Frustrating times, but hopefully higher temperatures are on the way!
This very strange cold, dry weather we have experienced the last month or so continues to test all Greenkeepers and puts us under immense pressure to try and get things ‘ kick started’ We have no magic wands I am afraid to make grass grow in cold dry just above freezing temperatures. This April, as I understand, was one of the coolest and driest April’s on record and Monday’s bank holiday was the coldest ever recorded early May Bank holiday, so please be patient with us we are doing our best and are very ready to start manicuring your Golf Course as soon as we get some proper growth and some decent temperatures. As I write this (Saturday 8th May) the rain has arrives, 17mm in 4 hours to be precise and slightly warmer. Ha ha and as i finish this article off (Monday 10th May) the nightime temperature has been 10 degrees so maybe the start of growing is coming!
Below is an article that appeared in the Telegraph a couple of days ago which I thought you might find interesting. Copy and paste the link on your internet browser.
I thought I would answer a few more of your questions
- How is the drainage going and why did you stop doing the 10th hole
The drainage is going well despite the issues with the 10th. It’s a lot harder doing the installation with Golfers playing than when we were in Lockdown last year and the Course was shut, but I obviously don’t wish for closures again. 18th’s Mains and primary drainage is all complete and we are well on the way to completing the 16th hole this week . The reason we had to stop doing the 10th was because there was an issue with the irrigation cables not being installed deep enough. Whilst we were trenching we hit cables 5 times so we soon realised there was a problem . Our Irrigation contractors came straight out to see us and have confirmed that they are not happy with the depth of the cables on the 10th. All cables have been repaired and now working. We could carry on and dig around the cables by hand which would take a lot longer and risk further damage, but the contractors wish to come and re-install the cables at a deeper depth later in the year. So we have moved onto the 16th which has been one of the wettest fairways the last few years. To improve the results we have reduced the spacings between each of the primary drain lines. This obviously then takes longer to do but will be worth it. The plan is to carry on this week where we will complete the 16th and go back to holes 7 and 8 and add some more primary drains to these holes. We will then stop for a few months as we really appreciate everyone’s patience during the upheaval of drainage works and want to allow you all to enjoy ALL of your golf course. We aim to start further drainage later in the year and we also have a couple more ditches to get done.
2. When will the Bunkers be topped up with Sand and the ones that we have started filling in be finished?
As soon as we get the drainage out of the way this week , we will start topping up bunkers with new sand. We also will be soiling and either turfing or seeding the Bunkers that are to be filled in. Finally we will re-construct the bunker at the 2nd Green and 4th Fairway bunker.
3. Greens are still bobbly, when will this be sorted?
Once again this is all to do with night time temperatures and lack of growth. As i have already said this has been a stupidly cold dry Spring. Forecast after this weekend is for it to start warming up so fingers crossed. We are and will be doing all that we can to get things moving.
4. There are a lot of soil piles around the edges of the course, will they be tidied up?
We are very aware of this and once the drainage is finished next week we will be reusing a lot of the soil to fill the chosen Bunkers in . We will also be getting the Digger out and shaping the piles around the Golf course.
Well that’s it for this time hope you have all found the info useful. W/c 17th May we will hopefully have the conditions to Verti-cut and topdress greens plus start giving all surfaces a nice feed and manicure.
Enjoy your Course, Enjoy your Club …………..It’s yours remember !
