December Blog

December Blog. 

Welcome to the December blog.

Our winter work programme continues with most of the bunker work being completed. We've recently purchased a AFT 45 trencher to be used on draining problem areas. It is a great piece of kit that will allow us to tap into existing drains around the course.

The weather throughout December was quite mild and damp with the occasional frosty spell.These conditions are ideal for the development of turf disease.

The most common disease at this time of the year is Fusarium Patch caused by Microdochium nivale. This Fungus attacks the grass plant and kills affected areas.It is most noticable on the greens but can attack all the other grass areas on the course.

The mild damp, humid, conditions in December have been ideal for the disease to attack the turf.To prevent the attack we apply a prevetative fungicide,but if the disease pressure is stronger than the chemical then an attack can take place.

Photographs below showing some of the points that's been discussed.

                                         Sprayer ready to apply a preventative Fungicide.

                                                                 Fusarium Patch

                                                               AFT  trencher

In January we hope to continue with  drainage work and start on cutting back low branches from around the trees.

November Blog

Welcome to our November blog. 

The weather allowed us to make a great start to our winter programme. We looked at shaping,draining and taking off the overhanging lips on selected bunkers.

Work was completed on taking out the small mounds on the 5th hole, the mound on the 1st hole and filling and turfing the small bunker on the 11th hole, The temporary tee on the 12th was taken out because it is no longer used and this area will be prepared ready for seeding.

Removing the leaves continued with no help from the wind, the majority just dropped and were removed off the course with the tractor mounted blower.

We continued our aeration on the greens and tees. The fairways were cut to give definition. The greens were sprayed with a preventative fungicide to control Fusarium patch which is a fungus that attacks fine turf. I will go into more detail in our December blog explaining the conditions that enable the disease to damage the turf.

Below are a selection of photographs showing some of the work that's been carried out.

                                                             6th Cross Bunker

                                                            2nd Greenside Bunker

                                                       Small mounds on the 5th hole.

We hope to continue with our programme throughout December, And as usual the weather will decide what order it is carried out in.

October Blog.

Welcome to the October blog. We've been busy on the various projects, the pictures below will show the various works. 

 Vertidraining tees

Preparing the area for the 1st tee winter mat

Strimmimg 13th/15th mounds

 Tree surgeons at the 11th populars

Mallinsons vertidraining fairways

Autumn leaves ready to fall.

November blog.

We will look to start bunker work throughout November with our aim to reduce the over hangs on the face and create a better shape to them. Leaf removal will increase as they start to fall.Lets hope for some dry periods throughout the month to allow us to complete the work. 

Welcome to our September blog.

We managed to get good results with our overseeding on the greens.The weather was kind with good temperatures and sufficient rainfall to aid the germination.The pictures show the soil temperature when we sown the greens, the early germination and the machine we used.

It is really important that we carry out this work when the soil conditions are beneficial to aid germination. There is a slight reduction in greens smoothness for a short period of time, but the introduction of additional desirable grasses compensates for this and after a couple of roles with the turf iron the surfaces soon recover.

 Obviously on the flip side if the work was left to later in the year there's a huge risk in loosing the soil temperatures and no germinating seed.

We continued with our aeration on the greens and followed up with a preventative fungicide spray to control Fusarium Patch. The present weather climate is really conducive to outbreaks of turf disease with the mild temperature and periods of heavy morning dews enabling the disease to attack the turf .

 The damage can take place almost any were on the greens,however areas of shade and a reduction in air flow will create the ideal environment.This is one of the reasons we reduce tree numbers around the greens through selective pruning and removal to allow the correct conditions to be achieved to reduce disease outbreaks.

October blog     

We will look to vertidrain tees and have our contractors Mallinsons in to Vertidrain the fairways.The mounds at the 13th/15th will be strimmed and the grass raked and removed.We hope to reposition the winter tee mat at the 12th and position a new mat at the 1st tee.Work will commence on the trees on  the 11th hole with tree surgeons coming in to reduce the overhanging branches and take down two dead popular trees near the 11th tee. The leaves will be starting to fall which will keep us busy through to December.   

Welcome to our August blog.

We've  been very busy over the past few months with exceptional growth rates on the course. We managed to vertidrain top dress and overseed the greens the pictures below will show the programme of work.

We will hope for good soil temperature and moisture levels to allow the seed to germinate. Sensible cutting heights will be managed throughout this period to enable the seed to establish. This work is really important in developing and renewing the grass composition on the greens. The timing of the work is so critical in achieving germination,and minimal surface disturbance that will quickly settle.

September work programme.
We hope to establish the seed on the greens and maintain healthy grass cover moving into autumn!!!!!!!!     And keep on top of the excessive grass growth around the course.

Welcome to the July blog.

Sorry for the delay in getting the blogs out on time, only we've been flat out maintaining the course and managing the rough.

The weather throughout July was changeable with periods of heavy rain followed by warm days this leading to heavy growth. the pictures below show our programme throughout the month.




Aeration on the greens.

                                 
Managing the Rough.

Spraying selective herbicide on tees and approaches.

August work programme.

We hope to vertidrain top dress, and overseed the greens in August, alongside the general cutting looks like its going to be a busy time.

Welcome to our June update.


We finally seen a period of good weather in the early part of June, but the end of the month the rainfall figures were on the rise again.

Mr Alistair Beggs from the Sports Turf Research Institute visited us to offer advice on our management practices and take various readings from our three indicator greens. He was very pleased with data he gathered from the visit and a copy of the report is available for members to read in the club house.

The pictures below show Alistair, and deputy Head Greenkeeper, David Traynor taking the readings on the 18th green.

The seed on the chipping area as come through really well, we need to start cutting it to thicken it up and apply regular top dressings to aid its establishment.

The heavy periods of rain left their mark on the paths. With this wash out being visible and ready for repair.

July work programme. 

We will continue with aeration,and applying the various sprays to the greens. We hope to apply  selective weed control to various areas on the tees and surrounds .

 Additional cutting will continue as the recent  moisture and temperature levels have created ideal growing conditions.