Course Managers Update - Around the Greens in October 2023

We had a very dry start to Spring with only 7mm of rain falling in the first 28 days but the 63mm deluge late in the month brought the total to a more respectable 70mm.

September was unseasonably warm with our average maximum sitting just a shade under 25 degrees. The course survived 8 days of temperatures over 30 degrees and 3 days where the temperature was over going over 35 degrees.

Despite the weather conditions the Greens performed extremely well throughout September and into the beginning of the Club Championships. Poa seed is well under control and greens are flat, firm and fast.

Course renovations are scheduled to begin on Sunday 5^th November and will be completed on Monday 6^th November. Further tree work will be conducted while the course is closed for the renovations.

The tees have woken from their Winter slumber with nighttime temperatures reaching 16 degrees. Synthetic fertilizer was applied during September to assist in this process and miticide and insecticide have also helped the tees grow into their current condition.

The 3^rd tee has seen some growth and is on the road to recovery. I’d like to remind members to use the sand buckets provided, particularly on par 3 tees, to fill divots to assist with maintaining the tee surfaces.

The fairways fought their way through the dry weather in September and bounced back with the heavy rainfall we experienced towards the end of the month. Ground Pearl control is scheduled to take place soon and some turf patching was carried out in September on the 17^th fairway with further patching to be carried out during the spring.

De-thatched areas on the 17^th and 8^th have recovered as expected. De-thatching with mowers and the coring unit will continue to be carried out as required throughout the season. Be assured that this process does not have a negative impact on the overall health and well-being of the turf.

The lip of the 7^th bunker has been cut back again to stop balls lodging underneath. 

Overall, the bunkers have been relatively trouble free during September with the exception of some flooding late in the month but I was pleased with the way they recovered after the water was pumped out.


Shay Tasker
Course Manager