Peter Fenton
Greens:
The height of cut on the greens is now up to 5.25mm as we look to relieve the stresses of the season and bolster the plant for the upcoming winter period.
Inputs again have been low, with no Nitrogen. Instead Phosphite, Citric Acid and Trace Elements have been applied to help guard against disease without using heavy fungicide and iron applications. Despite our best efforts the mild damp conditions led to a particularly bad outbreak of fusarium. Disappointingly the disease occurred whilst we otherwise engaged in project work the 14th. As such priorities were divided between trying to maximise our time with machinery on hire, whilst doing our utmost to control the disease with spot treatments. Our efforts spraying not helped at all by a spell of windy days and intermittent rain, it was a stop start affair to say the least. As such this outbreak got away from us early, at least we have managed to hit it again with spot treatments later in the month. A keen frost early in November would really help us out here, by stopping the disease in its tracks.
Early next month we will go again with the Phosphite mix and then again in early December if conditions remain still mild.
Despite the outbreak the greens have enjoyed a good flush with some heavy rain washing nicely through the profile. This downward movement made possible thanks to our season long aeration program, including coring, spiking, sarel rolling and slitting, with around 80 ton pure sand top dressing. We are experiencing some teething problems with our big spiker recently purchased, once this is resolved the greens will receive a further deep spike to 300mm with 12mm tines.
Machinery:
Its been a particularly bad month on the machinery, as we suffered a spate of small breakages and subsequent repairs. A hydraulic leak on our biggest mower scarred certain parts of the course, notably the 15th tee. The throttle cable snapped on the greens mower, another PTO broke on the deep spiker during operation and needed repair. The drive chain on the greens roller broke and our aged trailer finally gave up the ghost with a badly corroded chassis. Even the gearstick on the hired dumper let us down midway through a project.
Finally a real sting in the tail towards the end of the month as the clutch is all but done on our biggest tractor and needs immediate repair. The best is done to maintain and care for our machinery, from annual servicing, regular pre start checks, including oil level and air filter checks, with machines also getting washed and greased routinely after use. Rather than neglect or misuse, i would have to say its just a case of old machinery getting worked hard!
Projects:
Amongst chasing disease around the greens, as you already know project season has got under way this month! Reshaping of the approach on the Par 3 14th has been completed, along with the foundations of a new greenside bunker. The bunker is to be revisited and completed in early November, with installation of a soak away, a revetted turf face, and the banking finished off with top soil and turf. Is it vital we get the heavy excavation well under way before the worst of the weather arrives. For this reason, we broke away from the 14th project – with the heavy work done, to take advantage of available plant hire week commencing 31st October, to then start our bigger scale project on the 4th hole.
The 4th hole will be getting a slightly larger putting surface and new mounding all around the green, along with two revetted pot bunkers. The stubborn bare patches on this green will be patched up with a quality bent fescue turf. This is a massive project, yet one the team will relish. We have benefitted from free subsoil arriving on site from a local contractor, thanks to Sam for arranging this. Having the material on hand saves us the time, expense and disruption of having to source such from our own site.
Thanks also to Chris Johnson for his vision of the project and advice. The finished article should add to the hole aesthetically whilst being fairer on near misses and penalising anything too wayward.
Earlier in the month, we overseeded the tees and heavy top dressed them. Their recovery has been quite good after an incredibly tough season, with almost full coverage taken back. They will benefit from a late Autumn feed next month to carry them through the Winter.
Looking towards next month…
With numerous machinery troubles this month, along with the outbreak of disease and with the team starting some really big projects, its fair to say certain areas of the course have been over looked, even neglected recently. I appreciate the course isn’t shining at its best currently, we will get on top of things for certain, its been a lot for such a small team to juggle in October. We will come back fighting in November, hopefully finding time fill divots on tees one more time this year, weed paths, edge bunkers and freshen up the chipping area and prepare temp greens amongst other tasks.
We hope to have the heavy excavation work on the 4th hole completed by early November. Then our attention will move towards finishing off these two projects. The only aspect remaining unfinished by the end of the month would be the back sides of the new bankings on the 4th. These may be overseeded instead of turfed to save on costs, but seeding couldn’t commence until early Spring. The hole will be put back into play as often as possible between now and then.
Work shall continue in cutting and collecting of our longer rough back to the fences and walls.
Once we have the Spiker fully working all fairways, greens and tees will receive a much needed deep spike.
Thank you to all our members helping again this past month, Bill on moles, Liam on hand tidying up certain areas of the course, along with continued help and support from Ali, Amanda and the board, Sam and team. Special thanks to Ian Norman who has really put in the hours with us this month, which has been a massive boost for the team. Ian has progressed nicely to cutting fairways, semi rough whilst also being on hand during our project work.
Wishing you all the best in the coming month. Peter, Jack and Gordon.
