Due to the large amount of rainfall this month following Christmas, it has been a great challenge for the course staff with keeping up with the rough areas.
Considering the large river flowing more than once through the middle of the course, all drains have been working great and all the new cart paths have seen great use in these conditions.
The team has been non-stop on the rough mowers and we have managed to keep everything mowed most weeks, which included all snipping to dam walls, banks, and around tee areas, and including all daily maintenance work to the course. All bunkers have been trimmed and after assessment, a top-up of new sand will be added next month.
Two new mats have been replaced in the practice area after being stolen, a first that I have seen, and hopefully the last.
Fairways are currently being mowed twice a week with fertiliser applications sprayed during the month to fairways, green surrounds and tees. All greens will be targeted for any foreign weeds on the surface, and this will be done by spot spraying over the next two weeks, prior to scarifying the greens at renovations.
This summer, renovations will be conducted on the 7th and 8th of February. As the same with prior years, on Monday the greens will be scarified at 4mm depth and cleaned up throughout the day. Nine holes will be open for play and will be changed over once the first 9 have been completed, and this will be repeated for the next day’s renovations on Tuesday.
On Tuesday all greens will be cored with 12mm solid tines, followed by amenities and heavy top dressing and rubbed in. For the rest of the week, all greens will have irrigation constantly running throughout the day and night, so I please urge that anyone playing golf during these time to NOT touch our course irrigation valves. This has been a common problem and can cause costly damage to our system.
The course is looking great after all the rain, and the greens are at a very healthy stage for renovations. This is a great sign as we prepare to move out of summer following renovations.
ANDY BOSWELL – COURSE SUPERINTENDENT