Course Managers Update - Around the Greens in September 2020
Published Wednesday, 9th September 2020
We had a real mixed bag of weather in August, 59mm of
rainfall in total with 35mm of that coming in one dump as well as our first
real frost in the very last week of winter, followed immediately by consecutive
260C days.
The renovations of the Greens went ahead as planned on
the 19th of August and ran
very smoothly. Soil amendments in the form of Potassium and Magnesium were
added to supplement mild deficiencies highlighted in soil tests. Recovery from
renovations has been good, at first hampered by three days of frost but then
assisted by a string of warm days and mild nights. The Greens should be fully
recovered and back to their regular mowing height in early September.
The Tees were also renovated on the 19th August and this will benefit our tee surfaces immensely, relieving some compaction and getting some air into the profile. The recovery will be a bit slow as the couch grass is still coming out of winter dormancy. A synthetic fertilizer will be applied during September as well as a light top dressing of sand to help smooth out the tee surfaces. I plan on doing a second Tee renovation in November.
The two and a half days of course closure also meant the fairways and greens surrounds were renovated with hollow tines. Cores were rubbed in with a steel drag mat and the remaining debris blown into the rough. This work goes hand in hand with the calcium application back in July, with a second application planned for September. Having the fairways opened by the tines has assisted in the drying out process after the wet winter and will benefit greatly if we receive some more precipitation during spring.
Tree work was carried out on the 13th hole to remove some dead trees on the fence line. The Cypress behind the 13th tee were also trimmed to improve sunlight and airflow on the tee, with further trimming of Lilly Pilli trees to take place in September.
The gum tree adjacent to the 2nd green was removed after an inspection by an arborist found it to be unsafe. The gap behind the green has been filled with an 8m tall safety fence to protect the 2nd fairway from wayward shots from the 3rd tee. Two trees will be planted in the remaining space for the same purpose.
Some additional pruning is taking place around the Course to open up some tee corridors and to address some shade issues.
Course Manager