Green News - January 2020
28 January 2020

A new year and already January is coming to a close. We recorded only 33.5mm through this month which has been much drier than the last 3 months of 2019. With lower rainfall and windier conditions we were finally able to get the machines out and aerate the greens. Ideally the greens would have been slit tined almost on a weekly basis through the winter to keep the profile open and free draining. But with persistent heavy rain the equipment remained firmly in the sheds. Consequently (late 2019) I requested hiring the Air2g2 from Adamson’s, a machine that injects air into the soil profile with minimal disruption. Although I believe the greens are generally quite healthy there has been some localised thinning of the sward due to saturated conditions. So it was with some relief that we were able to solid tine and iron the greens last week. We shall also be spraying the greens with the penetrant to keep moisture off the leaf blade and thus reduce the possibility of disease pathogen developing.

Soil samples have been taken from a selection of greens which will help identify any nutrient deficiencies and varying depths of organic matter %’s.  

At the start of the month work began on the area behind the 18^th green. This involved improving the egress from the course to the car park. The turf was stripped and the area landscaped softening the walk off. Recycled sharp sand was ameliorated into the soil to firm up and improve drainage before relaying the turf. There is also work planned to alter the access to the path on the second tee.

The 5^th green has received some drainage work to cure the perpetually wet area on the left. Hopefully we shall see some improvements to this part of the green.

Some off you may have noticed that the Privet Hedge has been removed from the far end of the putting green. This had dual purpose of increasing sunlight to that part of the green particularly during frost periods. But also to create a buggy park behind the driving nets once the hedge had been replanted.

Work has begun this week on the gents 17^th tee bank. This has been an issue for some time with mole damaged accentuated by rabbits. The turf was striped and soil rotovated enabling the bank to be landscaped back into shape. Once raking and firming off the soil was completed then the turf was replaced. This tee will remain GUR until the spring.

Finally just a word of thanks to Jiggy Giles who has organised the donation of several anti – slip boards.

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