Course update
Finally, we can start to communicate a more positive message in regard to recent weather conditions. The recent dry spell has already shown how quickly our course can start to recover. Whilst still soft in places, we can now consider using the heavier mowing equipment in the coming week on certain areas of the course. At significant cost, over the winter, this equipment has been refurbished, to improve performance and efficiency. In addition to ‘solid tining’ the greens last week, it is now our plan to ‘hollow tine’ the greens w/c 22nd April, they will then be top dressed, solid tined and over seeded with pure bent grass. This is of course still weather dependant, but the forecast does look encouraging.
Hollow tining involves removing small cores of turf from the green. This process, a form of turf aeration, is crucial for the health of the grass. These removed plugs of earth might seem like a hindrance at first, but they play a pivotal role in maintaining the quality of the playing surface. Hollow tining relieves compaction, allowing the grass roots to absorb moisture and oxygen more efficiently (as pictured above). The follow up solid tining will speed the recovery of the greens too. As described in previous posts solid tining creates holes without removing any soil. Both of these processes are part of our comprehensive turf management program, with hollow tining being particularly effective for combating soil compaction and thatch build up.
With the ground still soft, the likelihood of taking divots is greater, please consider taking out the sand/seed mix bottles and please ‘replace your divots’. All the boxes on the Tee’s will have the sand/seed mix, please use these. The height on the tees mower has been dropped this week following the excellent response of the grass to the second application of fertiliser and the over seeding with low temperature germinating rye grass. This will make the tees more playable but they will remain in much better condition for longer when we take care to use the sand/seed provided.
Other works carried out this week include the laying of hardcore materials on the path at the front of the 10th fairway. With the ground conditions improving it is likely that buggies will be permitted on the back from this weekend but please take care to use the ‘Route Planner’. Also you will notice the rope on the practice putting green. This is to create two distinct zones on the green. The zone furthest from the car park and closest to the new short games is for short chipping practice. The larger area closest to the car park is exclusively for putting. There will be a comprehensive update on the progress of the short game area in the next few weeks. the likely opening date remains late May/early June.
Thank you
David Wilkes, Greens Chairman