Autumn Blog

 

As we reach the end of another season of golf here is an update on what’s been happening and what will be happening on the course.

This season the feedback we have received regarding the course has again been excellent from both members and visitors. The greens have been maintained to a very good, consistent standard all season. The work we do to the greens during aeration week remains a huge contributing factor to them been good throughout the main playing months. The addition of the turf iron (roller) has negated the need to be aggressive with the height of cut on the greens and still achieve performance. As we are now well into October, cutting frequency has reduced as daylight, temperature and therefore growth decrease. The greens are currently cut at 5mm and rolled when conditions allow.               

The greens aeration went to plan at the start of September with the following work carried out:

• ·      Vertidrained – 325 mm depth
• ·      Top dressed – 35 ton
• ·      Solid tined – 125 mm depth
• ·      Brushed using the sweep and fill
• ·      Overseeded with bent grass- 65 kg in total   

The subsequent warm weather we experienced really helped the greens recover. The bent grass germinated after only eight days. 

                                   Fig 1: Bent grass germination

Everything from a lean nutrition program to aeration practices helps promote the perennial grasses over the annuals. The greens at Hexham are a mix of bent/poa with the bent grass now having the advantage. The main turf grass diseases that I have talked about in previous blogs have made an appearance lately. An attack of Fusarium came in on some greens at the start of September, but with good growing conditions the grass plant recovered well. Anthracnose attacked some edges of greens. This is a stress related disease and it mainly targets weak annual meadow grass (Poa). Bent grass is hand seeded into these areas. 

                       Fig 2: Bent grass germination in some anthracnose 

Work to the right hand side of the 7^th green was recently completed. The following work was carried out:

• ·      Area dug out with a digger
• ·      Rotavated
• ·      New soil added
• ·      Turfed
• ·      Coverlawn layed on top

The coverlawn helps to protect the grass from the high levels of play and wear.  The natural grass will grow through the holes from the underside and the combination of the two provides a surface to play golf from.

                                                        Fig 3: Area dug out 

                                                              Fig 4: Area turfed

    

                                        Fig 5: Coverlawn layed  

                                              Fig 6: Before and after 7th hole project  

 

With the digger on site we made time to fill in and landscape the 10^th winter hole bunker. 

Recently ropes, hoops and mats have been phased in as we prepare the course for the transition into winter. Golfers often ask why we need to put so many measures in place. These measures are done to protect certain areas of the course and are one of the reasons conditions are good throughout the main playing season. If areas were not protected, then grass cover would be lost. It would be great to be able to keep grass tees on all winter, but these playing areas are too small to take the wear and would be destroyed for the main season. Grass seed doesn’t germinate in the colder months so tees would be bare soil from the high levels of play. If members could follow all the measures in place that would be great.

Another concern this time of year as the greens become softer due to wet weather, is the number of unrepaired pitchmarks on greens. An unrepaired pitchmark affects the roll of yours and other people’s putts. If members could take time to repair their pitchmarks, this helps keep the greens at a high standard.          

 

The tees and approaches have been aerated with the Toro Procore. The wetting agent and nutrition these areas have received over the last few years has helped. They still suffer from drought stress through the warmer months as they have no water to them. Wetting agents and nutrition will be applied to them over the winter months to help rehydrate the soil. The fairways will be slit tined over the autumn months when conditions allow.   

The remaining sprinklers will be replaced over the coming months. Half were done last year and have been a great addition to how water is distributed to the greens during hot spells. They have a lower trajectory, so the wind does not affect them as much as the older ones. During the summer our irrigation contractor increased the bar (pressure) to the system. This work really helped us water the greens a lot more efficiently.

Over the last few weeks, the badgers have been foraging for earthworms and grubs. This damage is now starting to occur on the edges of some greens. 

                                Fig 7: Badger damage on the 2nd green  

There are no insecticides that can be sprayed to stop the turf from getting pest damage. Crane fly are now a big problem in all sports turf, from racecourses to football pitches. They lay their eggs in the turf and the larva (leather-jacket) eats away at the roots of the plant, which can seriously damage the turf. Meanwhile birds such as crows and other wildlife damage surfaces searching for the larvae. Nature at it’s finest.        

         

Staff      

We are now back up to full strength as Craig recently returned to work. Over the summer months we have had help from Jimmy Richardson and Steven Riley. This has been a massive help to the greenkeeping team, a big thanks to them both.   

                              

And finally, a big thank you to all the members who support the greenkeeping team, its greatly appreciated.

David and the lads.