The Winter work this year has concentrated on ditch clearing and removing trees to open up areas of the course so that we can expose and reinstate redundant ditches to further improve the drainage. This is most apparent on the 17th and the 4th where dormant ditches have been brought back into use. This should improve the drainage and also has the added benefit of creating a more open aspect to the holes. The ditch work has been extensive throughout all areas of the course and it is clear that water is now flowing freely through them. We are seeing the benefit of this and previous years work as the course is now noticeably drier during the wet weather we have been experiencing. Now that the Winter programme is complete work will concentrate on preparing the course for the season and all the signs are that we should expect excellent conditions this year.
The green treatment was been completed early this year and the work has involved thatch removal rather than the usual hollow tining. Thatch is a layer of dead vegetation that sits between the grass and the soil. Excessive thatch can cause increased disease and insect problems, localised dry spots, soft and spongy surfaces, and decreased heat, cold and drought tolerances. Our greens have been treated with a machine that slits the grass and removes most of the sub surface dead organic matter. The greens were then top dressed and should recover quickly and this treatment should ensure that we keep thatch to a minimum.
This year we are using two new treatments on the greens. The first is the application of Attraxor, which is a growth regulator designed to promote the horizontal growth of the root system while limiting the vertical growth. A further advantage of its use is that it limits the spread of annual meadow grass, Poa Annua, by reducing seed head production. In other words it should help to reduce the undesirable white seed covering that we saw last year during the early part of the season.
The second treatment is the use of an organic fungicide which is designed to limit the extreme fusarium attacks that we saw last year. This is very different from the traditional chemicals used to control fusarium and is a preventative treatment. The product has already been applied but we should not expect to see a miracle cure as it will require several applications in order to build up some resistance. Both these treatments are new and are being used to try and prevent some of the traditional problems that we and most other courses are experiencing.
Work is underway on the commissioning of the irrigation system. The electrical integrity has been assessed and we are waiting for the final report, which should highlight any lingering issues. It should identify the sprinkler heads that will need repairing and we will undertake that work using the spares that we have already purchased. With time either the relays or valves in the heads fail and need replacing but once that is done the system should be in good order. It is vital that this work is being done now before any dry spells in the Summer.
Any report would not be complete without talking about divot bags. Over the past 2 years we have purchased 100 bags of which there are only about 10 remaining. This is probably due to players inadvertently not returning bags at the end of their round. As we wish to continue their use it would help if you could return the bags so that they can be refilled and reused. The repair of divots is having a beneficial effect on the course and hopefully we can encourage more members to contribute to this valuable initiative.