Green News - November 2018
30 November 2018

GREENS NEWS – NOVEMBER 2018

Fairway aeration has been completed this month. In all it has taken 5 weeks to complete. The vertidrain uses solid tines to penetrate and fracture the soil to improve root development and drainage. I do believe the course will benefit this winter from the very dry summer that will have created quite naturally the many cracks and fissure when the land has dried.

Since then we have moved onto slitting the rough which I imagine is a first for the course. Again while conditions are dry we can aerate these areas before any wet conditions arrive.

In the absence of any major course construction works this year we have been able to catch up with other tasks. The railings at the 7^th tee have been replaced due to damaged or rotten woodwork. Repairs have also been made to the veranda at the Halfway House. As I understand this will be painted by Tony Close Services when time and weather permits; thank you Tony. As you may have noticed the work around the Halfway House is ongoing. This week we have had the stumps removed which will help us to maintain the area much easier. All that is required now is to prepare and seed the bare soil.

Regular maintenance continues on the greens surfaces. They are slit and hand mown once a week. The slit aeration encourages root development but also keeps the surfaces open permitting moisture passage through the soil profile. Ideally keeping the greens as dry as possible through the winter.

Early in November we cut the rough which in theory should be the last time this year. We will however if conditions prevail need to cut a few areas again. Similarly the fairways where cut in the 3^rd week taking advantage of a dry spell. Utilising these opportunities does help to present the course to a higher standard through winter. If necessary we will edge the fairways with the cylinder mower to maintain definition.

Finally, I am surprised but pleased to say that leaf collection is about a month ahead of schedule. If seems that most of the leaves are down with a bit of tidying up remaining.

November rainfall                  37mm

Gareth Williams, Course Director

PLEASE REPAIR YOUR PITCHMARKS!!

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