The dimples seen on part of the 12th green are caused by leatherjackets.
The leatherjacket is the name for the larvae of the crane fly. The adult crane flies burrow into the ground during the later months of the year and lay their eggs. The eggs hatch after around a month which is where the trouble starts, once in their larvae form they begin to eat at the roots of the grass weakening the turf and potentially killing off areas, they continually feed throughout the year until mid August when its time to hatch and start the cycle again.
These grubs are usually what the rabbits and birds are looking for when they dig up areas of the green. Treatment and identification of these pests are very difficult and costly especially from a zero pesticides approach, this being said we will be covering our 12th green with a sheet overnight to try and “sweat them out” before they can turn to pupae, emerge then relay their eggs.
