Finally
we’re away! With the warmer weather the
greens have been growing well this month.
There have been a few comments about the greens and the ‘dry patch’, we
are doing all we can to keep cover on these areas.
Dry patch is
basically when soil particles become ‘hydrophobic’ (water repellent) due to a
build-up of waxy residues left behind by fungal activity in the soil. This then
means that the grasses cannot take in the moisture and so wilt and die off.
This condition can be treated chemically with wetting agents that strip the
soil particles of the waxy deposits.
We have been
hand watering the dry areas so that we are using what water we have in the
right areas, rather than blanket watering and watering areas that do not need
it, this is particularly important because we are limited to 40 cubic metres of
water per day.
Some of you
may have noticed the small brown dots on some of the greens, which is where we
have sprayed off the ‘toadrush’.
Toadrush established through the winter in wet conditions, and we have
stepped up aeration to help combat these wet conditions and hopefully reduce
the amount of toadrush that establishes through next winter.
The improved
weather and growth have allowed us to top dress twice this month, helping to true
up surfaces and dilute any thatch build up.
Our monthly aeration program has so far been a success, and this will continue in the week beginning Monday 27th July.
We have been busy out on the course improving a few areas, an area to the right of the 3rd hole that was previously G.U.R is now a level path and looks much tidier.
Also, we have trimmed back the hedge behind the 16th
tee to give extra swing space when playing from the back of the tee.
Other work
in hand is the ongoing replacement of steps, removing stones in bunkers and we
will shortly commence lifting the lower canopy on some trees to make locating
the ball easier and so speed up play. These jobs are programmed in for when we
have the capacity.
We have also
taken delivery of a new machine in the last few weeks.
It is an Amazone smartcut flail cutter/collector. This is a multi-purpose machine that can be used for leaf collecting, fairway scarifying, and ecological rough management. It will allow us to collect leaves in the autumn far more efficiently than we have done before, freeing up pairs of hands for other jobs.
It is an Amazone smartcut flail cutter/collector. This is a multi-purpose machine that can be used for leaf collecting, fairway scarifying, and ecological rough management. It will allow us to collect leaves in the autumn far more efficiently than we have done before, freeing up pairs of hands for other jobs.
We will be able to start to scarify fairways again, reducing organic matter
content and help promote firmer, healthier fairways. Ecological rough areas can
be cut down, scarified, and the grass collected, reducing nutrient content in
these areas and promoting a wispier, more playable rough. If we do not collect
the grasses, then the more we cut and return the stronger it grows!
For more
info please see this video:
Details of
the ‘Greens forum’ will be circulated shortly and we look forward to seeing as
many faces as possible.
