Tidy up ready for Christmas

As we approach the Christmas break the temperatures are increasing not decreasing due to a southerly air flow which is caused by a deep depression of cold air over the Altlantic ocean. The short term forecast is for higher than average temperatures as the jet stream created by the cold air over the poles is sitting right over the uk. This creates a series of low pressure systems inevitably bringing moist air across the country. Currently the wave is set to last until just after Christmas when they predict temperatures will dip slightly but it certainly isn't going to be a hard period of cold weather. 

So what does this mean for the golf course. Firstly the grass is still growing, cutting areas is still a challenge due to wet ground conditions. We have been able to keep the greens, surrounds and approaches tidy. Still soft in places but overall looking ok for the time of year. 

The higher temperatures has also brought out more golfers, which for is means increased wear. Fortunately we are able to utilise the fact we have 27 holes and can close 9 to carry out essential maintenance which does spread wear also. Unfortunately the wet weather also leaves a lot of areas which are now becoming very sticky. 

Please could I remind all golfers, specifically buggy users to take care on the course. 

Finally due to moist air disease pressure is also high. Any grass disease is initiated by constantly moist, warm weather. The main disease problem at this time of year is fusarium patch, mainly effecting poa or annual meadow grass. Spraying fungicides (chemicals that reduce disease damage) is difficult. Systemic fungicides, chemicals that enter and stay in the plant are slow to work at this time of the year but with constant growth are the most effective option at the moment. Usually in December we would normally spray contact fungicides which don't enter the plant, simply stick to the outer leaf, when there is no growth this is ideal but during growing conditions it would be cut off the leaf within a week of application. So the question is what do we do to prevent disease? Spraying fungicides is expensive so until the weather changes to ideal conditions we won't be applying any fungicides to the turf. Until a preventative fungicide can be sprayed cultural maintenance is carried out. Cultural methods include removing dew daily, not over stressing the turf and appling nutrients that harden the turf to naturally resist disease ingress.  

Elsewhere a final tidy of the course is ongoing before Christmas. Removing leaves and other debris from around greens and tees and other large branches from copses and woodlands. 

Ditches are also being cleared across the course.