Greens Update - Late October 2022
Hi everyone,
The greens have been aerated recently to try and help surface moisture move down through the profile more quickly. We used the slitter on the small tractor for some linear aeration, and then we used the Wiedenmann GXi8 to solid spike the greens down to a depth of about 6 inches. This depth helps to break up any pan that can form from the usual aeration depth of 2-4inches. It can also help the roots to find an easier path deeper down.
The greens have also been sprayed with a combination of seaweed, iron and phosphite, as well as other trace elements to help fight against disease on the greens. This time of year Fusarium patch can be prevalent, and with temperatures remaining high and growth still active, specific fungicides don’t have a long lasting effect as you end up cutting off the chemistry. However, they will be used if we feel the disease pressure is too much. With a combination of good biology, dew control and specific products above, we are hopeful of keeping the amount of disease to a minimum.
The leaves are starting to change colour and fall now, although with a very cold spring it may be a while for them to come down. I think it will be a slow process, but we will try and keep the course as tidy as possible, picking up large areas where we can.
On the 12th we started to look at the drainage on the hole, as it is always wet on the carry. We rodded the outlet and came across a blockage, which turned out to be a junction of the pipework which had silted up. This was dug out and cleared and the pipework will be washed through with the jetter soon. It was noted how deep the drainage was and on top of the drains was about 8 inches of thatchy soil. Therefore, it is taking a long time for the surface water to penetrate through to the drains. Much more aeration and scarification work are necessary, as well as looking at shade issues before this area can improve.
In other areas such as the 5th and 6th, early preventative inspections have taken place on the drainage surface grids to make sure they are flowing properly. Two were dug out, cleared of blockages and replaced.
The fairway spiking has begun with the GXi8 and this work will be ongoing over the next couple of weeks to try and get round the whole course, with as little disruption to the golfers as possible. Once all the approaches and fairways have been deep spiked, we will turn our attention to semi and rough areas, where ground conditions will allow.
The fairways as a whole are not in the best of shape, partly due to the levels of organic matter in them, but also the number of worms casting on the surface. This leads to very muddy conditions especially when wet, and in turn the mower ends up being clogged with muddy cutting cylinders. This mud drops off onto the surface and leaves an unsightly appearance. We cannot achieve a high level of cut on the fairways due to this, as the blunt blades struggle to cut the grass properly. So, the height of cut is irrelevant as the mower is rolling more than it is cutting. This is also an issue on tees and approaches, with the tees also looking poor. Unfortunately, there is no chemical on the market anymore to aid us in the worm situation, so we must look at other cultural ways to help such as brushing and switching the casts before cutting.
We will continue to present the course as much as possible when the weather allows us to. Next month there will be some traffic control measures being put in place to prevent the main greens and approach complexes from too much wear over the winter period. This will help them be in the best possible condition for the new season.
Steve Hemsley
