Monday 18 May 2015

Greenkeeper news April

 
 
April was a dry month with little rainfall, we had more rain over the May bank holiday weekend than we did for the entire month of April!
 
Grass growth is still slow in picking up but hopefully its not far away.
 
Kerry has finished all winter servicing and all 1st choice mowers are now being used. I have a good relationship with the Course Manager at Royal Porthcawl and he is allowing us to use their grinders to sharpen the cutting units on our mowers.
When Kerry services our fleet of machinery they are all jet washed and any rust treated. This saves the club a colossal amount of money, where other golf clubs machines are looking tired and performing poorly after 5 years, ours are still going strong after 10. Obviously keeping a mower for this period of time puts strain on the engine but with regular servicing we keep them functional way past their intended lifespan.
 

 

 
The machine above is our deep rough mower and was purchased in May 2005, so is 10 years old. It has 2200 hours on the clock, that equated into mile's is 200000!! 
I think its a credit to Kerry and my team that the clubs investments are so well cared for. You may think its an obvious thing to do but I've been to golf clubs worldwide where this isn't the case.
 
You can also see from in the back ground of the picture a spare tyre rack, the biggest thing about breakdowns is minimising the down time of the machine. In the last few years I have been trying to gain an inventory of stock on the shelf so Kerry is able to repair machines in the shortest amount of time. There's a saying that's stuck with me in greenkeeping that is "if its not moving its not earning"
 
The herbicide applied to the heather regeneration areas has taken well, this will kill off the grass around the heather allowing it to flourish.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weather recordings
Rainfall-16mm
Average low-6.75(c)
Average high-15.63(c)
  
 
 
 
 
NEATH GOLF CLUB
 
MONTHLY GOLF COURSE REPORT
 
APRIL 2014
 
 
GREENS
  • Growth still remains very sporadic with no real positive or consistent growth which is proving difficult to produce a true surface.
  • Historically the poa seed heads are flourishing at this time of year but because of the poor temperatures they are yet to get going. Unfortunately I predict they will come right on the bell, but with the intensive over seeding programme and maintenance practices in last two years the percentage of poa is being reduced.
  • With the recent wet weather I expect some disease activity, I will be keeping a close eye on the indicator greens but as they are healthy I’m confident if an outbreak occurs we can let it go without the need of a fungicide application
  • I will be introducing the PGR on the 8th May to help in keeping the seed heads tighter to the surface
  • Another 13 ton of dressing was applied on the 13th taking the yearly amount to 50 ton, the target remains at 130 ton.
  • Fortnightly applications has now started and the greens are responding very well to this.
  • Irrigation was required in the recent dry spell, this was kept to a minimum so not to reduce soil temperatures further.
  • All greens hand weeded    
 
PLAN OF ACTION
 
  • Fortnightly spoon feed with wetting agent(introduce PGR)
  • Verti cut -1mm
  • Micro tine
  • light top dressing
  • Hand weed
  • Hole change twice a week
 
TEES
  • Tees are in good shape and recovered very quickly after the dry spell
  • 15th back tee is improving and I’m confident full coverage will be achieved in the next few weeks.
  • All have been sprayed with-Porthcawl, premium N and Ferrosol with an herbicide to combat weed invasion.
  • All tee surrounds and signs have been weeded.
PLAN OF ACTION
  • Fill divots weekly
  • Introduce PGR when growth dictates
  • Verti cut
  • Brush
  • Spray total herbicide to blue slate.
 
APRONS
 
  • All have been sprayed with-Porthcawl, premium N and Ferrosol with an herbicide to combat weed invasion.
  • Reshaping has taken place around some bunkers to reduce fly mowing and create more run off areas into bunkers 
 
PLAN OF ACTION
 
  • Introduce PGR when growth dictates
  • Verti cut
  • Brush
FAIRWAYS
 
  • All have been sprayed with-Porthcawl, premium N and Ferrosol with an herbicide to combat weed invasion.
  • Leatherjacket activity was noted on the 7th, 12th and 13. The stress on the turf was easy to mistake for drought stress but crows pecking was a clear indication that the pests were present, an inspection of the sward confirmed this and an application of Chlorpyrifos has been applied.
PLAN OF ACTION
 
  • Introduce PGR when growth dictates
  • Brush before mowing when required
 
BUNKERS
 
  • All bunker surrounds have been sprayed with Porthcawl, Ferrosol, herbicide and a PGR. It is hoped that by spraying the PGR mowing will be reduced freeing up valuable labour
  • The 12th fairway bunker has been taken out of play until a complete rebuild can take place.
 
PLAN OF ACTION
 
  • Rake often as possible
  • Keep an even distribution of sand
  • Stone pick weekly
 
ROUGH AND OUT OF PLAY AREAS
 
  • Definition is good between the roughs
  • 1st cut on the 18th has been extended on the left by the Richards old teaching area to speed up play. This is a notorious spot for losing balls and can be quite dangerous as the area is blind off the 18th tee
  • 1st cut sprayed with-Porthcawl, premium N and Ferrosol with an herbicide to combat weed invasion.
  • The herbicide on the heather regeneration areas has taken well and the grass is dying back, all areas will be sprayed again when weather conditions are suitable to stem the regrowth of trees and gorse.
  • All ditches and tree bases will be sprayed with a total herbicide to kill off grass. This will speed up rough mowing and define ditches.
       
  • Practice bunker tidied with fresh sand


FAQs - Spraying Terminology

PGR

 

PGR's or Plant Growth Regulators are used on many turf areas of the golf course. The primary reason for using PGR's is to regulate the vertical growth of the turf. Besides the benefits of having the turf grow slower the PGR's allow the turf grow more horizontally with increased rhizome's and stolons creating a more dense playing surface on greens. Some of the other benefits of applying PGR's;

- A more vigorous turf plant

- Suppresses undesirable grasses so a more desirable grass has a competitive edge

-Turf recovers from stress more quickly

- Reduced seed head production of Poa annua

- Reduced labour costs because of less mowing

- Faster and smoother greens

- Reduced usage of water and fertilizer

- Tighter and denser greens

FUNCICIDE

A chemical applied to turf to control disease

HERBICIDE

A chemical applied to turf to control weeds

INSECTICIDE

A chemical applied to turf to control pests i.e. worms/leatherjackets etc.

PORTHCAWL

A formulation of organic liquid, iron and seaweed

FARMSEA 10

A formulation of organic liquid and seaweed

FERROSOL

Liquid iron

PREMIUM N

Nitrogen


Just a quick reminder of golf etiquette, please repair pitchmarks and replace divots also use the divot boards and boxes provided.
Bunkers are not being raked, if you go in a bunker leave it as you would expect to find it.




My team and I would like to thank members for their continued support and positive comments.

Happy golfing

Mark Tucker
Head Greenkeeper