Course Managers Update - Around the Greens in March

February brought us 75mm of rainfall, just been enough to keep the dams full. In regard to temperatures it was a bit milder but averages and night time temperatures were still very high.

The greens have turned a corner in February after the horrible January. Our water quality analysis came back with higher than normal sodium and Chloride levels. By themselves these levels don’t look alarming but with the low Calcium and Magnesium levels they become toxic to cool season turf grass such as Bent and Poa. In all though, after several Gypsum, Calcium and organic acid applications, along with a solid tine, we are seeing great improvement and recovery both in vigour and root growth. Repair work (plugging) has/is being carried out on the worst areas on 2,3,15 as well as bird damaged areas on 13,19,16,5 and 18. Renovations are booked for the 17^th/18^th of March and I expect this to be the final piece of the “repair puzzle”.

The tees have developed a thick thatch layer which isn’t uncommon, but we’ll need to consider an annual thatch removal (scarifying) programme as well as regular top dressing. Organic fertilizer will be applied during autumn to help them into winter.

Fairways are a bit patchy with some areas showing signs of drying out, while other areas are thick and full of thatch. Our new mowers have arrived so this should reduce the amount of “bouncing” and “ripping” of thicker areas. The fairways are going to require annual early season coring and mid-season scarifying dependent on weather patterns but would be a must in weather such as we’ve experienced this summer. Bare patches have been turfed on 17,18,1,2 and 6 this month.

Some of the lips on the faces of bunkers have grown too thick and high and now require lowering. I’m hoping to begin this process very shortly on the 7^th bunkers, followed by the 5^th.

Council work on the Gross Pollutant Trap’s on 12 and 8 are continuing with works being much bigger than anticipated.

Shay Tasker,
Course Manager