Autumn Maintenance Week
Our
second and final course maintenance week of 2012 commences on Monday 24th
of September. Hollow coring, scarification, seeding and top dressing work will
be carried out on all 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 delay.
We
have seen steady improvement in the putting surfaces over the past four years.
This is because of the regular and thorough remedial works that have been
carried out on the greens during previous maintenance weeks. Undoubtedly, there
will be a period of recovery beyond the maintenance week itself. Whilst it is
appreciated that this will cause inconvenience to members, please be assured
that this work is entirely necessary to ensure continued, long-term improvement
in our putting surfaces.
On
this occasion we will be hollow coring with a 12mm tine at 50mm spacing to a
depth of 75mm. This operation will remove around 5% of the total surface area
of the green enabling a reduction in the organic matter (thatch) at the base of
the turf. Scarification involves using thin, vertically positioned blades to
remove further organic material. Seed will then be applied using a dedicated
seeding unit to improve the species composition of the greens. Finer leaved
grasses enable the ball to roll more smoothly over the surface of the green, ultimately
making it easier to hole putts. Finally we will apply around 2.5 tonnes of top
dressing sand to each green in order to fill up the holes and grooves that have
been made.
Fair weather is required to carry out most of the planned
work but with Mother Nature on our side we should comfortably complete each
task within the scheduled five days.
Broadleaved Grasses In Greens
Another application of the selective graminicide Rescue
has been made to all greens to control the spread of Ryegrass and Yorkshire Fog
grasses. These are wholly inappropriate putting green grass types that have we
have been treating now for three years. Thankfully, we have far less of these
grass species now so the effects of the spray application will be less
noticeable than in previous years. We may for a period have some thin areas of
turf on but the areas will be seeded and top-dressed until good grass cover is
restored. This has been timed to maximise the benefits from all the operations
planned in the maintenance week.
Managing Wear
Somewhere
in the region of 35000 rounds of golf are played each year here at La Moye. To
help protect the course and minimise wear and tear it is vital that we restrict
golfing traffic in certain areas at certain times of the year. With grass growth
slowing down in the coming weeks we will begin to rope off various areas around
the course and divert traffic away from many of the most heavily used walkways.
This gives the turf in these areas a much needed rest and also allows the
course team the chance to carry out much needed refurbishments. In some
instances we will ask players to walk slightly further than normal to avoid
particularly worn areas. It is hoped that members show understanding of this
important issue and follow the directional signs and markings that will be used
to indicate the routes to be used around the course. Some areas of the new turf
laid last winter on holes 10, 11 and 12 is in particular need of respite and
these areas will be prioritised.
