Updated Sept 2023

GREENS NEWS UPDATES

Golf Course September 2023

The greens have been well received during the August meeting; much praise has been received about the putting surfaces as well as the grass quality.

To continue improving the grass species we over-seeding all greens this week. The weaker greens will also be solid-tined to allow for more seed. The weaker greens are, part of the first and second, all the 7th and 18th. They will all get top dressed which will include zeolite.

For those of us who aren’t overly familiar with Zeolites, here’s a quick synopsis.  They are crystalline solids structures made of silicon, aluminium and oxygen that form a framework with cavities and channels inside where cations, water and/or small molecules may reside.  Because of their unique porous properties, zeolites are used now in a variety of applications…including turf management.

Adding Zeolites into the open holes during aerification has several important agronomic advantages.  First, nitrate leaching from sand-based greens are measurably reduced.  Second, there is an increase in the shoot growth rate and nitrogen uptake into the plant.  And finally, there is an increase water holding capacity and air exchange rates.  All these benefits make it worth considering as a part of the aerification process.

The height of the cut will be lifted to 5mm, we went down to 4.5mm for August.

Hand weeding will take place to remove the star weeds

Some dollar spot disease can be seen on the 18th green as well as a few others, high temperatures with heavy dews cause this disease.

Replacement irrigation works have started to the 4th hole, the 1st and 15th will be completed soon, all irrigation works should be treated as GUR

Fairways

Fairways from 3 to 15 have just received another over seeding, they are improving but preferred lies will be with us well into 2024, divot filling is continuous, and mats will be used from mid–October onwards.

Tees

Tees are being mown twice per week and divot-filled each week.
The 11th and 12th tees will be raised and levelled by a contractor during October, new irrigation will also be installed.
The 9th yellow tee will also be enlarged.
The old 8th green site will be naturalized leaving just clean sand, this was part of the planning for the new 8th hole and stipulated by Natural England

Bunkers

Weak bunker tops will be replaced this winter,
Stones will be removed from bunkers using the sieve.
The sand angles improved so most shots will be played from an uphill lie.

Taylor Course

The Taylor course's new greens and tees have been turfed, using the turf from the old 8th hole.
The pond should be landscaped soon.

Putting green

As approved by the members at the A.G.M. Enlarging the putting green, and creating a new short game practice area.
These works will be phased.
Phase one is enlarging the putting green - this will take place this Autumn.
A temporary putting green will be created in pimpley ground.
This work includes removing all existing turf, new drainage, and irrigation.
300 tons of sand plus organic matter, mixed together.
Seed will then in applied, and with a goodish winter the new green should be in play by next June/July.
Phase two of creating the new short game practice area will commence next summer once the new putting is open