We have continued our September course renovations period this week, with the West Course taking its turn. As is the case on the East, it is a very busy period for the staff, who once again put in a long week of work beginning Sunday lunch time to ensure the large amount of work we attempt to cram a short time frame can be achieved.
Greens
Due to the lean nature of the west greens at the end of winter, it was decided not to brush and double cut prior to coring, rather going straight to the coring process, which as per the East course was carried out with our Toro Procore 648 utilising 9.6mm (3/8”) tynes, with cores collected by the contractor’s core harvester. Following core collection, greens were blown clean and rolled prior to a spray application of wetting agent, preventative insecticide and fungicides and a trace element mix to boost root production.
Our application of topdressing sand was a little hampered by the rain that fell on Tuesday, which prevented the sand from drying and stopped us from being able to effectively brush the sand into the core holes. Once wet, the sand tends to smear over the surface, and as there is only so much you can brush and rub the Bentgrass before the bruising and damage to the turf becomes detrimental. In the coming couple of days we will be brushing the greens as they dry, which should enable us to achieve a good fill of the core holes.
Tees
All tees have been treated an identical fashion on the west as was carried out on the east course, with scarifying followed by coring with our Verti Drain utilising 15mm (5/8”) tynes. Following coring, drag mats were used to break up the cores, returning the sand to the turf canopy with the remaining plant material blown off and collected. Tees were then mown, with shapes restored/adjusted to where they need to be. Tee surrounds and carry shapes were also cored, and the carry’s (areas from the fronts of the tees to the fairways) were either scarified or cored and topdressed.
Green Surrounds & Fairways
This year on the green surrounds of the west course there was no scarifying or verti mowing of the turf undertaken. We have however, scarified the fairways utilising 2 machines working in tandem, achieving a depth of around 12 – 15mm below the surface and removing a good amount of organic matter that will assist the health of the plants. All areas have then been hollow tyned, once again breaking up the cores produced and returning the sand/soil material to the turf canopy.
Some additional topdressing has occurred where levelling was desired, including the reconstructed beginning to the 13th fairway and in areas where turf has been lifted in recent times to facilitate irrigation alterations. Applications of gypsum to improve soil structure are also being made to some heavier areas including the 16th and 17th fairway, which suffer the most during the winter months. Along with this, all couch areas received an application of wetting agent to boost water penetration and insecticides targeting both adult and larvae Black Beetle and a balanced fertiliser blend, with heavier rates once again applied to the leaner areas of turf.
As always, thanks to the hard work of the groundstaff, who have once again gone above and beyond to through both weeks of renovation to ensure the courses were able to be completed in the time allocated for the works, and to the Glenelg Turf Ace and his crew for their assistance. Thanks also to all members for their patience and understanding not only during the week of the works but for the coming couple of weeks while the turf is returning to full cover. We have seen some good initial recovery on the east course, and with some favourable weather no doubt on its way, it won’t be long until recovery of all areas is complete.
Richard James
Course Superintendent