Another busy week at the office. Lots going on around the course, finally I have chance to catch up. The weather has been up and down. Initially the week started colder with a couple of grass frosts. The frost didn't penetrate into the ground so went after around 9am each day. The picture below highlights why the front putting green is prone to disease.
The edge nearest the clubhouse is clearly not frozen like the rest of the green. I believe this is because the clubhouse reflects any heat and light creating a slightly different microclimate in this region. As this strip is always slightly warmer and therefore more dewy and less likely to freeze disease pressure is higher.
Other reasons we find problematic greens on the course is shade. Whilst working around the 5th green it was an ideal oppertunity to show the problems we face. At just past midday this is as much sun this green gets at it's highest point.
The green is surrounded by trees and is on a north facing slope. The worst combination for shade and air circulation. This often leads to prolonged surface wetness and poor grass quality over the winter months. When we have snow cover these shaded greens can be covered in snow and ice weeks after the rest of the course is clear.
On the course we have been busy tidying leaf and other debris from trees after the sting winds of last weekend. Most of the greens are remaining clear however we then work around the greens in the semi rough ensuring any remaining leaves are not left to sit in the grass which would effect long term growth. This is done with a combination of back pack blowers and the tractor mounted blower.
We are making a start to tree pruning right across the course. This is a long process which involves assessing each tree and removing low and hanging branches. This is to ensure machinery can access all areas and golf can be played without to many restrictions. We will also remove any dead and unwanted trees once pruning is complete.
Elsewhere we have continued with turf repair on bunker faces. Concentrating on the 3rd, 4th and 7th holes. Removing turf that is damaged or worn and replacing it with new. These bunkers will remain gur until spring.
We have been having issues with buggies creating unnesacery damage on the course along with other non golf maintenance vehicles. Please can all buggies users stay away from wet areas only use the buggy to travel to the vicinity of the ball then look on foot and start and stop the buggy carefully.
The last 2 days have been great, let's hope for a few more of afternoons like this
