Welcome to our May Blog.

The months are flying by and the greens team are busy with these excellent growing condition's.Many members have commented on how early the course has come on this year,with the course shaping and definition noticeable already.Greens top dressing targets are on track and regular aeration is in place,conditioners and wetting agents have been applied.

The application of slow release fertiliser that was applied to the tees in February is still creating good colour and controlled growth.

The fairways are growing well and the regular divoting parties are helping to create a good surface, the fairways are cut with the Toro 5610 machine pictured below with Greenkeeper Daniel Gildea delivering great presentation.

 

Regular edging,raking and checking sand depth is keeping the bunkers in shape, however, periods of heavy rainfall wash the sand off the faces and creates discolouration of the sand. This problem is reduced on the bunkers that have grassed face's and the new cross bunker on the 13th that has a bunker liner in it. 

On Thursday the 29th of May we had our Annual Agronomy visit from Mr Alistair Beggs who is Head of Agronomy and Ecology at the Sports Turf Research Institute and Agronomist to the R&A Championship Committee.Alistair is the Captain of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club this year which hosts the Open    Championship in July.

During the visit advise is given on ongoing management and project work alongside performance data taken from three indicator greens. We look at firmness, moisture levels, trueness, and speed.More information on the performance data will be on our June blog. 

The picture above shows the greens team at Haydock Park.

From left to right  Daniel Gildea  Terry Wharton (Head Greenkeeper) Chris Lewis, Alistair Beggs STRI

Jack Hosker, David Traynor (Deputy Head Greenkeeper) In addition to those mentioned we also have  Ken Bennison on the team who was unavailable when the photograph was taken.

We will be busy in June with preparation for the Victory Trophy which is a competition between Haydock Park and six other local golf clubs those being, Ashton in Makerfield, Dean Wood, Gathurst, Hindley Hall, Leigh and Wigan. The June blog will explain our work programme when we will look to apply weed control to the fairways and plant growth regulators to the bunker banks, along side the regular course presentation.

                                                         Terry Wharton    Head Greenkeeper.