From Tee to Green ‑ November

The Downs Course

This month we have continued with our aeration program of sorrel rolling weekly and have used the Air 2G2 machine to inject air deep into the soil profile. We also have applied and continue to apply, a penetrate wetting agent to move the water through the soil profile quicker, therefore decreasing the build-up of anaerobic levels in the soil. The greens this time of year are softer than in the summer due to the rainfall we are having, therefore please repair yours and any pitch marks on the green. We have had 100mm of rain in the last month, and with the drop in temperature, this has meant the grass growth has slowed down and we are cutting less frequently. We are also at our greens height of cut for the winter which is 4.5mm. This helps protect the plant over the winter months.

The application of Laser was applied last month to stunt the growth of the courser grasses in the natural rough areas. This now can be clearly seen as it has started to affect the ryegrass which has been sprayed.

New tee mats have been installed on the 5th at the front of the orange and green tees. These are the same type of mat which was installed on the 9th hole on The Park Course. The 5th tee is a problem area for growing grass, it has very little light in both the summer and winter months and the recovery rate from divoting and general growth is poor. Unfortunately, when the course was designed they didn’t anticipate the amount of golf being played from such a small teeing area. Please play from the mat and not the tee as this area needs to be recovered. Also regarding tee positions and markers. Please play between the markers and not the plate areas. We set up the course to protect certain areas and if people play from wherever they want, it makes our job harder in trying to protect these areas from wear and tear.

This month we had the return of greenkeepers revenge which was a great success. The course was set up with lots of obstacles and tricks around the course. Some of the highlights were the 11th pin being at the front of the green but the actual hole being at the back, tyres and traffic cones on selected holes, a crowned hole on the 8th and selected items on the green around the course. However sounding the fog horn off, whilst in the bush on the 1st tee made my day. Thank you for being a good sport those who played.

Traffic management is now in place. Please follow any signage on the course and any instructions given to you on-screen whilst in a woody.

This month the golf courses have been awarded the GEO award (Golf Environment Organisation) Certification, for its commitment to sustainability. After independent verification, the GEO concluded that Golf At Goodwood should receive certification because of its “outstanding work to minimise the impact on the environment through the introduction of biomass heating, solar panels and enhanced monitoring on water consumption.” It continued stating that “the club has also undertaken numerous natural environment projects providing enhancements to habitat in line with the surveys and advice commissioned by the facility.” We set out to achieve the GEO Certification knowing that it would not just safeguard the environmental future of the courses, but also be beneficial to members, customers and the local community.

Whilst on the ecology, our bees have been winterised and will be left alone for a few months, albeit with some feed added now and then to help them through the colder months. On the last inspection, they were very healthy going into the winter months.

Look forward to seeing you on the course!

Rob Dyer, Head Greenkeeper, The Downs Course

The Park Course

100mm of rain through the month of November and a drop in temperature has seen a reduction in our cutting regime and our focus has turned to winter maintenance. Aeration work continues on greens at deferent depths 1” spike, 4” solid tine and 12” air injection tine to break up compaction all the way through the profile. Tees and aprons have received some well-needed aeration in the form of slits which is less disruptive in wetter conditions.

At last, it finally feels that we are winning the battle with picking up all the leaves from the course!

Using tines to the depth of 12” the Air2G2 releases compressed air into the soil which breaks up soil compaction. This will create more air flow through the soil profile, this task will encourage better drainage and deeper/stronger root growth, this will result in the playing surface having a stronger, healthier turf and in turn a more consistent, faster, firmer putting surface. The picture below shows the Air2G2 at work with very little disruption

As part of our on-going conservation/habitat management plan, all the long natural rough areas around the course have been cut and collected. Although the course does look a little bare at the moment, the benefits of carrying out this task are:

• Thins out and removes unwanted weeds and coarse grasses
• Allows the natural fescue grasses a chance to grow by not being overpowered by courser species
• Gives the course definition whilst still maintaining its playability
• Doing it at this time of year it doesn’t affect nesting birds or wildlife.

See you on the course!

Simon Berry, Head Greenkeeper, The Park Course