgun schedule for the rest of the week.
Important Facility Update: Upcoming Palo Verde Parking Lot Closure
In addition to our course maintenance, we are executing a major infrastructure upgrade next week at the PV clubhouse. Please be advised that the Palo Verde Country Club Pro Shop parking lot will be completely closed for asphalt removal and replacement beginning Monday, July 13. This work is necessary to fix surface tripping hazards and ensure a safer, smoother, and longer-lasting parking surface for everyone.
The project schedule is as follows:
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Monday, July 13: Asphalt removal will begin promptly at 6:00 a.m.
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Tuesday, July 14: New asphalt installation will be completed.
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Tuesday evening, July 14: Parking lot striping will be completed.
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Wednesday, July 15 at 6:00 a.m.: The parking lot will fully reopen for normal use.
Important Notice: There will be absolutely no vehicular access to the Pro Shop parking lot from 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 13, through 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15. This hard closure is required to safely remove and replace the asphalt, and to provide adequate time for the new pavement and striping to cure properly before reopening to traffic.
We kindly ask that all members and guests plan accordingly and utilize alternative parking areas during this brief closure period. Thank you so much for your patience, cooperation, and understanding as we continue to invest in improving our community assets!
-Andy
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