Hello (patient) members
Well, turn of the new year, we greenkeepers were hoping that the weather would turn a corner and provide some much needed respite. Clearly, that didn't happen and we've had to continue to take a humbling from the elements.
Unfortunately, the trolley bans have continued to be enforced, albeit begrudgingly. But, I think that most members (and golfers in general) have realised that ground conditions have been exceptional. It's never nice to have to resort to these measures but getting the course open has in itself been very challenging this winter.
I hope we are out of it. Certainly, the longer daylight hours offer increased potential for any sun to start evaporating surface water or stored soil water. Plus the March/April easterly winds will also assist in drying out the course.
As has been the case in recent years, we have again decided to carry out an early season greens renovation. When we think about the word renovation, the thought in our heads might turn to a new extension to a house or overhauling the garden with decking, summer house etc. So it's something of a misnomer.
In reality, we have passed a scarifier through the greens in 2 directions, removing some unwanted, fibrous material at -8mm depth. Certainly what came out was some of what wasn't pulled out last Autumn. Remember, any scarifying work will only remove a low percentage of sub surface material. It's not possible to remove 100%, 80%, 50%, even 25% of material in one go. There wouldn't be a surface left if that was the objective. We still need to have a surface left for putting on. Hence, why these operations are often Spring and Autumn. We continue to chip away at a diminishing percentage of unwanted organic matter until we are where we want to be.
Now, last year, we closed up the scarifying grooves with a verticut pass, thereby removing shallower organic matter (referred to as seasonally produced material) and then a light top dressing of sand to restore the surface levels. Frustratingly, we did this work - successfully, and then got hit with some fusarium afterwards.
Fusarium can often hit greens after topdressing because the sand is generally a high pH material. Allied with morning dews and slower growth, disease can attack and start to scar the surface if conditions are conducive. With March and April generally getting colder in recent years, we don't want any disease to hit and then for the weather to go cold because that would then delay any growth and recovery.
So we have just passed over the scarifying grooves with a verti drain, as the photos show. The two rollers on the verti drain have nicely closed up those grooves and the surface will restore much more quickly. Now, we are in a good position for the greens as we approach Spring. There is now no urgency to get the first verticut and top dressing done. That can wait, if necessary, until the end of April/start of May. The greens are now in a very good position.
We've had to resort to some extreme methods to continue with our productivity. This week, myself and Ali took a strimmer each and hit a load of areas (trees, tee signs, ditches etc) as a way of getting something done. It has just been far too wet to get a rough mower out or get any meaningful work done mowing fairways. The downsides (black wheel marks, rutting) would outweigh the upsides (cut grass, definition) in the short term. As it stands, the course is not too bad. It looks green, there are very few black wheel marks and we've weathered (no pun intended!) the winter fairly well.
All the tee markers are prepped for the new season. Ali has done a fine job with them and they look good for another year.
Some approaches have been cut just to get some grass cut but the timing has had to be be good. We will get the surrounds cut once some of these slopes have dried out for a mower to get on them.
We've got a few path ends complete; at the bridge on the 5th and also by the bridge near the 7th green. They were both in need of attention and the turf is coming through nicely following a small scattering of fertiliser on these areas. Next week, we will dress out the cells in the matting with sand and open them up again.
Just an update on the planned drainage work - we have appointed a contractor and now we are waiting to get that work done. The 2nd hole is likely the first phase of that work with the fairway and carry being drained. The contractor has indicated that the ground needs to be free of standing water before work can proceed. That has not been common recently! Hence, it will be done, along with the 5th green area but it's simply a waiting game.
Before I sign off, we are saying goodbye to Ali Mackintosh this week. Ali has been with us since 2019 and he has been a very good servant to the greens team and golf club in that time. He has developed many additional skills but has also brought experience and prudence to the role - both of which are essential to getting good work done. He is returning to Birchwood Golf Club with a view to getting a supervisory role there in the near future. We wish him the very best for the future and thank him for his excellent contribution to the golf club.
All the best
Ben
