Ground Report February 2018

Transcription

1 Ground Report February 2018 The temporary ground rules for the late autumn and winter period 2017/18 remain in place. Ground activities listed below reflect the end of the growing season and are subject to prevailing weather and ground conditions. A programme for the completion of the winter projects and other general maintenance activities has been produced and is appended to this report (Appendix 2 Version 4 February 18). Works completed last month: Greens: Normal cutting frequency during the winter period, if mild, would be once a week, by hand. However, with limited grass growth it has not been necessary to cut the greens in the last month. Ironing suspended for the late autumn/winter period. Holes are being changed once a week. No treatment has been undertaken this month. If the greens become sufficiently dry in late February a light sand dressing plus a seaweed/iron feed mix will be applied to restore a firm playing surface. On 14 th February Symbio will take a second set of cores from the prescribed greens and analyse these to establish whether there have been any benefits arising from the application of calcium carbonate over the last year. Isolated patches of toadrush continue to be present on some greens, these will be treated by scarification as soon as the greens are dry enough. Patches of the fusarium disease which reappeared in late December have been killed off by recent frosts and cold weather. Contingency funding has been retained to allow by a further application of Sherriff Amenity fungicide, should the disease return and become more widespread. Tees: Normal cutting frequency during the winter period, if mild, would be once every 2 weeks. However, with limited grass growth it has not been necessary to cut the tees in the last month. It has been too wet this month to carry out any further hollow tining of tees. Assuming ground conditions improve all tees will be tined and top dressed in March. Vulnerable tees are now being protected through the provision of mats and the installation of the permanent artificial teeing areas on the 1 st and 4 th. Access to a suitable firm teeing area on the 2 nd has been problematic throughout the winter. Consideration will be given to providing a permanent artificial teeing area as part of next year s Winter Projects (in addition to the planned 8 th and 10 th tees). Fairways: With limited grass growth, it has not been necessary to cut the fairways in the last month. Leaves have been blown off fairways into piles. Some piles closer to the Clubhouse have been removed, the rest will be collected as soon as ground conditions permit. Leaves and debris have been removed from the drainage ditch across the 11 th fairway. Some isolated patches of weed continue to be present. It was agreed that the problem would best be addressed in early spring, before the start of next season and may require the use of a

2 specialist spraying contractor if the weeds are widespread, otherwise the ground staff will treat. Rough: With limited grass growth, it has not been necessary to cut the rough in the last month. No treatment this month No length issues Bunkers: Bunkers are being raked as and when they become dry and free from flooding. Treatment this month: The remaining back nine and fairway bunkers will be topped up with sand over the late winter period (See Appendix 2). The right hand greenside bunkers on the 8 th and 15 th are now temporarily out of play. Contaminating clinker and stones have now been sealed off with a layer of new soil The fairway bunker on the 15 th has also been re-profiled and all three bunkers will receive fresh sand as and when ground conditions permit. The following bunkers have now received drainage improvements as part of the winter programme: 4 th front greenside, 9 th right greenside, 11 th right fairway pot, 11 th left fairway adjacent to ditch, 13 th left fairway at dog-leg. Other bunkers most prone to prolonged flooding will receive drainage improvements in subsequent year s Winter Projects programme of works. Practice Areas: With limited grass growth, it has not been necessary to cut the practice areas in the last month. Other Areas: Loose white posts around the putting green have now been repaired. The out of bounds white posts and rope around the 1 st tee and 4 th green have been removed for re-painting, yardage plates will also be re-painting. (See Appendix 2) The Ground staff continue to clear remaining more resilient nettles at the base of hedgerows as part of the winter maintenance programme. The Gardening Sub-committee lead by Biddy Schilizzi, have now produced cost estimates for the following landscaping / gardening proposals: Landscaping the pond between the 16 th Tee and 17 th green - as part of this year s Winter Projects Providing an avenue of 10 ornamental pear trees either side of the entrance road to enhance the view of the Clubhouse Landscaping the recently cleared copse on the left of the 1 st with shrubs Purchase of container plants and compost for the existing pots and hanging baskets located around the Clubhouse The proposed approach should reduce the current annual cost of provided new bedding plants and hanging baskets by approximately 300 to 400 Purchase of perennials for the main bed and rockery adjacent to the Clubhouse - 200* Renovation of shrubs and hedging around the car park and road entrance - 200* Purchase of pampas grass to landscape the extended bed to the rear of the 7 th tee - 50

3 Subject to Board endorsement, and to ensure planting is undertaken at the best time, all expenditure (with the exception of * as marked) will be funded from this year s Winter Projects and planted before the end of April by the volunteers with support from Gary. The remaining items will be purchased in May and funded from next year s Ground Budget. To assist the volunteer gardeners a schematic showing the layout of all the beds around the Clubhouse and car parking area, together with a maintenance plan for each bed has now provided on one of the ground floor entrance notice boards. The Ground Committee extend thanks to Biddy, in particular, and all the volunteers, for all their hard work and enthusiasm in developing these proposals, getting them costed and presenting them to the Gardening Sub-committee. Any new gardening volunteers would also be most welcome. Ground are looking at engaging an apprentice on a permanent basis. The apprentice would report to Gary, support the heavier gardening tasks, but primarily undertake green keeping activities as part of his ongoing training. The EA have completed trimming/clearance work along the edges of the stream from the 1 st to the pond on the 5 th. It is hoped that this may improve discharge from drains from the 2 nd fairway. STRI Recommendations & Maintenance Week: All STRI treatment recommendations for January have been completed, apart from the treatment of greens with seaweed and iron, due to poor ground and weather conditions. It is proposed that next year s Maintenance Week takes place at the same time in the golfing calendar, as the impact on major competitions is minimal and it allows sufficient growing time for the course to recover. Schedule of Major Competitions in February 5 th Winter Stableford: Saturday 3 rd February 5 th Winter League: Saturday 10 th February 3-Man Team Competition: Saturday 17 th February Mixed Winter League: Sunday 18 th February Four Ball Stableford: Saturday 24 th January Machinery update: No major machinery repairs have been necessary in January. Some tyres have had punctures requiring repairs. Routine maintenance of machinery is ongoing. Capital issues: Part exchanging the mule with a newer second-hand vehicle for 6k, remains ongoing. A possible replacement vehicle will be inspected by Gary before the end of February. Patrick is in the process of resolving the dispute with the supplier of the recently purchased wood chipper machine. This has failed a second time and is considered unfit for purpose. Purchase of a heavier duty machine will be considered, subject to satisfactory resolution of the dispute.

4 Tree work update: The small tree on the 12 th, blown over in a recent storm, is diseased and will not now be replanted. Some trees within the copses on the 14 th and 17 th were damaged during a storm in January. Damaged branches will be cut up and removed by the ground staff. If tree damage remains slight for the rest of the financial year a request will be submitted to the Board to use some of the emergency funding allowance for trimming the height of trees in front of the 4 th, 5 th and 8 th greens, which have not received attention for the last 3 to 4 years, plus any diseased trees in need of attention by a tree surgeon. Allowance has been included in the approved 2017/18 Ground budget for commissioning the specialist STRI report on tree management. In conjunction with the above proposed tree surgery Ground are now seeking approval from the Board for the commissioning of this report in April 2018 if, overall, we remain within budget. Health & Safety update: No H&S reportable incidents have been recorded in January. The external H&S audit conducted by Alan B. Partnership took place on Thursday 21 st December The inspection included the diesel and oil storage arrangements. The report has not yet been received. A review of all course signage identified in the recent H&S look & see inspection and purchase signs by no later than the end of March. Winter Project update: An updated programme for completion of the Winter Projects is appended to this report (Version 4 February 2018). Progress in January has again been hampered by the prolonged adverse weather & poor ground conditions, resulting in a lot of work being pushed back into March, and possibly early April. Ground extend their thanks to Gary and his team for all the hard work during these difficult conditions. 2017/18 Grounds Budget Update: Based on costs incurred up to the end of December 17, a year-end underspend of 3.6k is currently forecast, principally due to forecast reductions in Gardener costs over the period November 17 to March 18. Ground Committee Meeting update: The latest Ground Meeting was held on Tuesday 13 th February 2018, attendance: Patrick Keane, Chris Killen, Gary Higgins, and Colin Webb, apologies for absence Eric Botham on holiday The next look and see meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 22 th February 2018, 1130hrs. This will focus on inspecting progress on the winter projects, including the landscaping of the 16 th pond area (Biddy Schillizi attending to inspect ground conditions in advance of planting). The next full Ground committee meeting will take place on Tuesday 13th March 2018, 1130hrs.

5 Ground Works programmed for February if different from January (weather dependent). None unless: The greens require further treatment to address another outbreak of fusarium disease. Dry weather and firm ground allows the application of a light top dressing of sand and a feed of seaweed and iron. The mild weather and growth returns, requiring greens, tees, fairways and rough to be mown.

6 Appendix 1: Supporting notes on treatments being applied to greens and their benefits Sarel rolling: Produces small diameter shallow holes, which breaks up any crust that tends to form on the surface and allows the air, nutrient and especially water to start its journey down to the roots. Slim solid tining: Produces small diameter but deeper holes and allows the air, nutrient and especially water to get further down into the root system. It also prunes the root system and encourages growth. Over seeding programme: The aim is to incorporate more bent grasses into the greens as replacement to annual meadow grasses. This will improve the uniformity of the sward and reduce the differential growth rates particularly in the spring, which causes uneven playing surfaces. Top dressing: Regular applications of top dressing will reduce surface imperfections and produce a firmer and faster playing surface. In conjunction with tining it will also improve drainage through reduction in thatch. Verticutting: Vertical blades lift the horizontal grass sward allowing the following mower to cut the grass more evenly. In addition, the blades remove excessive leaf growth that contributes to puffy, spongy surface conditions and open grooves in the turf canopy for the incorporation of sand topdressing. Ironing / rolling: The process smoothes the playing surface and the associated vibrating action allows the top dressing to pass through the tines deeper into root system. Wetting agent: Allows even water penetration through the playing surface and into the root system, reducing surface water ponding and dry patching. Vertidraining to greens and fairways: The tines are larger in diameter and deeper, up to 12 inches, and a heave or levering action is applied similar to that of a fork. Below the surface the compacted layers are broken up leaving pockets into which essential elements can percolate. The technique has also been applied to the 5 th and 6 th fairways with sand being introduced to improve drainage and surface condition.