The Downs Course
Overseeding success
Last month we talked through our overseeding process for our aprons following the rescue application. This has been a huge success with areas where coverage was lost surrounding the greens now filling in with newly germinated grass. This process has been carried out again since as part of our maintenance days which we are already seeing the benefits of.
Alongside this, you may have seen some areas with a high rye grass content have had to been re turfed. This turf has been sourced from 16A in order to blend in with our existing turf on the course. This has been a success with these areas blending in nicely. Our plan is to reseed the areas on 16A to reinstate them back into play within the coming weeks.
The top picture above below shows our 15th green in its current state compared to the picture below three weeks ago. As you can see with our light aeration processes, gradual foliar feeding and a light granular fertiliser application our coverage and plant health has returned which we are very pleased with. This alongside the germination of our bent seed overseeding program has meant we are in a good place going forward in to the coming weeks.
Looking Forward
I hope the above illustrates that we have reacted in a clear, precise and effective way to achieve our goals of returning grass coverage and plant health to the greens and their surrounding areas. This has been a testing time for the team but one that we have embraced and have come out of the other side on top.
As we move into the coming weeks our focus will be to keep on top of the large amounts of growth we are seeing on all playing surfaces whilst continuing with our detail work across the course. The current weather conditions have been very kind to us as they are ideal for germinating seed and increasing grass coverage on all playing surfaces, however this does mean more cutting is required, meaning more man hours so we could now do with a break in the weather to allow us to focus in on the more finer details out on the course.
Following on from the success of the Members evening on The Downs, it was great to see so many of you in attendance and thank you for taking your time to come and be a part of it. It was great to meet you all and hope you found the evening informative and enjoyable.
See you on the course!
Tom Brearley, Head Greenkeeper Downs Course
The Park Course
Course update
We have continued with our folia feeds to help with grass health and to improve density. As well as cutting we are also rolling the greens twice a week for pace and trueness and have sorrel rolled the greens to aerate the surface. Fairways have been brushed and cut with a rotary mower to remove all unsightly stalks.
We have received an enormous amount of positive feedback which motivates the team and gives us the drive to continue to achieve our high standards so please keep it coming!
Public service announcement!
This is a ball mark. They can occur when a ball is hit onto the putting surface. So as a golfer, please can you fix it when this happens to you.
DID YOU KNOW?
The average number of ball marks made on greens per round is eight per golfer. If 130 rounds are played each day the Park Course, the greens receive 1,040 impressions daily. 31,000 per month or more than 374,400 per year. So please repair your pitch marks!!
Want to know how to repair your pitch marks properly? Watch our greenkeepers diaries on Golf Course etiquette.
See you on the course!
Simon Berry, Head Greenkeeper Park Course