La Moye Golf Club

Hole 10 Complete

2012-01-17T15:35:00.001Z

Following the festive break and despite some adverse weather conditions, we have finally completed the turfing works on hole 10.

We are currently almost finished turfing the banking around the new 11th tees. Next up will be the realignment of the paths at the 12th and 13th tees.

Hole 10 Update

2011-12-12T15:50:00.010Z

Last week we finally got the turf laid on the 10th green. The sod had been cut lifted from the old 11th green on the 5th October and had been sitting on plastic sheeting for the past 8 weeks. It was a huge relief to get it laid at long last. Hopefully it will enjoy its new surroundings more than its temporary home in the valley next to the reservoir!

All bunker revetting is now complete also. The earthworks contractor has top-soiled the entire area and the whole area is being given its final prep today before turfing of the surround and approach begins tomorrow.

Hole 11 Tee Construction

2011-12-12T15:04:00.000Z

The new 11th tees have been constructed and are now ready for turfing this week. The surfaces have been extended at the back by around 5 metres and at the front by around 3 metres. We now have around 370m2 of teeing area split between the white and yellow surfaces. Both surfaces have been realigned and now point squarely towards the target area on the fairway. The trees on the left of the image below will be trimmed back in the coming weeks to give an improved view of the left edge of the fairway.

Turfing Hole 11 Approach

2011-12-02T14:30:00.001Z

This week we took delivery of 1600m2 of turf from our supplier in the UK. The material has been laid on the surround and approach are on the 11th hole.

The first of two loads arrive

Course Walk

2011-11-27T07:53:00.004Z

A course walk to examine the changes to holes 10, 11 and 12 will take place on Friday 9th December. Any member who is interested in seeing first hand the progress so far on the project is invited to meet me outside the Rangers' office at 1pm on Friday 9th December. The walk will also take place on Saturday 10th December, also at 1pm, for anyone unavailable to make it on the Friday.

Hole 10 Progress Update

2011-11-26T06:37:00.000Z

The shaping of the green complex on the 10th hole is well underway. The new rootzone is being added to the green and the three new fairway bunkers are now in place, one of which has been revetted. This hole should be ready for turfing to commence around Monday 5th December.

Green complex with two bunkers left side

Right side fairway bunker

Left side fairway bunkers

Shaping Hole 11

2011-11-25T16:35:00.000Z

Our earthworks team from MJ Abbott Ltd have now finished all the contouring and shaping work on the 11th hole. We now have seven new bunkers, a new green complex, adjustments to the left side of the fairway from 100 yards out all the way to the green and a new white and yellow teeing ground. Turf for these areas is due to be delivered on Tuesday with the work expected to be completed by the end of next week.

Deep Tine Aeration Using Verti-Drain

2011-11-22T06:05:00.001Z

This week we are using the Verti-Drain machine to punch holes in the surface of the greens. The machine has been set up to give us holes that are half an inch in diameter,10 inches deep and with a two inch gap between each. For the first time this year we have split each green in two, one half of each green was verti drained three weeks ago and now that recovery from that operation has taken place, we are moving onto the other half of each green. This process is designed to ensure that hole locations can be kept on comparatively smooth areas of the greens all the time. A short video of the machine in action on the 16th green is shown below.

To find out more about why we do this work to the greens, click on the label "aeration" below.

Hole 10 Preparation

2011-11-17T05:22:00.001Z

With the shaping work on the 11th fairway areas progressing well, some of the earthworks team are now moving onto the area at the 10th green and 11th tee to begin the top soil removal and clay excavation works. When the clay soil is gone considerable reshaping work will take place to improve the contouring of this green and increase the connectivity with the surrounding land.

Clay removal on 10th green

The 11th tee is set to be longer and wider

Hole 12 Complete

2011-11-16T19:19:00.004Z

A day and a half of hard work saw the course team complete the turfing work on the surround and approach of hole 12. About 1250 square metres of material was laid in total. The 200 square metres that is left over from the delivery yesterday will be used to make start on the collar of the 11th.

New Turf Delivery

2011-11-15T18:16:00.000Z

Today we received a delivery of 1440 square metres of pure fescue turf. We plan to use this material on the surround and approach on hole 12 with any left over being used on hole 11. The turf has had quite a journey to get here, it was grown on the turf farm of specialist sports turf supplier County Turf in North Lincolnshire where it was cut and loaded onto pallets first thing on Monday morning.

Our new turf growing happily in Lincolnshire

It arrived in Portsmouth in time to make the overnight ferry to Jersey and was then delivered up to La Moye at 11am today. The whole process took a little over 24hrs which means the course team have around another 48hrs to get the turf on the ground before significant degradation of the material begins.

Unloading the turf at La Moye

The first 500m2 of turf in place on the 12th

12th Green Grow In

2011-11-14T17:24:00.001Z

Three weeks have past since the 12th greens turf was laid and with the favourable weather conditions of late, the turf has put down lots of roots already. Now that the turf is stable work can begin on improving surface levels through light weight rolling and top dressing. The turf iron was used on the green for the first time on Friday to begin smoothing out the surface.

Turfing 11th Green

2011-11-14T06:19:00.000Z

All the turf has now been laid on the new 11th green. The earthworks contractor finished the final shaping work last Wednesday which allowed the course team to get on with the re-turfing work first thing Thursday morning. The last turf was in place early on Friday afternoon.

Final shaping work

Laying the turf

The finished surface

11th Hole Bunker Revetting

2011-11-14T06:03:00.001Z

Six of the seven new bunkers on hole 11 have now been revetted. MJ Abbott shapers did the preparation work prior to the course team building the bunker faces.

Left side greenside

Right side approach

Right hand approach

Right side fairway

Transplanting Dune Sod

2011-11-07T16:24:00.000Z

A key process involved in the project work on holes 11 and 12 is the stripping and relaying of dune or rough grass sod from the out of play areas. To make best use of resources and to help give an instant "mature look" to the finished result we have been using the excavators to gently strip off sections of dune sod from areas which require re-contouring and then placing them back down with the greatest care and precision onto already completed areas. As the grass in this sod is often very fragile the contractor has developed a useful strategy to handle each piece. An excavator is used to strip a section of turf, the bucket from the excavator is then detached with the turf still inside and the whole thing is placed into one of the 9 tonne dumpers. The dumper then takes the turf section (still safely sat inside the detached excavator bucket) to the area where it is to be re-laid. At this point a second excavator attaches the bucket and then carefully lays the turf section onto the newly created dune area. This process ensures that despite the fragile nature of the grass each and every dune sod section is used and no wastage occurs. It takes considerable skill to make sure all the sods are stripped to the same thickness and they are all placed back down in exactly the correct position. The turf could not withstand being picked up a second time and repositioned as it would most likely disintegrate. The finished result looks fantastic.

A short video showing one end of the process is shown below.

Creating New Mounding

2011-11-07T16:03:00.001Z

Additional mounding has been built to try to hide the path next to the 13th tee when viewed from the 12th tee. The area was stripped of existing sod before around 200 tonnes of sand was brought in and shaped to give a natural appearance.

Before Work Started

Taking shape

The Shaped Mounding

Dune Sod Added

11th Hole Bunker Shaping

2011-11-07T09:23:00.001Z

Our earthworks contractor MJ Abbott have almost completed the rough shaping work around the bunkers on the 11th hole.

The course team are currently busy building the revetted face in each of the bunkers before top soiling around is carried out.

Turfing 12th Green

2011-10-29T16:28:00.000+01:00

Returfing work on the 12th green has been completed. Many hours have been spent laying and adjusting the the individual turf pieces to ensure the surface is as level as possible. In a few days ironing and top dressing of the surface will commence to firm it up and correct any slight imperfections. The green cannot be walked on for the time being.

12th Green Bunker Revetting

2011-10-29T16:12:00.000+01:00

The course team have spent the past few days building the faces of the five new bunkers around the new 12th green. All five have now been completed allowing the contractor to get on with laying down the top soil on the green collar.

12th Green Rootzone & Bunker Revetting

2011-10-25T07:53:00.000+01:00

The new rootzone is now in place on hole 12. The material has been spread to the required depth and the architect has approved the contouring. The course team are busy revetting the faces of the new bunkers as this must be completed before the new rootzone can be added to the green collar. Once that is done we will be ready to lay turf onto the green.

Autumn Maintenance Update

2011-10-14T05:45:00.003+01:00

Following the maintenance work carried out on the week beginning 26th September, I would like to consider the work done and the results so far. The solid tine work on greens was completed in a timely manner without creating too much disruption to the surfaces.

Seeding work was carried out next using our dedicated seeding unit.

The seeder was used twice, the first time with a fescue seed, then at a slightly shallower depth bent seed was used. The greens were ironed to improve firmness before top dressing was applied to improve smoothness.

Since the work was done the seedlings have germinated well. The new grass is infilling the patches of ryegrass that are dying off following the previous selective graminicide treatment.

Lines of new grass plants

11th Green Update

2011-10-13T19:20:00.003+01:00

With all the clay gone from the 11th, work has started on filling the void with sand.

The extent of the clay

The mounded area on the front left of the green has been stripped of turf as this will become a hollow and a bunker eventually.

The material from the old mound is being used to form part of the base of the new green.

The stripped dune turf

The blue line marks the front of the new green

Creating The New 12th Green 2

2011-10-13T15:29:00.000+01:00

The images below show the latest work completed on the 12th green complex. The putting green surface has been completed subject to approval from our course architect on Monday. The two left hand bunkers have been shaped so far.

The three posts show the centre line of the new green

Creating The New 12th Green

2011-10-13T15:05:00.000+01:00

The sand base of the new 12th green is now almost all in place. We can start to see the size, shape and some of the contouring of the new green.

Clay Removal

2011-10-12T16:37:00.001+01:00

So far this week the contractor has been busy removing the offending clay layer in the 11th and 12th greens.

Turf Stripping 11th Green

2011-10-05T16:53:00.001+01:00

With all the turf now lifted from the 12th the course team have moved onto the 11th green complex to begin lifting the turf. The short video below shows Andrew cutting the sod.

Once lifted, the turf is taken to the flat area next to the reservoir where it is laid onto plastic sheeting. The sheeting is used to ensure the turf does not root into the ground beneath before we are ready to lift and relay it.

The 11th & 12th Greens!

All the greens turf is gone

Project Contractor - MJ Abbott

2011-10-04T19:03:00.000+01:00

Our project contractor - MJ Abbott Limited, have arrived on site along with a vast array of plant and equipment. MJ Abbott are one of the UK's leading sports and water engineering contractors. They operate throughout the UK and Europe with a client list featuring both Open Championship and Ryder Cup venues.

Some of the contractors machinery in the compound

They are responsible for carrying out all the earthworks on holes 10, 11 and 12 and for the realignment of the irrigation system. A team of up to 10 staff will be working on the project led by Site Manager Simon Peters. Weather permitting, the work is expected to be completed in 10 weeks.

Turf Stripping 12th Green

2011-10-03T17:40:00.002+01:00

After months of planning we have finally begun the greens reconstruction project on holes 10, 11 & 12. Today we stripped the sod from the 12th green.

Before we starting we gave the surface one final mow. The sod was then cut before the course team began lifting the individual turf strips. The 12th green is 660m2 so we really had our work cut out!

The turf was loaded onto trailers and transported to areas in the valley where it was laid out onto plastic sheeting.

Greens Reconstruction

2011-09-27T08:36:00.000+01:00

We are on schedule for the start of the project on October 3^rd. The new rootzone, which is to be used in place of the clay/silt material on holes 10-12 has already started to arrive and is being stored in the grassed area next to the JWGC building. Most of the new material will be here by the time the earth-works contractor arrives on site. Weather permitting; the contractor is scheduled to be on site for 10 weeks. They will be assigned most of the JWGC car park (to be fenced off) as a compound for machinery etc so there will be reduced car parking spaces available to members using the range from 30^th September until just before Christmas. Regular project updates will be communicated to members via email, this blog and on a dedicated notice board which will be situated in the main hall of the clubhouse. Just outside the ranger’s office on the opposite wall a whiteboard will be placed which will have daily details in respect of holes 10 to 13^th and their availability of play. Please note however that as from 3^rd October these four holes will be closed and members should refer to this whiteboard prior to play.

The first load of new rootzone arrrives!

Autumn Course Maintenance

2011-09-23T14:40:00.006+01:00

Our second and final course maintenance week of 2011 commences on Monday 26th September. Micro solid tining, seeding and top dressing work will be carried out on the greens. To enable the course staff to carry out the work in a timely manner one tee starts will take place on Monday and Tuesday until 0930 each day. Beyond this time, a temporary green will be used on the hole being worked on to further minimise disruption. Whilst it is appreciated that this will cause a measure of inconvenience to members please be assured that this work is entirely necessary to ensure continued, long-term improvement in our putting surfaces.

New Range Sponsor - Brewin Dolphin

2011-06-27T13:41:00.000+01:00

Brewin Dolphin have kindly sponsored the new golf balls on the driving range. Pictured above are La Moye GC Secretary/Manager Alastair Mackenzie, La Moye GC Captain Mike Lotherington, Mark Miles and Nick Browning from Brewin Dolphin and La Moye GC Course and Competition Chairman Peter Garnier during the hand over of the new balls.

Fertiliser Spreading

2011-06-14T16:14:00.001+01:00

If you have been on the course today or plan to visit tomorrow you may notice a rather "organic" smell coming from the turf. Today we have been spreading a poultry litter based fertiliser product on a number of areas around the course to help boost turf health and encourage growth in high wear spots. Thankfully the smell will fade quickly but spare a thought for Andrew and Phil who had the unenviable task of spreading the stuff all day today!

Bird Box Survey

2011-06-14T16:04:00.004+01:00

We have 18 bird boxes situated in trees and on some of the buildings around the golf course complex. In a survey carried out last month we found that 10 of the 18 boxes showed signs of being inhabited. In those 10, chicks could be seen or heard in 5 of the boxes.

Irrigation Priorities

2011-06-10T15:00:00.001+01:00

We are currently experiencing exceptionally dry weather conditions. Since 1st March our weather station has recorded only 32mm of rainfall, which represents less than 25% of the average for this period. These dry conditions have very often been accompanied by sunny and breezy weather, this has meant that we have been heavily reliant on our irrigation system to deliver the water required to keep the turf healthy.

We have been losing between 20 and 30mm of moisture from the turf each week from a process called evapo-transpiration. Although this does not sound too bad, to replace 25mm of water across the whole course means that we must apply around 1 million gallons of water. Consequently, we have been abstracting large quantities of water from our boreholes to replenish the water pumped from our reservoir.

In recent days it has been noted that the yield from the boreholes has decreased to the extent that we have been pumping water out of the reservoir and onto the golf course faster than we have been able to replace it. You may have noticed the low water levels in the reservoir recently whilst standing on the 14th tee. This is obviously an unsustainable situation and as we are still in the first half of the season with potentially a lot more dry weather ahead of us, we must now adjust our irrigation output to a sustainable level.

Currently two thirds of the water we apply is to fairways so clearly this is the area where the greatest savings can be made. It makes sense to prioritise the watering of greens, tees and approaches whilst reducing the amount of water the fairways receive. Instead of watering fairways every night, from now and until the next significant rainfall, we will water these areas on 2 or 3 occasions each week. This will ensure we will have enough water for the priority areas for the remainder of what could be an extraordinarily dry season.

More Gorse Clearance

2011-05-14T13:45:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago we cleared more gorse from between the 4th and 5th holes. Degenerate, woody bushes were pulled out from around the trees to create a slightly more open feel to the right side of the 4th. A number of sharp rush plants can be found in this area but these were being severely compromised by the encroachment of gorse. During this process we tried to protect the sharp rush from damage.

Following the clearance work an excavator was used to scrape the brash from the ground to expose the natural seed bank beneath. This helps to accelerate the regeneration process.

Once recovery takes place we expect the area to contain a healthy balance of young gorse plants, sharp rush and open grasslands.

In time we will tackle the rest of the gorse between the 4th and 5th as it is all becoming well past its best.

Hole 8 Gorse Clearance

2011-05-13T14:37:00.000+01:00

The rather old and tired looking stand of gorse to the right side of the 8th hole was recently removed. This had become very unsightly in recent years and had encroached into to to such an extent that visibility of the road that crosses the fairway had become severely restricted.

An excavator fitted with an attachment specially adapted for pulling gorse was selected to carry out the work. In only three hours a 40m x 8m stand of degenerate gorse mixed with bramble was removed and burned nearby.
As can be seen in the video below, the remaining material was mulched with a heavy duty flail fitted to a high powered tractor. This par of the job took a mere 30 minutes to complete.

Although this has left the area fairly clean and tidy, we will need to go back to treat the bramble re-growth in a few weeks.

Course Update

2011-05-04T19:06:00.000+01:00

Greens

The putting surfaces have performed reasonably well recently following the work carried out during the maintenance week. Micro-hollow tining, scarification and top dressing work was undertaken on all greens with the principle aim being to reduce organic matter (thatch) in the base of the sward.

Currently, Poa Annua grasses in the greens are seeding, causing surfaces to be slightly bumpy especially later in the day following the early morning preparation. When time allows, brushing the greens prior to cutting is being done to minimise the effects of this temporary condition. When the seeding subsides solid tine work on the greens will resume to maintain the efficient movement of air and water through the soil profile. Ironing is carried out around three times each week to further promote smooth surfaces.

Irrigation

Following exceptionally dry weather conditions throughout April, nightly irrigation is taking place on all areas of the golf course. Around 10mm of water is being applied across the course each week in an attempt to maintain a healthy balance of soil moisture in this early part of the season. Frighteningly, 10mm of irrigation across the course equates to around 400,000 gallons of water, which is more than one third of the reservoir pumped onto the golf course each week! Bearing in mind our irrigation water is derived from ground water with moderately high ph and bicarbonate levels and thus not as good for the turf as rain, it is little wonder that the course team are desperate for a good downpour.

Driving Range Sponsorship

We are delighted to announce that an agreement has been reached with Brewin Dolphin to sponsor the driving range. Brewin Dolphin are one of the UK and Channel Islands leading private client investment managers. Ten thousand new balls have been ordered along with some extra signage and we hope to have this all in place by end of June / early July.

Chipping Area Practice Tee

Essential maintenance work is currently being carried out on the practice tee at the chipping area. This work is necessary to reinstate the surface following the winter months when cold temperatures meant that no recovery from wear was possible. To hasten recovery, top dressing and overseeding work has been carried out and the tee will be closed for around two weeks. As an alternative, a practice mat has been situated behind the main tee to allow wedge shots to be played to the designated landing area.

Green Staff Safety

Following a number of near misses on the golf course in recent weeks players are reminded of our staff safety policy with regard to working on the course during play.

Green staff have priority on the course before 9 am.
If green staff are working on or around the green with the flagstick removed then players must wait until it has been replaced before playing to the green.
At all times, staff will aim to cause a minimum of disruption to play and will only hold up play briefly and when absolutely necessary.

Any player who deliberately hits a ball to a green with a member of the course team clearly working on it and the flagstick removed will be reported to the Management Committee and will face disciplinary action.

Spring Maintenance

2011-04-11T15:30:00.001+01:00

We recently undertook our spring maintenance week. This year we micro hollow cored the greens using a 3/8ths of an inch tine set to a depth of 3 inches. This procedure is aimed at reducing organic matter (thatch) in the soil.

Next, we scarified the greens. Again, the purpose of this work is to remove the build up of organic matter in the soils. Rotating brushes fitted to a greens mower were then used to pick up loose debris left on the green surface following the scarification.

Following this, all surfaces were top dressed. Around 22 tonnes of material was used in total to fill the tine holes and to reinstate surface levels.

Transplanting Pine Trees

2011-03-30T05:47:00.002+01:00

We recently took the decision to transplant a few small pine trees which were planted a number of years ago on the left side of the fifth hole. As the trees have matured they have grown too close together to such an extent that they now compromise one another. We also felt that the trees could have a greater strategic impact within the hole if they were pulled back and spaced out so players who have hit left off the tee now have a more obstructed path towards the green.

Using a 16 tonne excavator we first dug out the soil from the areas where the trees were being replanted. As the soil in the area is of a very sandy nature we added a nutrient rich, moisture holding material to give the trees the best chance of surviving the process. We then turned the excavator bucket around and gently scooped up the root ball beneath the tree and placed each tree in the freshly dug holes.

The trees only have a moderate chance of surviving this process but the only alternative to this course of action was to cut them down completely. Hopefully with regular watering and a slice of luck they will establish successfully in their new location.

A Stunning Vista

2011-03-29T20:42:00.003+01:00

Overgrown blackthorn bushes behind the 4th green have been drastically cut back recently. Over the years these plants had grown ever taller and closer to the green to such an extent that the spectacular views down towards La Pulente and beyond to Corbiere had long since disappeared.

During the process two granite outcrops were uncovered that add extra interest to the area. In future the blackthorn will be maintained at its present height and the exposed soil will be managed to encourage rough grasses.

5th Green Bunkering - Pt 9 - Right Hand Side

2011-03-10T15:45:00.000Z

Following the successful refurbishment of the three bunkers on the left side of the green it became clear that the two bunkers on the right would require the same treatment.

As usual, work started with an on-site discussion between some of the course team to establish our goals for the project. In this instance it was apparent that we needed to improve the ease of access into the first of the two bunkers. We also hoped to improve the visibility of the bunkers from the fairway but we realised that the contouring and flow of the bunkers and immediate surrounding areas could not be compromised along the way. We finally settled on improving player access and ensuring that the two new bunkers significantly improved the standard of presentation that is possible for the area. We agreed that making sure the new bunkers were consistent with the rest of the bunkers and green complex was fundamental to the success of the project.

Remodelling Hole 14

2011-02-25T05:31:00.000Z

What started as a fairly straight forward bunker refurb job pretty quickly grew some arms and legs. It was clear that each of the two bunkers on hole 14 had problems before we started we just didn't know exactly how many! We knew that the sand in the bunker on the right had become contaminated with stone which had come up from the underlying bedrock, it also had access problems with its high back and deep step in. The bunker on the left also had access issues on top of the fact that it clearly did not sit well in its surroundings. So we set out at the start of this week to rectify the problems. The plan was to lower the entrance into the right hand bunker, rebuild the revetted face and install a base lining to stop future contamination of the sand. On the left side we decided to move the bunker 2 metres down hill to make space to shape the ground from the adjacent mound on the left hand side. This would also lend itself to allowing easier access into the back of the bunker enabling us to get rid of the steps which have caused some rules problems.

Once we had stripped the turf from each side we cleared the right hand bunker face and base and set to work revetting the new face. Meanwhile, the excavator was busy digging out the bunker on the left using the material to fill the old bunker. As we tried to create a bunker that looked the part we came to realise that more ground than anticipated would need to be dug up so as to achieve the right result. We took the decision to lift the entire green approach and a small section of the green itself to allow us to carry out ground reshaping work on a wider scale. We feel this action was necessary to create a natural looking end result with the land flowing naturally from the green, through the bunkers and into the surrounding mounds and hollows.

Verti-Draining Greens

2011-02-22T15:20:00.000Z

Last week all putting surfaces received another pass with the verti-drain sub-surface aerator. This machine punches holes in the turf to a depth of up to twelve inches. The action of the machine is designed to relieve compaction and improve the movement of water through the soil profile. Surfaces that are kept drier are much less prone to disease, compaction and general sward deterioration. In the longer term the holes made with the verti-drain will provide the perfect space for the grass roots to grow into. Long grass roots are needed to help the plants withstand periods of drought in summer.

Following the aeration works, a pedestrian cylinder mower was used to roll each green smooth. Further rolling with the turf irons will take place to ensure surface disruption is minimised. The holes will take around 10 days to heal on the surface of the green but will stay open below the surface for much longer giving agronomic benefit for months to come.

Course Reconstruction Plans

2011-02-20T21:19:00.002Z

Following a vote carried out at the Special General Meeting held in the clubhouse on Tuesday 1st February, the plans to reconstruct the greens and associated areas on holes 10-12 will now go ahead. Work is scheduled to start in early October 2011 and should be completed in January 2012. All holes will reopen by May 2012 at the latest. Further news on this exciting project will be posted here in the coming weeks and months.

February Course Update

2011-02-20T16:21:00.000Z

Despite some difficult weather conditions, work on rebuilding and reshaping some of the most worn out bunkers has progressed well. The bunkers by the 5^th and 14^th greens and the two bunkers to the left side of the 1^st green are now completely refurbished and will be back in play in time for the start of the new season. Some members have commented on the depth of the new bunkers, it should be noted that before they are reopened, these bunkers will each receive between one and three tonnes of sand to raise the level of the bunker floor. However, it is important that no sand is added until the bunker turf has knitted together so as to prevent the new turf from being damaged by sand blowout. Excessive levels of foot traffic can also damage the new turf so it is vital that these areas are protected at this crucial stage. Ropes, posts and hoops are used to guide players around these vulnerable areas and I would urge all members to please walk around not through and over the fences to ensure these areas are given every chance to survive these first few weeks when there is little or no grass growth.

Course Ecology

More Marram grass has been planted in the sand dunes between the 11^th and 13^th holes following the tree removal work of 2009. The areas remain highly sensitive to disturbance so please take care when retrieving balls from the marked areas so as not to disturb the young plants.

Work on the gorse around the course is due to start soon as per the Ecological Management Plan. Two or three clearings will be made in the band of gorse that runs between holes 4 and 5. The gorse in this area has become very woody and degenerate following many years of neglect. We plan to pull some of the oldest gorse plants out to make space for new young plants to establish and to allow space for the rather rare plant sharp rush to flourish. On hole 8, the gorse on the right side from the tee to the road will be tackled. This has also become rather degenerate over the years whilst also blocking the view from the tee of cars accessing the course due to the outward gradual encroachment of the gorse. Some of the trees in the area around holes 2, 4 and 5 will be felled in the coming weeks. Only a relatively small number of trees are planned for removal this winter following the much larger scale works carried out in previous years.

The stand of Blackthorn behind the 4^th green is another area in need of attention. This shrub provides an important habitat for birds but it is also an aggressive species. Its growth and spread is in need of control so as to open up the views towards the coastline. In the coming weeks the plant will be cut back and trimmed down to a height of around 1 metre.

Aerating The Turf

Aeration is one of the most important maintenance tasks carried out on turf. The word aeration means quite simply to get air into something. In turf it is simply the production of holes through the turf surface into the underlying rootzone (soil) to allow gases (oxygen etc.) in and out of the soil and for water and grass roots to move down through the soil. Since October we have been running two verti-drain type machines over all areas of the course. Fairways and high wear walkways were tackled first, followed by greens and their surrounds. These machines allow us to make lots of holes in the turf and at sufficient depth to enable the movement of water more quickly through the soil beneath. The action of these particular machines also allows a certain amount of "heave" to be put on the soil. This lifts the level of the ground slightly allowing air and moisture to penetrate and relieve compacted areas. Compaction in the turf is caused by the regular movement of people or machinery over an area, wet soils compact more easily as the water in the soil acts as a lubricant allowing the particles to slide closer together and form a bond. We plan to make one further pass over the greens and surrounds with the verti-drain in the middle of February.

Other Upcoming Work

Before the start of the new golfing season we plan to strip the turf from the 16^th tee in order to make adjustments to the surface levels. There has been a degree of settlement on one side of the tee over the years causing a noticeable sloping of the surface. This work will be completed and the turf sufficiently healed in time for the start of the new season.

Rabbits continue to cause serious problems. We are once again stepping up our control measures as we move into the early spring period. Repairs to the perimeter fence are taking place to ensure the populations in the surrounding land are kept out. A fairly large-scale rabbit hole patching programme will begin in the second half of February.

Blogging Resumed

2011-02-20T15:19:00.000Z

Following an extended period of inactivity I intend to resume blogging with immediate effect. The following few posts will cover the main work that has been carried on the course since mid-December.

Behind The Scenes

2010-12-11T20:23:00.001Z

Have you ever wondered what the greenstaff do when the course is closed due to snow, frost or flooding? This post intends to give some insight into some of the unseen work that is routinely carried out by the maintenance crew.

The maintenance of machinery is an on-going requirement throughout the year but in the winter months thorough inspections and major overhauls are carried out to all plant and machinery. In the image above Gary and Matt are preparing cutting units for sharpening with our dedicated in-house cylinder grinding equipment.

Re-painting of golf course equipment such as bunker rakes, tee markers and hole cups is another on-going requirement. We use six different colours of tee marker on the course and these need to be kept in good condition.
In total we have more than 200 tee markers and with 54 hole cups and more than 50 rakes we are never short of something to paint!

We have many benches around the course most of which have been donated over the years by members or the families and friends of members who have passed. Each year they are removed from the course to be rubbed down and varnished to ensure they are kept in the best condition possible for as long as possible.

Numerous other housekeeping tasks are attended to around the maintenance facility. The club invested heavily in the purpose built maintenance complex a number of years ago and we try to be diligent in our upkeep of the fantastic facility that we have. In the image above some of the block work from the yard has been lifted to remove tree roots.

Of course numerous other tasks are carried out regularly which have not been featured here, some of which we will highlight in future posts

Course Closed

2010-12-02T10:29:00.000Z

5th Green bunkering Pt 8 - Completion

2010-11-28T18:30:00.004Z

Last week we finally completed the work on the left side of the 5th green.

Before


After


Before


After


Close up

125yds from green

5th Green Bunkering Pt 7

2010-11-23T13:12:00.046Z

The past week has seen us make slow progress with work on hole 5. Bad weather, staff shortages and even a break-in at the greenkeeping complex have resulted in progress being slowed on the job that we had expected to have finished by now. So far we have completed the revetting work on the first two bunkers and around three quarters of the turfing has been carried out.

Some comments have been received about the depth and steepness of the revetted faces of the bunkers. I will deal with the depth issue first; sand still needs to be added to the new bunkers to bring it up to the finished level. In the case of the 2nd left hand bunker this amounts to a lot of material as this bunker floor is being raised by about a foot making the step in at the back of the bunker no more than about 10 inches. With regard to the steep angle of the revetted face, there have been requests to construct these at a 45 degree angle to the bunker floor. This would be inappropriate, revetted greenside bunkers should have an angle of between 60 and 70 degrees. This figure is arrived at for a number of reasons - it lessens the chance of sand coming to rest on the bunker face which ultimately kills the turf, it lessens the chance of a golf ball coming to rest on the bunker face which is a nightmare for golfer and greekeeper alike, it ensures that sand movement within the bunker is minimised as more protection is offered from the wind and finally a 60 degree angle of bunker face creates an appropriate penalty to the errant shot. The player always has the option of playing out of the bunker sideways or backwards if they feel unable to tackle the "steep" face directly.

Monitoring Groundwater

2010-11-10T16:23:00.000Z

Yesterday we were visited by two employees of the States of Jersey Environment Department, Environmental Protection Division. The purpose of the visit was to test the quality of the water in our boreholes and to ensure no contamination is taking place from pesticides or other chemicals. Testing is carried out twice each year and involves testing the water on site for pH, conductivity, temperature and alkalinity. Samples are then taken back to the lab for further microbiological and pesticide analysis.

The results of the latest testing can be viewed on a pdf file by clicking here for reference, our boreholes are numbered J128a and J128B
If you would like to find out more about this topic you can visit the States of Jersey website by clicking here

5th Green Bunkering Pt 6

2010-11-09T20:04:00.003Z

Following some delays due to fixtures and inclement weather, work has resumed at the 5th. 7 full days have passed since we began stacking the turf and as you can see from the image below we have laid it just in time. The yellowing of the grass has occurred because the plants have been deprived of sunlight for too long. Any longer and the grass would have died. Unsightly as it is at the moment, the grass will green up quite quickly and will suffer no lasting damage.

Bunker revetting is progressing well. We have now almost completed the first bunker and the other two have been started. We aim to have all three finished by Monday.

Andrew hard at work!

5th Green Bunkering Pt 5

2010-11-04T16:28:00.000Z

Today we finished shaping the base layer then we started to bring back in the top soil. The material was spread to an even depth and firmed up using a small tractor.

The raking of the top soil was carried out by hand. At this stage stage of the job attention to detail is critical to ensure a good end result. A good deal of skill is required to make sure the ground flows in the correct way with no unnatural looking slopes and smooth transitions from the existing turf. In the image above Ollie, Matt and Kev can be seen doing a good job of raking out the soil to get it ready for turfing.

The first piece of turf is laid on the finished surface by Kevin Le Farrell.

Meanwhile, the base layer in the first two bunkers was laid out. This largely dictates the final shape of the revetted wall so it is vital tthis is done correctly. The base of the bunker must also be level and firm to ensure the bunker remains stable for years to come.

5th Green Bunkering Pt 4

2010-11-03T21:23:00.002Z

Most of our day was spent removing excess sand from the site. Some shaping work was started around the first two bunkers.The stakes in the bunker were used to establish how high the revetted faces will need to be in order to see them clearly from the fairway. Incidentally, the height required is nowhere near the top of of the stakes! If you click on the image then zoom in you may just be able to see some yellow tape which is tied to the green and white post. The tape marks the approximate height of the top of the new bunker face.

5th Green Bunkering Pt3

2010-11-02T19:23:00.000Z

The excavator arrived today allowing work to start on the removal and shaping of the soil. First of all we scraped off the top soil and piled it up for use later.

We then spent the rest of the day removing sand to the desired levels. The excavator loaded tractors and trailers with material that was dumped in an area adjacent to the 15th tee. This material will be mixed with composted material to form a sandy loam for future use.

5th Green Bunker Refurb Pt 2 - Turf Cutting & Removal

2010-11-01T23:06:00.001Z

Today work started on the refurbishment of three bunkers on the left side of the 5th green. The area was marked out immediately prior to the turf cutter arriving on the scene.

The turf was cut using a 12 inch wide blade to a depth of 1 inch. It was sliced into pieces of 2 feet in length. Of a total work area of 550m2 just over 50% of the turf will be reused. All reusable turf was lifted by hand and stacked to one side.

The remaining material, which was too weak to be lifted and relaid, was removed mechanically and taken to the composting area to be left to rot until ready for screening into divot mix. The shortfall in turf for this project will come from our nursery area at Corbiere.

We have an excavator on hire from tomorrow which will be used for digging out the bunkers and for rough shaping work on the surrounding ground.

5th Green Bunker Refurbishment

2010-10-30T05:50:00.004+01:00

Starting next week,we plan to refurbish the five bunkers around the 5th green. The bunkers on the left side of the green will be subject to fairly major reshaping work with the aim of making the bunkers more visible from the fairway, improving aesthetics and making access and egress easier.

As can be seen in the above image, the current look of the bunkers is rather uninspiring. The bunkering around this green should have a far greater visual impact so to achieve this we will remove material from the back of the bunkers and reshape the faces. We will use a revetted style of bunker face in keeping with the style on other areas of the course.

The image below shows extensive soil erosion at the point of exit from the bunker. This is caused by the steep slope which leads to people slipping and skidding as they try to get out of the bunker. Access to the bunkers will be greatly improved by the reshaping of the land at the point of exit from each of the bunkers.

Work is scheduled to start here on the 1st of November. To enable the work to proceed in a safe and timely manner it will be necessary to use a temporary green on non-competition days during the project.

Maintenance Week Update

2010-10-29T15:08:00.005+01:00

Greens are recovering well from the work carried out during the maintenance week. Following a period of inclement weather we have managed to apply the final 20 tonnes of top dressing material to the putting surfaces. In all a total of 50 tonnes was applied in the ten days following the hollow core operation and the material has been worked into the sward nicely.

Germination of the new grass following the seeding operation is now clearly evident. Rows of new bent grass where the seed drill has passed over can be seen in the image below taken of recently of the 12th green.

More Marram Planting

2010-10-25T15:44:00.030+01:00

Following on from the work carried out last year, we have planted more Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) on the left side of the 11th hole. Since the Holm oak (Quercus ilex) trees have been removed from the dunes in this area we have identified the need to stabilise the shifting sands. There can be no doubt that Marram is perfect plant for this purpose. Recent heavy rain has provided ideal soil conditions so hopefully most of the plugs will establish successfully.

We carry out most of this work by hand. We carefully select the best plants then we tease them out of the ground and collect together in large tubs ready for replanting. Through trial and error we have found that the plants that survive the process best are those which have the most fresh looking small white roots. The large rhizome that extends deep from each plant does not help a transplanted specimen to survive. We would consider the plants shown in the image below to be ideal for transplanting as they have a good number of fresh looking root hairs.

Tiny root "hairs" clearly visible

We aim to complete as much of this type of work as possible over the next few weeks as this is felt to be the best time of year to ensure success. Areas on the left side of the 13th hole will be planted out next.

All planted areas have been white lined and fenced off. No play is allowed from within the lined areas and players are requested to take care not to trample the plants when retrieving their ball.

Course Maintenance Week

2010-10-03T12:13:00.001+01:00

Work scheduled for our autumn maintenance week has been completed on time. Hollow coring, verti-cutting, overseeding and top dressing work has been carried out to all 18 greens and surrounds and the two practice putting greens also.

Coring The 15th Green

Half Inch Holes With 2x2 Inch Spacing

Verti-Cutting On 15

Some Of The Material Removed During Verti-Cutting

Broadcasting Seed Into Tine Holes

Applying Top Dressing

Around 30 tonnes of dressing was applied to the putting surfaces. Once the material is fully worked in, another 20 tonnes will be applied. The holes will take 2-3 weeks to disappear.

Chemical Control Of Ryegrass in Greens Pt 2

2010-09-17T22:05:00.013+01:00

The Treated Collar On Hole 14

Following our initial application to the 4th and 6th greens last year, we have sprayed Pinoxadin on greens and collars on holes 1, 12, 14-18 and the putting green to control Ryegrass and Yorkshire Fog. We also re-treated the 4th and 6th to control the small amounts of Ryegrass re-growth that was evident. We expect to see significant die back of the target grasses in around the third week of September. Soon we will overseed the treated areas with bent grasses so hopefully the new grass will fill in the gaps left by the dying ryegrass. Top-dressing will take place to ensure surface smoothness is maintained but some brown patches will be evident for some time to come. This work has been timed to avoid major competitions but still get the benefit of the warm temperatures.

Golf Course Ecology Visit

2010-09-17T14:40:00.001+01:00

We were recently visited by Bob Taylor, Head of Ecology and Environment at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to advise us on our on-going management of the out of play areas of the golf course. Bob is the official environmental consultant to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and is responsible for managing ecological and environmental sensitivities on all of the of the Open Championship golf courses. He is recognised as one of the most experienced consultants dealing with all aspects of ecological and environmental management on golf courses.

Bob Taylor & Andrew discuss bracken management

During the visit discussions took place regarding the management of the rough grasslands, fixed dune grasslands, gorse, various tree species and bracken. Most of the work discussed will be carried out in the winter months. Specific details will be published in the coming weeks.

Filling The Gaps With The Vredo

2010-09-17T14:29:00.006+01:00

The recent wetter weather has provided us with ideal soil conditions for introducing grass seed into some of the thin turf around the course. Areas around the edges of some of the fairways and on walkways have lost some grass cover over the dry summer months so we have used the Vredo disc seeder to get seed into the soil to hasten recovery going into the winter months. Continued showery weather is required to allow germination as these areas are not covered by any of the 900 plus sprinkler heads. With favourable conditions the seed should be visible in less than 2 weeks. A light feed will then take place to strengthen the new grasses as much as possible before the soil cools in the autumn and grass growth slows. Any bare areas that remain will likely see moss invade. It will the then be next spring before we can improve the situation further.

Excessive Wear On Tees

2010-09-07T05:30:00.002+01:00

Many people will have noticed the rather worn and tired appearance of some of the men’s teeing grounds. A concentration of wear through the centre of tees is evident in many cases, most notably on holes 1,2,3,11 and 12. Often these extremely worn central areas have virtually unused strips of tee at either side where nobody plays from. To address this issue, on some tees green staff will no longer position the markers at the full width of the tee. Instead, markers will be placed a minimum of five paces apart but in a way that directs all play to specific areas of the tee on any given day. This will allow the course team to manage wear better, reducing the overall impact on the tee. Of course this means that the markers will sometimes be positioned on the “wrong side” of the tee depending on the shape of shot a player wishes to hit. On hole 2 few people would choose to play from the right half of the tee as it offers less of an angle to get around the corner. The same is true for the left side of the 11^th tee. When tee markers are positioned to the full extent on the tees the effective width of the surface is approximately halved. More focused positioning of the markers will help get better use out of the whole area reducing the wear on the centre and improving the look of the tee.

Using Water Wisely

2010-08-01T22:30:00.001+01:00

Rainfall levels throughout 2010 have been very low with just 92 mm of rain falling between the start of April and the end of July – half of that total fell over two days in late May/early June! In the same period in 2009 we had 165mm of rain and in 2008 we saw 188 mm. As a result we have called upon the irrigation system more this year than at any time since it was installed in 2007/8. I am pleased to report that the system has up to now performed superbly in these trying times consistently delivering half a million litres of water in a 9 hour window throughout the night. The turf has thrived in the sun during the day having been properly irrigated during the night. Without the new system we would undoubtedly have experienced widespread turf thinning, walkways from tees to fairways would be dust and greens would likely have the mottled effect of localised dry patch. Unfortunately, due to the island wide demands being put on the ground water supplies, our borehole output is reducing. Of our six boreholes, two have run dry completely and three are working at a reduced level. We can now apply water to the course much quicker than we can draw it from the ground. The 1 million gallon reservoir would run dry in two to three weeks if we do not adjust our watering strategy. Irrigating of nursery areas will cease while fairways will be given only infrequent applications of water. This policy ensures greens, tees and surrounds are given priority and water supplies will last through the summer even if we get no more rain until October. Fairways can be expected to brown off in colour but we hope to be able to provide enough water to keep the turf healthy, if not green.

Benchmarking Progress

2010-07-29T18:00:00.003+01:00

We were recently visited by Steve Gingell, a turfgrass agronomist from the Sports Turf Research Institute. We use the STRI for help and advice on all agronomic matters. An agronomist would normally visit us once each year to assess the condition of the turf and suggest possible ways to make some improvements.

This year for the first time during the visit Steve undertook a series of measurements designed to objectively assess the quality of the putting surfaces. The 5th, 9th and 17th were chosen as indicator greens and five different tests were carried out to each surface.

The firmness of each green was measured using a Clegg Impact Hammer

Steve Gingell explains the Clegg Impact Hammer

The firmness of the putting surface is critically important with regard to its receptivity/ball holding characteristics, smoothness and year-round playability. We aim to create consistently firm surfaces which are receptive to a well struck shot played from a tight lie but which do not become uneven under play. A suitably firm surface allows a ball from a well struck shot to release, check and quickly stop. Poorly struck or shots played from longer grass should be less easy to control and be prone to rolling through the green. Aeration and top dressing are two key greenkeeping practices that improve surface firmness in a green. To carry out the test the silver weight is dropped down the yellow tube and the resistance it is met with when it strikes the turf is measured giving a numerical value of firmness. The target range for our course is between 100 and 120 gravities. All our greens fell within this range.

Volumetric Moisture Content

Andrew Ricketts measuring soil moisture

This is measured using a Theta Probe which averages the moisture content in the top 60mm of the soil profile. The higher the reading the wetter the profile readings above 45% normally being at field capacity. The soil moisture readings were taken next to the measurement for surface firmness. There is a direct correlation between surface firmness and volumetric moisture content with wetter surfaces always tending to be softer. Our moisture readings were consistent from green to green and withing the desired range for a links course.

Organic Matter

Core samples were taken through the soil profile to assess the organic matter (thatch) beneath the selected greens. Organic matter holds moisture resulting in soft surfaces when wet and overly hard and unresponsive when dry. It also increases the symptoms of dry patch during dry weather and can promote and contribute to the presence of superficial fairy rings which are an issue on some greens at the moment. The test results showed that our organic matter content is very marginally on the high side. This test was actually taken in the summer of 2008 and results have improved since then. Once again aeration and top dressing are key operations in the management of thatch.

Green Speed

Oliver Pennington uses the Stimpmeter

Green speeds were measured using a Stimpmeter. This method measures the roll of the ball from a standard delivery carried out in multiple areas of each green.The longer the average measurement the faster the surface is deemed to be. All the results were factored using the Bredy equation to remove the effects of slopes within the greens. Our greens showed reasonable consistency and were all within the target range of between 9 and 10 ft for mid summer.

Surface Trueness/Smoothness

The trueness meter in action

The most important aspect of any green is that it provides a smooth and true surface for as long a period possible throughout the year. We try to create a surface which does not deflect a ball from its intended path causing snaking and does not cause bobbling due to unevenness. Smoothness and trueness was measured using a newly developed trueness and smoothness meter which gives a reading in millimeter deviation in each direction per linear meter. The measuring device, which resembles a pimped trolley jack, was pushed across a 10 meter green section at a steady pace in two directions. In the photo above PGA professional Mike Deeley tries out the device under the watchful eye of Steve. The readings showed the 5th green to be the smoothest and 17 the least smooth. Greenkeeping practices that improve smoothness include top dressing, rolling using lightweight turf irons and the promotion of healthy, dense grass plants through adequate nutrition. Golfers can play a big role in maintaining surface smoothness by choosing to diligently repair pitchmarks.

Fairy Ring Activity

2010-07-28T22:30:00.001+01:00

Despite the fact the greens remain smooth and in generally good order it is noted there has been a marked increase in the presence of dark green rings on the putting surfaces known as fairy rings.

Dark rings visible on the 18th green

Although these fungal pathogens tend not to cause the turf any actual harm, they are very unsightly and the ball reacts slightly differently on the lush green rings compared to the adjacent lighter areas. A chemical control is available but it is difficult to apply it correctly. It must be sprayed onto the soil below the affected grass on two occasions four weeks apart when the rings are active. To get beneath the turf we must tine the greens to open channels into the soil and then spray the chemical down the newly created holes. Top dressing can then be used to help reinstate a smooth surface with the greens fully recovering in a week or so. Four weeks from the initial application we would need to repeat the process – tine greens, apply chemical, top dress and wait for full recovery to take place. Clearly, carrying out these processes at this time of the year is far from ideal from a playing perspective. In the coming days and weeks we host a number of important events along with several ladies and gents medal competitions. We need to balance the need to rid our greens of this largely superficial problem with that of the short term performance of the greens in this critical phase of the playing season. It would seem that by the time we have a suitable space in the club diary to carry out the work, it will be past the period of efficacy for the chemical. On balance this treatment will be best carried out in the early part of summer 2011, assuming of course the rings return next year.

Controlling Bracken

2010-07-27T13:36:00.001+01:00

We have taken steps recently to begin to control bracken in selected rough areas around the course. Bracken is a highly invasive species of fern which is widespread throughout many of the out of play areas on the golf course. The plant has the potential to form huge dense stands of monotonous vegetation which dramatically lower the ecological value of the inhabited areas by stifling the growth of almost all other plant species. Interestingly, the large stands of bracken which cover huge areas are often made up of only one plant with each stem connected via a massive underground rhizome system buried deep in the soil. This fact alone makes effective control of the plant extremely difficult.

It is worth pointing out that we recognise that in certain circumstances bracken can have a positive impact on both ecology and golfing aesthetics. It can provide both height variance and texture to out of play areas and can also provide a valuable nesting and roosting habitat for several bird species. Even some plants species can thrive under the bracken canopy provided it is not too dense. In fact size, density and location of the bracken stands are what dictates the ecological and aesthetic value to the area. Due to this we have selected specific areas where we deem control to be appropriate.

In many of the areas where shade has been removed with the clearing of holm oak and degenerate gorse, bracken has taken over. Areas such as the right hand sides of the 7th and 18th holes, which have previously been subjected to clearance works, have been selected as areas suitable for bracken control following rapid ingress into the newly created open spaces. In both of these locations chemical control has been carried out to stop the bracken dominating.

Chemically Treated Bracken Dying Off

Establishing Marram

2010-07-08T15:36:00.001+01:00

The Marram grass planted in the dunes on the left side of the 11th fairway following the tree removal last year has established well. The difficult spring and early summer weather meant that planting success was far from certain but thankfully things have turned out well. Nearly every Marram plug has taken and most are now thriving.

Of all the small pockets we planted the ones on the backs and sides of mounds and in hollows have taken best of all. The shelter from easterly winds provided in these areas has allowed the young plants the ideal environment for growth. Plants on mound tops are doing less well but most have still taken and continue to grow and spread albeit more slowly. For the time being we continue to request that players take a lift and drop when they land in the Marram plantations (marked by a white line) to help provide the most protection possible to these still vulnerable plants.

Further planting will be carried out on hole 11 in the autumn to add more texture to the lovely dune formations in this area.

The image above is of a section of the area next to the 6th tee which was previously home to a copse of the invasive Holm Oak tree (Quercus Ilex) and virtually nothing else. In 2008 we removed trees and scraped away the brash on the ground to expose the sand below. This was followed by extensive planting of Marram grass plugs and the introduction of some gorse plants.

As you can see from the image above the gorse has established very quickly and has already spread over a significant area. Our aim for this area is to provide a fairly open, species rich dune grassland so with this in mind we will shortly begin chemically controlling further spread of the gorse plants. I am very surprised to be considering gorse control measures so soon after introducing the plant but it just goes to show how aggressive the plant is when provided with favourable conditions. If left unchecked the area would be completely covered in gorse which would be to the obvious detriment of biodiversity, just as it was with the Holm Oak tree before we intervened in 2008.

New Tee Signage

2010-07-08T13:04:00.001+01:00

The tee signage on the course is being replaced with new bronze plates. On white tees these will be mounted on locally sourced granite boulders, which are felt to be in keeping with the natural look and feel of the course.

Yellow and red tees will have their bronze plate mounted on the underside of the existing granite plinths, which will be sunk into the tee surface so as not to cause any issues with health and safety. The non-intrusive look of the “mow over” style of tee plate is again in keeping with the natural feel of the golf course.

Blue tee markers will cease to be used on the championship tees with the white tee markers being placed on the championship tees on occasion instead. Members should pay close attention to which tee surface is in play on holes 9, 13 and 15 when playing in competitions.

European Senior Tour

2010-06-16T09:02:00.003+01:00

Sorry for the lack of blog posts recently but work on the course has been pretty intense lately.

The European Seniors Tour event played here in early June was a success, Gordan Brand Jnr came out on top in the end winning by 5 shots from Carl Mason and Bobby Lincoln. Course staff worked morning and evening shifts throughout the week of the event to ensure the course was in good order. The compliments received from the players were certainly very welcome!

Tournament Preparation

2010-05-31T17:06:00.000+01:00

I had intended to write this post a few days ago but things on the course have been rather hectic recently. Yesterday the final of the Jersey Amateur Championships was played on the course with La Moye member Stephen Purdie emerging victorious, congratulations to him.
Work on the course for the event was focused on course presentation and putting green conditioning. To present the course in the best possible way we increase the frequency of cutting key areas such as greens, surrounds, tees and fairways. Greens would be cut once each day under normal circumstances but for tournaments this is increased to at least two cuts per day. Likewise fairways, tees and surrounds are cut either every day or every other day during a tournament instead of twice each week normally. Other areas such as bunker faces, tee banks, rough and semi-rough are cut just before a tournament begins to ensure they look in the best possible shape.
Greens obviously receive the most attention though. Not only do we increase mowing frequency but we also roll the putting surfaces straight after mowing. In a normal week we will miss out mowing on the days we roll to give the turf a rest and help reduce stress but for short periods we increase turf stress to produce a superior playing surfaces. Whilst daily double cutting and rolling of greens is great way to improve surfaces in the short term it would be very damaging if carried out for an extended period. Turf density and ultimately putting green performance would decrease rapidly if this practice was carried out for too long a period. In fact, even short periods of increased activity on the greens require specific aftercare once a tournament is over. It is common to see solid tine aeration take place on greens straight after or within a few days of a tournament ending. This helps reduce stress in the green by fast tracking air and water into the rootzone. I can see the despair on some members faces when they arrive at the course finally able to tee it up following a tournament to find that the greenstaff have punched a load of holes in the greens. Please understand that this is only done to ensure the on-going health of the green in the long term.

Course Etiquette

2010-05-27T20:37:00.002+01:00

Following the recent rain the greens have become slightly softer so it is probably a good time to remind everyone to be extra vigilant in the repair of their pitchmarks. A pitchmark that is repaired correctly within 10 minutes of it being made will heal completely in only a day or so but an unrepaired pitchmark will take weeks to heal properly. We all love to putt on smooth, true greens so we should all do our bit to ensure they stay that way.

click on the image to enlarge

On the subject of etiquette, I have noticed evidence of players practicing on the course. Clusters of unrepaired divots on the fairways were spotted this morning. I consider this to be the actions of a selfish individual, if every player hit five or six shots from the same spot on the fairway then there would be very little grass left to play on. I imagine it may be the same kind of individual who "forgets" to repair their five or six pitchmarks on the greens also! If you see anyone abusing the course please ask them to stop or report them to myself or the course ranger. Don't be afraid to gently remind your playing partners to repair their pitchmarks and replace their divots and maybe while their lining up their putt you could repair an extra ball mark or two aswell. If only a slim majority of the membership do this then the problem will disappear.

Singin In The Rain!

2010-05-27T20:06:00.001+01:00

Rain at last! Following a period of 50 days with virtually no rain and some daytime temperatures in excess of 80 degrees the heavens finally opened yesterday with almost an inch of the wet stuff falling in the space of 12 hours. With more rain forecast for the weekend it looks like the difficult recent weather is finally changing.
The few parts of the course that the irrigation system does not cover and all the areas turfed in the winter were in dire need of a drink not to mention the restored dune areas where the trees were removed and the section on the seventh hole where the gorse was cut back.
Hand watering was consuming far too much of our time, especially at this critical time of the year from a greenkeeping perspective. The course has had to endure one of the harshest winters in recent memory, the last thing we needed was a slow spring coupled with the freakish drought.
This week and next are two of the most important in our golfing calendar with the Island Amateur Championships this weekend being followed by the European Seniors Tour next week. Tomorrow I will write a post on the preparations for these two events.

Top Dressing Greens

2010-05-11T12:56:00.001+01:00

Today we spent the morning top dressing greens. This task is carried out routinely to help smooth the putting surface and to promote healthy turf. On this occasion we applied 20 tonnes of material to the greens using our spinning disc top dresser.

This was followed by a pass with a rubber dragmat to work the material into the base of the sward. Prior to top dressing we brushed the greens with rotating brushes to lightly remove organic matter and also cut the greens at 4.5mm.

The brushes used on the greens today

Still Dry

2010-05-10T13:35:00.004+01:00

A grand total of 1.5mm or 0.059 of an inch of rain has fallen on the golf course since the first week in April. In the past week evapotranspiration levels have been in excess of 4mm per day leaving us with a large deficit which we fill with irrigation water.

A screen shot of the weather station data. Note the two right hand columns for rainfall and ET. Click image to expand.

Just over 450000 litres of irrigation water was applied last night alone to try to replace the lost moisture. Of course there are areas on the course not covered by the irrigation system, these include some tee banks, walkways and roughs. These areas are suffering badly having not had proper growing conditions since spring 2009. Course staff are working hard to hand water areas which were turfed in the winter and also parts of the course which were seeded in the early spring but it is proving very difficult to keep up. The marram plugs on the 11th hole are struggling due to the weather conditions also. Again, hand watering is taking place but rain is desperately needed.

Chipping Area Update

2010-04-26T15:19:00.001+01:00

We plan to open the chipping area on Saturday 1st May following the redesign work carried out over the winter. The turf has taken well and surfaces have been worked on as much as possible given the recent weather conditions. From now on the main green will be maintained in exactly the same way as the greens on the course so in time it will be of the same standard. Only short chip shots should be played to the main green.

Mowing The New Green

A teeing area has been built to allow longer shots to be played to a landing area about 65m away. All shots from this area should be played from the area defined by ropes.

The New Teeing Area

The new bunker practice area has a dedicated landing area. Players should ensure they play towards the dedicated area only.

New Bunkering With Landing Area Beyond

No Rain + Easterly Winds = Poor Growth

2010-04-26T09:26:00.000+01:00

Jersey is officially in a period of drought. It is now 19 days since any rain has fallen on the golf course and our monthly running total currently stands at a shockingly low 9mm. The near constant easterly winds that we are experiencing have meant that the turf is extremely dry and grass growth is almost non existent. Although our irrigation system is fully operational, the persistent cool air and soil temperatures are preventing us from apply much water. A soil temperature of around 10C is required to enable good growing turf. Cold water landing on already cool soils only serves to further lower soil temperatures lessening the chance of any growth taking place. Irrigation is taking place during the warmest days but it is impossible to apply enough water without cooling the soil too much.
Evapotranspiration (ET) is a term used to describe the sum of evaporation of moisture and plant transpiration from the ground to the atmosphere. Evaporation accounts for the movement of water from the ground to the air while transpiration accounts for the loss of water from within the plant itself. We are currently seeing an ET rate of around 3mm per day, just over 70mm for the month so far. The 9mm of rainfall that has fallen and 26mm of irrigation that has been applied in the same period has left a large deficit.
We use wetting agents on the greens which help the soil particles hold onto available moisture for an extended period, because of this the moisture level in our greens is being maintained at an acceptable level despite the difficult conditions. We do not have enough moisture to promote strong growth but there is enough to at least ensure survival in this testing time. Of course ideally, at this time of year, we would like a more typical spring weather pattern with sunshine and regular showers. A cycle of sunshine and showers is ideal to promote grass growth and allow recovery from the harsh winter months we have experienced. Current conditions means that any fertilizer applications are compromised and frequent top dressing is impossible. Mechanical operations carried out to refine the turf texture and smooth the surface have been postponed until stronger grass growth comes. All this leaves playing surfaces in a less than perfect state for golf and makes the job of a greenkeeper a very difficult one. We can't fight mother nature, we must simply wait until conditions improve enough to allow us to work effectively on the surfaces once again.

Maintenance Week Update

2010-03-31T14:46:00.000+01:00

Despite the high winds and rain work on the greens this week has progressed well. All surfaces have been scarified using the pedestrian machine pictured above. Due to the need to work in dry conditions, much of the work was carried out between the many rain showers we have had in the last three days. Half the team worked late in dry conditions yesterday afternoon to ensure the work could be completed.

Overseeding

Overseeding work has been completed on 18 of the 20 greens. Only the 11th and the Western putting green remain. Two passes of the seeder were carried out on holes 4 and 6 to improve sward density following the application of herbicide last autumn. All seeded greens have been top dressed and ironed to reinstate levels and smooth out the surface.

Spring Maintenance Week

2010-03-27T21:22:00.001Z

Our spring maintenance week starts from Monday 29th March. We plan to carry out a number of tasks which I will explain in this post.
Greens will be scarified in two directions to remove some organic matter from the base of the turf. A pedestrian scarifier will be used and the arisings will be collected. This process will not disrupt the short term playing quality of the greens. Dry conditions are required for this task to be carried out effectively.
Following the scarification we will overseed the greens. Our disc seeder will be used to introduce a browntop bentgrass mix of seed into the greens. The new grass will help fill out the sward, improving density to achieve a smooth as surface as possible. Greens 4 and 6 will particularly benefit from this process following the chemical treatment carried out in those areas last year. Again, dry conditions are required for this task to be carried out properly.
Finally greens will be top-dressed. We aim to apply around 20 tonnes of material to the putting surfaces. Dry weather is again required for this task to be carried out properly so fingers crossed for a sunny few days next week. To allow work to be carried out in good time, one tee starts will be in place and greens will be removed from play while work is in progress. Disruption to play will be kept to a minimum but I hope all players will understand the importance of completing the prescribed work in a timely manner.

Hole 7 Gorse Management

2010-03-09T11:20:00.002Z

During the recent cold weather we have taken the opportunity to address the problem of old, degenerate gorse on the 7th hole.

Before Work Commenced

It is very sad to see this beautiful golf hole covered in extremely degenerate gorse and unsightly bracken and bramble. From the tee banks, over the carry to the fairway and at either side of the path near the approach to the green the rough areas are suffering terribly from years of neglect. In accordance with our Ecological Management Plan, we have set out to reinstate the rough grasslands by removing the dead and dying material. Some of the gorse will be retained but to encourage healthy and robust plants it is being coppiced to a height of 150mm above ground level. Whilst this seems extreme, it is amazing how quickly the gorse will regenerate.

The ultimate aim for these areas is to achieve a balance between rough grasses and small pockets of gorse. Once the brash has been removed some light seeding work will take place. Bracken and bramble regrowth will be chemically treated as the need arises.

Chipping Area Redesign

2010-03-03T06:15:00.001Z

The chipping area behind the 1st green has been in need of refurbishment for some considerable time. With bunkers that are too deep, greens of poor quality and a generally uninspiring layout it was decided to try to make significant improvements to the area.

Just before work started

Following a period of consultation to agree the new design, it was established that we needed to make more use of the limited space available. Long pitch shots and an array of short chip shots needed to be accommodated along with bunker practice .
We lifted the turf from the existing greens first and layed it out at the turf nursery area in the valley. Next we constructed the landing area for pitch shots. This area is around 350m2 in size and will allow shots to be hit from the practice tee around 65m away.

The new landing area

We then began the construction of the teeing area. The area was cleared before stakes were put in to establish levels. A sand sub base was brought in then 100mm of rootzone was added to the top.

Top soil is brought in to the correct levels

Irrigation pipes and heads were positioned next.

The 250m2 tee was then turfed using sods from the centre of the chipping area. When open, play from this area will be restricted to marked sections between ropes so as to control wear.

We then cleared the rest of the turf from the new green site and rotovated the soil. An excavator was hired to shape the new green and green surround.

Initial shaping of the new green begins

For the green we tried to ensure there was enough flat areas to have around 5 pins at any one time. On the surround we created hollows, swales and banks so a large variety of chip shots can be practiced.

Once we were happy with the shape we used mechanical and manual means to firm and rake out the ground ready for turf.

With the final raking completed we were able to begin turfing the 550m2 green.

Two new bunkers are currently being constructed on the south side of the practice area. These will play to a dedicated green away from the pitching and chipping areas. This will allow more people to safely use the facility at the same time.

Course Update

2010-03-02T12:22:00.004Z

My apologies for the length of time since the last blog post.

Lots of work has been done on the course in the last two months of which I will give a brief outline of in this post. A number of more detailed posts will follow soon which deal with individual projects we have been undertaking.

The course has fared quite well recently despite the testing weather conditions we have been experiencing. Surfaces have remained reasonably firm and dry for the time of year which has been great for golf. All putting surfaces were verti-drained in February to ensure we continue to have good movement of air and moisture through the soil profile. Although the holes from this operation are currently still visible, the effect on putting is minimal compared to the huge benefits this operation has to the on going health of the greens. The 38mm of rain which fell in the early hours of Sunday morning caused no problem to the greens, unfortunately the same cannot be said for some the clay fairways!
The winter programme has progressed well. All bunker refurbishments have been completed and are looking good. Sand will be added to all bunkers in the next fortnight so they are ready for the start of the season. Lots of work has been carried out on trees and gorse around the course as per the Ecological Plan and I will post more about this shortly. To round things off for now, we have spent a lot of time rebuilding the chipping area recently. I will post a seperate blog entry on this topic tomorrow.

December Course Update

2009-12-10T15:24:00.007Z

Ryegrass Control

Following the chemical control to the 4^th and 6^th greens on the 8^th October, I am pleased to report that the product applied is working! The broadleaved Rye and Yorkshire Fog grasses, which were targeted with the chemical, are now in serious decline causing a number of bare areas and a general reduction in sward density. Seeding and top dressing of the two greens in question has taken place and recovery of the surfaces is underway.

Bunker Refurbishments

Work on rebuilding some of the most worn out bunker faces has progressed well with the bunkers by the 15^th green and the two bunkers nearest the 11^th green now complete. . The bunkers on the 15th were last rebuilt in 2007 meaning they have only lasted two seasons. This is the absolute minimum amount of time we would expect a bunker face to last and thankfully most bunkers on the course will last much longer than this. A variety of factors influence the length of time a revetted bunker will last, these include; the frequency visited by players, the quality of the turf used in the construction and the position of the bunker in relation to the sun.

Aerating The Turf

Since the middle of October we have been running two verti-drain type machines over all areas of the course. Fairways and high wear walkways were tackled first, followed by greens and their surrounds. These machines allow us to make lots of holes in the turf and at sufficient depth to enable the movement of water more quickly through the soil beneath. The action of these particular machines also allows a certain amount of "heave" to be put on the soil. This lifts the level of the ground slightly allowing air and moisture to penetrate and relieve compacted areas. Compaction in the turf is caused by the regular movement of people or machinery over an area, wet soils compact more easily as the water in the soil acts as a lubricant allowing the particles to slide closer together and form a bond. Our clay soils on holes 10-13 are particularly prone to compaction.

All greens and surrounds will be verti-drained again in February and thereafter every October and February.

Chipping Area Redesign

Work will start soon on the redesign of the chipping area. We plan to construct a large central green which will facilitate a wide range of short chip shots. The intention is to maintain this green to a higher standard than the existing chipping greens, enabling the shots to roll out in a way that is similar to the main greens on the course. This higher standard of green can only be maintained if players use the green in the intended way - only for short chip shots. If players decide to ignore this and play longer shots to the new green it will quickly deteriorate to a level similar to that of the chipping greens now. The new green is to practice short chip shots only. A separate area will be constructed next to the new green to allow longer shots to be played into a designated target area. The area will allow shots of up to 70yds to be played. Finally, one of the existing greens will have two new bunkers added to create a dedicated bunker practice area This redesign aims to make the most of the relatively small space our chipping area offers for practice.

Sand Dune Restoration

2009-12-10T15:21:00.000Z

Work has resumed on the removal of the invasive Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex) from the fragile sand dunes on holes 11, 12 and 13. A team from Jonathon Le Maistre tree surgery have worked their way up the left side of hole 11 from the tee towards the green.

Before Work Started

The Holm Oak is damaging biodiversity in the sand dunes and while the control measures we are taking seem dramatic at first they are absolutely vital for the preservation of the dunes and associated grasslands. We have decided to take the opportunity to remove some of the non-indigenous Macrocarpa trees at the same time. This work helps return the dunes to a more natural state. With the trees gone a large clean up operation begins. First, we scrape up the leaf litter to expose the bare sand. We then use an excavator to dig out the tree stumps and manually level the ground using rakes. Finally we plant locally sourced Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) in the bare sand to stop the wind blowing the loose sand away. This adds an instant texture to the dunes which is much more visually appealing than plain bare sand.

After Removal

The control of holm oak re-growth is an ongoing requirement that we face so we can eventually achieve our aim of a healthy balance between dune plants such as marram, sand sedge, fescue and bent grasses with small pockets of gorse and even the occasional pine tree.

As you can imagine we are building up large stocks of logs and woodchips so any member who would like some can email me at coursemanager@lamoyegolfclub.co.uk to arrange collection.

End of Season Aeration

2009-10-27T09:15:00.002Z

Once again we have arrived at the time of year when our most intensive period of aeration takes place.

Starting this week we will be running two verti-drain type machines over all areas of the course. Fairways and high wear walkways will be tackled first. For these areas we use twelve 18mm x 300mm solid tines on each machine(see pic above). This allows us to make lots of holes in the turf and at sufficient depth to enable the movement of water more quickly through the soil beneath. The action of these particular machines also allows a certain amount of "heave" to be put on the soil. This lifts the level of the ground slightly allowing air and moisture to penetrate and relieve compacted areas. Compaction in the turf is caused by the regular movement of people or machinery over an area, wet soils compact more easily as the water in the soil acts as a lubricant allowing the particles to slide closer together and form a bond.

Next week we will start on greens and green surrounds. For these areas we will use a tine which is smaller in diameter but of a similar length. This smaller tine, coupled with some lightweight rolling will allow quicker recovery of the turf in these key areas. We hope to repeat this process in greens and surrounds in February 2010 and in future every October and February.

Course Update

2009-10-09T07:04:00.006+01:00

Maintenance Week

The greens have recovered well in the past few weeks from the hollow core aeration work that was carried out in early September. It was obviously rather painful for all players when there were so many holes in the greens, with putts bobbling and bouncing across the surface it was easy to forget just how important a robust aeration programme is to the future performance of the greens. The course team have worked hard to reinstate the surface, a total of 45 tonnes of top dressing was applied to greens in the three weeks following the coring work and this has had the desired effect. This amount represents almost half of the annual total top dressing used on greens, so to apply this in such a short space of time took considerable effort. Whilst the holes were in the greens the opportunity was taken to introduce more grass seed into the greens and it is pleasing to report that this has taken well. The severe disruption to golf this aeration event caused has been noted and as a consequence next year’s maintenance week has been moved to the end of September.

Irrigation

The rain has finally arrived after an extended dry period through August and September. Following comments from a number of members I would like to briefly outline once again our watering strategy for this summer past and for future years.
Whilst we aim to provide evenly moist soils with optimal growing conditions in the spring, early summer and autumn periods our approach changes in mid-summer. In order to impart drought stress on the undesirable broad leaved grass species in the greens, we make a conscious effort to allow the turf to dry out in the peak summer months, thus creating an environment in which the desirable grasses can thrive and gain the upper hand. It is crucial during the summer months that this happens otherwise the broad leaved, undesirable grass species will continue to dominate putting surfaces. It also allows us to present a firm and fast running golf course, just as one would expect from a links course in the middle of a dry summer. You might be surprised to learn that to keep the course as dry as it was actually took quite a bit of water. In the period 1st July to 30th September we used a total of 21,400m3 of water, that’s 21.4 million litres or 4.7 million gallons to water greens, tees, surrounds and fairways!

Broadleaved Grasses In Greens

Ryegrass and Yorkshire Fog grasses are present in many of our greens. These are wholly inappropriate putting green grass types that have proved notoriously difficult to eradicate. Thankfully a new chemical has been released to the amenity market that selectively controls these species, killing them off without harming other plants. We decided to trial this new product on the 4th and 6th greens and on the 4th yellow tee. Spraying took place on the 8th October and we expect to see the grasses start dying off within a few days. We may for a period have some thin areas of turf on these trial plots but the areas will be seeded and top-dressed until good grass cover is restored. If this trial proves successful we will roll out this program over larger areas in the future.

Upcoming Winter Work

The main project planned for this winter is the redesign of the chipping area. We plan to build a large green in the centre of the area to facilitate a range of short chip shots from a number of players simultaneously. To do this we will dig up three of the existing greens, re-shape the ground and then re-lay the existing turf. The green that is located nearest the 18th fairway will be left in its present position but will have another bunker added and the existing bunker enlarged. The chipping area will be closed while this work takes place and will remain closed until all the turf knits together properly.

More trees will be felled as per the ecology plan. White paint distinguishes the specimens due for removal this winter. The invasive Holm Oak will once again be targeted but also some of the Macrocarpa trees in the dunes between holes 11 and 13 will be felled. This policy of tree removal is in line with the States policy for the neighbouring land.

Also this winter we plan to refurbish a number of bunkers around the course and also extend the 5th tee. As usual, solid tine aeration will take place on greens, tees, surrounds and fairways.

Going forward, a monthly update will be published to keep members informed of what is happening as regards the golf course.

Maintenance Week

2009-08-24T08:46:00.004+01:00

Members should note that from Tuesday 1st September until Friday 4th September we will be carrying out intensive maintenance on the course. The main tasks scheduled to take place include- hollow coring, pencil tining, overseeding and top dressing to greens. This work is being carried out to help control thatch build up in the greens and to improve the movement of air and moisture through the soil profile.
To ensure the work is completed in a timely manner one tee starts will be used each day and holes may be closed for short periods. Any disruptions to the normal flow of golfing traffic will be clearly signposted.
I would like to apologise for any inconvineince this may cause players during this busy time.

Well Done Ollie!

2009-08-21T13:28:00.004+01:00

We are very proud to announce that Ollie Pennington has reached the national final of the 2009 Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year contest. Ollie is almost finished his Amenity Horticulture NVQ level 3 course that he has been working on for the past 18 months. Due to the consistently high standard of Ollie's work, Nick Lush his tutor at Myerscough College, nominated him for student of the year. Out of over 1000 students studying turfgrass related subjects 45 were selected to attend regional finals. Following the completion of a questionnaire and an interview with industry experts Ollie was recently informed that he has been selected as one of eight national finalists. This is a tremendous achievement for Ollie and in fact a great boost for all the course staff here at La Moye.
The final itself will take place over two days in September. The finalists will be asked to carry out an in depth and detailed appraisal of a golf course which is to be submitted in report form. They will then be questioned on the contents of their report by a panel of top industry figures. From this process a winner will be selected and will receive the grand prize of an eight week trip to the USA which includes a six week residential scholarship to the University of Massachusettes, to attend the winter turf school. The winner will also be given the chance to tour Toro headquarters and join the BIGGA visit to the GCSAA Golf Industry Show in San Diego in February 2010.
We all wish Ollie the best of luck in the final and well done again for getting there, a major achievement of which he should be really proud.

It's The Greens That Count

2009-08-13T12:11:00.002+01:00

If you were to ask anyone what they thought of course condition on completion of their round they are likely to talk mostly about the greens. The greens are commonly said to be either good, bad, too fast, too slow, too firm, too soft, too bumpy or have too many holes, slits or grooves! It would be fair to say that it's that greens that count most.

Work on greens this season has been focused on increasing the amount and density of fine fescue and bent grasses in the sward through carefully scheduled fertiliser and water applications coupled with overseeding. Also, to impart cultural and mechanical stress on the Rye and Yorkshire fog grasses to refine the texture and grain of the sward. We have also tried to improve the quality and consistency of the rootzone immediately beneath the turf to equalise the bounce and roll characteristic from one green to the next. Eventually this type of work will give consistent, true putting surfaces that remain of a good standard for the majority of the year.
While this work takes place we are challenged to present the greens to the highest possible standard for each days play. Inevitably on occasion, particularly after periods of stress, the greens in their current state will fail to live up to expectation.
We plan our aeration, top dressing and brushing programmes around the major competitions of the year. This means that between those competition dates we must carry out these procedures that disturb the quality of the putting surface for a short period. Due to the constraints and pressures of the diary we are inevitably compromised when trying to find a balance between short-term performance and long-term improvement. If we do not carry out these necessary operations then nothing will improve. If we only focus on short-term putting green performance then nothing will improve. A balanced approach is being sought which allows the greens to perform to a high standard when absolutely necessary but also allows our fundamental and long standing problems to be addressed in the appropriate way.

Long, Thick Rough!

2009-06-02T15:04:00.002+01:00

As usual at this time of year, the uncut roughs on the course have become long and thick. Some players feel the course becomes too difficult at this time and we are regularly asked to cut extra sections. I feel it is worth reminding everyone of our rough grass management strategy and explaining the reasons behind our actions or even our inaction!
Our approach to the management of the rough sets out to balance the needs of the golfer with the needs of the grass plants and the needs of the diverse array of flora and fauna that inhabit the rough grasslands. We are very fortunate that we are able to play our golf in such a wonderful, natural environment and it is a prime objective of the course staff to protect and enhance that environment. The rough grasses here at La Moye are very delicate and must be treated carefully. Only in the late spring/early summer period do they get a chance to grow properly, set seed and thicken up before the summer droughts come in to thin out the grass naturally. This cycle takes place every year and it ensures we have good grass cover throughout the year providing crucial definition between the holes. If we cut too much rough at this time of year we will remove this important aspect of the course character.
Also, the rough grasslands are the most species diverse areas of the whole golf course and as such are the most valuable from an ecological point of view. Our roughs provide the perfect habitat for a vast array of flora and fauna ranging from the green lizard to wild orchids with thousands of things in between.
That said, the single most important consideration is ensuring the golf course remains playable and enjoyable for all levels of golfer. To do this we aim to maintain landing area widths of between 30 and 55 metres. This includes a fairway cut at a height of around 15mm, a first cut of rough at 25mm and a second cut of rough at a height of around 100mm. This ensures that well placed shots are rewarded with a good lie but errant shots are punished incrementally. We think this gives the fairest course set up possible.
The recent weather has given us firm and running conditions on the course of late and this coupled with the height of the rough and the wind has made for some challenging golf. Thankfully the conditions will ease in the next few weeks as the rough dies back and in fact the start of this process is already well underway.

Lots To Do

2009-05-20T15:00:00.007+01:00

With competitions and society days coming thick and fast the green staff are working hard making sure the course looks its best. In this post I hope to paint a picture of what happens in an average week at this time of the year.

Monday
Aerate greens (star slit)
Brush greens
Cut greens
Cut tees, move tee markers
Rake bunkers
Cut tee banks
Spray selective weedkiller on fairway areas
Mole control
Weed granite dust paths
Pick up range balls

Tuesday
Cut greens
Top dress greens
Drag mat greens
Move hole positions, fill out pin sheet
Rake bunkers
Verti-cut green surrounds and approaches
Cut green surrounds and approaches
Cut semi-rough
Cut rough
Pick up balls from range

Wednesday
Iron greens
Rake bunkers, move tee markers
Cut rough
Cut semi-rough
Fill scars and pick up divots on fairways
Paint 150 yard markers
Cut hedges around clubhouse and car park
Rake and seed turf nursery areas
Fertilise previously seeded nursery areas
Pick up balls from range

Thursday
Cut greens
Flymo bunker faces, rake bunkers, move tee markers
Cut rough
Cut semi-rough
Cut fairways
Trim around sprinkler heads and distance markers
Check sprinkler head performance
Cut hedges at roadside
Move putting green hole positions
Strim around tee plates, steps, ball washers etc
Pick up balls from range

Friday
Brush greens
Cut greens
Iron greens
Rake bunkers
Divot tees, empty bins, fill ball washers and move tee markers
Mole control
Fill out pin sheet for Saturday
Cut tees
Cut green surrounds and approaches
Weed and top up granite dust paths
Pick up balls from range

Saturday
Cut greens
Move hole positions
Rake bunkers
Move tee markers
Pick up range balls

Sunday
Cut greens
Rake bunkers
Move tee markers
Pick up range balls

Of course, this is just a sample of the type of work we carry out in an average week in May. As you might expect we spend a large chunk of our time working on the greens. You might be surprised to learn we spend almost as much time maintaining bunkers. Many of the tasks mentioned above are repeated every week but others are only carried out periodically. In other weeks we may well carry out different types of aeration such as solid tining or deep slit tining and different areas will have fertiliser applied or be sprayed. Also countless one-off tasks arise which need to be addressed, sometimes these are the jobs that take the most time.

Spring Maintenance Week

2009-04-08T14:22:00.007+01:00

Our first annual spring maintenance week commenced on the 30th March. I'm happy to report that all planned tasks were completed successfully despite a frost delay on the Monday morning lasting three hours. Thankfully no further frosts were seen during the week and scarification, overseeding and top-dressing work took place.
The main task carried out was overseeding of greens, this takes place to improve the overall grass species composition in the sward. Three varieties of Fescue grass were used. These particular plants have the ideal characteristics for golf green purposes and increased numbers of fescue grasses will dramatically improve the year round conditions on the greens.

Having identified the need for new seeding equipment last year and following a lengthy evaluation process we finally purchased a new seeder in March of this year. The Vredo Super-Compact seeder chosen represents a significant investment by the club but one which will benefit the golf course for many years to come.

The new seeder on the 9th green

The machine works by using two rows of metal discs spaced 35mm apart which make thin slits in the turf into which the grass seed is delivered. The rear roller then passes over the slits causing them to close up to reinstate the playing surface. This method ensures the seed is placed to the correct depth and that good seed/soil contact is achieved. Seed wastage is kept to an absolute minimum using this method and given the costs of high quality sportsturf seed mixes this can only be a good thing.

The metal discs making the cuts into the turf

The seed lies safely in the bottom of these slits

The lines in the turf in the photo above will shortly be full of newly emerged young grasses so management practices will be tailored to ensure these are protected in the short term.
We plan to overseed greens at least four times each season using this method. During periods of good growth and following an application of top dressing the slits disappear very quickly and surface uniformity is not compromised. In the coming months and years the machine will be used for seeding other areas of the course such as weak fairway areas, walkways and roughs.

Irrigation

2009-03-20T11:34:00.010Z

In the coming months one of the most important tools the course staff will use is the irrigation system. Our system was manufactured by Rainbird and was installed in 2007/8 by MJ Abbott. It covers all greens, tees, surrounds, fairways, some rough areas, turf nurseries and the chipping area. There are six boreholes which keep the 1 million gallon capacity reservoir topped up.

1 million gallon reservoir

Three large pumps distribute the water around the course at a pressure of 150 psi through a network of pipes up to the irrigation sprinkler heads. The system has been designed to ensure that water is applied accurately and wastage is kept to a minimum. Low trajectory sprinklers are used in the most exposed spots to ensure the wind has a minimal impact. A central computer located in the maintenance facility is used to program and run the system.

Mission control!

The course has been mapped using GPS with every sprinkler head, valve and pipe marked. Any sprinkler head can be turned on either at the base station, manually at the head or by using a remote control unit. The system can be programmed to run any number of heads in any sequence starting at any time.

Course map as seen on the system display

Zoomed in view of hole 1, chipping area, 9th green and 8th tee

Record keeping is made easy with this system as it automatically maintains detailed records of application timings and quantities giving weekly, monthly or annual aggregated totals. A weather station is also linked in to the system providing real time data of wind speed and direction, precipitation, humidity and temperature. From this information evapo-transpiration rates are calculated which the system can use to determine how much water should be applied to maintain optimum soil moisture levels.

Daily weather records are automatically maintained

As you can see, our system makes it easy for us to apply water accurately and at the rates we want. However, we must remember that this does not mean we always want the golf course to be green and lush. Inappropriate and overuse of the irrigation system can cause serious long term problems to turf which can take years to rectify. We aim to use the system only when the health of the desirable grass plants would otherwise suffer, not just to soften the greens so the ball is easier to control or to green up the fairways to make them look "nice".
In late winter and very early spring we rarely irrigate even in extended dry periods because the cold water only serves to lower soil temperatures causing what little growth we have at that time of the year to stop completely. Much better dry, firm and slow growth than moist, soft and no growth! We generally irrigate in all dry spells throughout the mid-spring/early summer period to ensure the turf has optimal growth conditions to recover from the stresses of winter. Once mid summer comes we will relax the irrigation to allow the turf to dry out somewhat in order to stress the undesirable grass species and to encourage the fine grasses to develop deep rooting. Without doing this the shallow rooting grass species - which also happen to be the least suitable grasses for golf - are allowed to colonise and take over the sward. In general terms we are trying to present firm and consistent surfaces which have a dense cover of fine grasses. Our watering strategy is tailored with this in mind so please don't be surprised if surfaces get a bit brown in colour come mid summer, it will not mean the irrigation system is broken, we will merely be letting nature take it's course!

For more information on this topic please click on the title word IRRIGATION at the top of this post.

Broken Tee Pegs

2009-03-18T15:02:00.010Z

The broken tee pegs picked up from the course today

In an attempt to keep the golf course as litter free as possible, we are aiming to address the issue of broken tee pegs. Every month we spend many hours picking up broken tee pegs from the tees. Not only do they look unsightly but they also knock the mowers off cut, potentially causing damage to the grass itself. To try to combat this one of the tee markers on each of the tees has been replaced with a tee caddy (see pic. above). It is hoped that all players will use the tee caddy to deposit their broken tee peg after they have played their shot thus maintaining a tidy appearance to teeing grounds and helping to keep our mowers sharp and correctly set to ensure minimum injury to the grass plant.

The Start Of A New Season

2009-03-13T07:14:00.005Z

The start of a new season is almost upon us and the greenkeeping team are working hard preparing the course for the season ahead. One of the biggest challenges we have ahead of us is getting the new bunkers ready for play. When the bunkers were being refurbished in the winter some of the sand is removed and this now must be returned to the bunker. Before the sand goes back in it is screened to remove any debris then it is put in the bunker and shaped to form the ideal bunker base. Next it is compacted to try to reduce the likelihood of balls plugging in the sand then finally it is raked to provide the perfect finish.
All bunkers are raked on a daily basis, it takes around two hours each day and more if shaping work is carried out, add to this the weeding and cutting work that takes place and we soon find ourselves putting in well in excess of 1000 man hours of bunker maintenance annually. All this for an area of the golf course that everyone tries to avoid!

4th Hole Drainage

2009-02-10T15:49:00.008Z

It has become clear in recent months that the drainage system under the 4th fairway was failing to do its job properly. There has been some debate amongst the course team as to the exact configuration of the drainage system and the reasons why it was failing. To address the problem the team set out to properly identify the location of the pipes, examine their condition and repair any damaged sections. Although old plans existed of the drain pipework it had been felt they were incomplete and did not tell the full story. Since accurate mapping was carried out on the golf course prior to the irrigation system being installed it is now possible for us to complete a more detailed plan of the drainage system.

More Tree Work

2009-02-10T15:12:00.008Z

In keeping with our policy to manage the spread of the non-indigenous holm oak trees, we have embarked on the second phase of felling mature specimens.
Some trees have been removed from the bank that separates the 9th and 10th holes and more trees have been removed from the right hand side of the 18th hole. Due to the steep bank on the 18th a large excavator was used to move the felled trees into an area suitable for chipping to take place. Inevitably a certain amount of damage to the turf has occurred around the area where the excavator was working but this will be reinstated by course staff in the next few days.

Excavotor moving a felled tree into position

The areas around the felled trees will be scraped back to bare sand/soil to allow the indigenous plant species space to re-establish. Please click on the ECOLOGY label at the bottom of this post to learn more about why we cut down trees and what we are trying to acheive.

Winter Course Closures

2009-01-13T13:30:00.006Z

The unusually cold weather recently has meant the golf course has had to remain closed for most of the past three weeks. Whilst this is obviously frustrating for the members who wish to play, it is worth reminding ourselves why play is restricted when frost arrives.

Surface frost is basically frozen dew that has crystallised on the grass, making it hard and brittle. A grass blade is actually 90 percent water, therefore it also freezes. Because of the short mowing height (6.5mm at this time of year) and fragile nature of the turf, putting greens are most affected by frost. Walking on frost-covered greens causes the plant to break and cell walls to rupture, thereby losing its ability to function normally. When the membrane is broken, much like an egg, it cannot be put back together.

The damage caused to the leaf of the grass plants during a surface frost is bad enough but the most devastating situation occurs following a hard penetrated frost when the grass blades and the upper portion of the soil profile has thawed, but the ground beneath their level remains frozen. Foot traffic on greens will create a shearing action of the roots and crown tissues and widespread plant death will occur. This is comparable to cutting the plant tissue from the underlying root system with a sod cutter.

Hopefully the worst of the winter weather is now behind us and frost delays will soon be just a memory. The course has been protected during this vulnerable period and should show no adverse effects. The course staff can at last resume the various projects being worked on around the course and we can look forward to an exciting season ahead.

Bunker Renovation

2008-12-10T09:20:00.010Z

For the past few weeks we have been refubishing the bunkers around the course. So far we have focused our efforts on holes 16, 17 and 18 with a total of 12 bunkers completed so far.
When planning bunker renovations there are a number of factors we take into consideration. Firstly the existing style of course bunkering is examined. We currently have a mix of "rolled in" turf bunkers and also sod stacked/revetted bunkers. We aim to develop a consistant style throughout the course and have decided to use the revetted style in all future bunker refurbishments.
Next we look at the position of the bunkers. With the advances in golf ball and club technology bunkers can become obselete. Before rebuilding any bunker we must decide whether the bunker is still best placed from a strategic perspective. Is the bunker still doing the job it was originally designed to do?
Finally we look at the bunker from an architectual perspective. Is it in keeping with the surrounding ground and the hole in general?, Does the bunker contribute positively to the aesthetic appeal of the hole?
If we are satisfied the bunker is in the correct location then we proceed with the work. If we decide that significant alterations are required, we will engage our golf course architect to carry out a detailed assessment before we proceed.

Here is one of the bunkers from around the 18th green on the day worked commenced.

1. Stripping turf from around the bunker

2. Removing the old bunker face

3. Digging out and shaping the surrounding ground

4. Laying the first rows of turf to form the shape

5. The finished bunker

All refurbished bunkers will remain out of play through the winter months. In late February the bunkers will have sand added and packed firm before being shaped properly ready for play. Please be aware that the depth of the bunkers will reduce considerably when the sand is added thus making player access easier.

La Moye Golf Club

Hole 10 Complete

Hole 10 Update

Hole 11 Tee Construction

Turfing Hole 11 Approach

Course Walk

Hole 10 Progress Update

Shaping Hole 11

Deep Tine Aeration Using Verti-Drain

Hole 10 Preparation

Hole 12 Complete

New Turf Delivery

12th Green Grow In

Turfing 11th Green

11th Hole Bunker Revetting

Transplanting Dune Sod

Creating New Mounding

11th Hole Bunker Shaping

Turfing 12th Green

12th Green Bunker Revetting

12th Green Rootzone & Bunker Revetting

Autumn Maintenance Update

11th Green Update

Creating The New 12th Green 2

Creating The New 12th Green

Clay Removal

Turf Stripping 11th Green

Project Contractor - MJ Abbott

Turf Stripping 12th Green

Greens Reconstruction

Autumn Course Maintenance

New Range Sponsor - Brewin Dolphin

Fertiliser Spreading

Bird Box Survey

Irrigation Priorities

More Gorse Clearance

Hole 8 Gorse Clearance

Course Update

Spring Maintenance

Transplanting Pine Trees

A Stunning Vista

5th Green Bunkering - Pt 9 - Right Hand Side

Remodelling Hole 14

Verti-Draining Greens

Course Reconstruction Plans

February Course Update

Course Ecology

More Marram grass has been planted in the sand dunes between the 11th and 13th holes following the tree removal work of 2009. The areas remain highly sensitive to disturbance so please take care when retrieving balls from the marked areas so as not to disturb the young plants.

Aerating The Turf

Blogging Resumed

Behind The Scenes

Course Closed

5th Green bunkering Pt 8 - Completion

5th Green Bunkering Pt 7

Monitoring Groundwater

5th Green Bunkering Pt 6

5th Green Bunkering Pt 5

5th Green Bunkering Pt 4

5th Green Bunkering Pt3

5th Green Bunker Refurb Pt 2 - Turf Cutting & Removal

5th Green Bunker Refurbishment

Maintenance Week Update

More Marram Planting

Course Maintenance Week

Chemical Control Of Ryegrass in Greens Pt 2

Golf Course Ecology Visit

Filling The Gaps With The Vredo

Excessive Wear On Tees

Using Water Wisely

Benchmarking Progress

Fairy Ring Activity

Controlling Bracken

Establishing Marram

New Tee Signage

European Senior Tour

Tournament Preparation

Course Etiquette

Singin In The Rain!

Top Dressing Greens

Still Dry

More Marram grass has been planted in the sand dunes between the 11^th and 13^th holes following the tree removal work of 2009. The areas remain highly sensitive to disturbance so please take care when retrieving balls from the marked areas so as not to disturb the young plants.