Course Manager's Reports

Duncan Seiling (Deputy Course Manager) Jeff Foulger (Course Manager) & Paul Skuse (Asst.Greenkeeper

GREENS BULLETIN GOLF SEASON 2012

I am predicting another successful golf season in particular with our greens surfaces and hope to surpass the high levels that we hit in my previous 2 seasons hear at Pinner Hill golf club. We will keep up the very important required maintenance procedures which help us achieve smooth and consistent surfaces (ie mowing, hand mowing, verticutting, brooming, grooming and rolling). Smoothness is the key and is what creates speed.

I am optimistic that we can create greens to be proud of without any disturbance with greens renovation this golf season. We are currently following an extensive greens feeding program. I am also pleased to say that we managed to get through the winter period relatively unscaved from turf grass diseases meaning that we do not have to play catch up for this time of year with the establishment of new growth.

We are now entering the most challenging period for our greens surfaces. Our greens predominantly consist of two sets of grasses, the fine grasses and the problematic course meadow grass for this time of year. This is when we experience the biggest difference in growth between the two categories. The fine grasses tend to start and increase their growth rate once soil temperatures begin to rise, whereas the meadow grass prefers warmer temperatures, particularly at night. This is more suitable to summer growth. This is one of the main contributors to the bobbly putting surface sometimes experienced during this time of year. In this period we will ensure all nutrient levels are adequate and available to the grass. This year we have incorporated extra spring feeds which are designed for fulfilling meadow grass requirements. This should help us with growth and achieve less bobbly surfaces for this time of year. We have currently suspended any aeration program for the month of April to aid in a smoother surface.

The soil structure is improving month by month and thatch levels are now at the required level. This is through organic feeding, the use of fungal and bacterial dominant based feeds to bring life to our soil and regular aeration. We have been creating and will continue to create a bed suitable for fine grasses throughout. It is not a question of planting or seeding with the fine grasses. They will only survive in the correct environment and soil condition. The fine grasses are now coming into an important stage of their development and should be "out competing" the meadow grass naturally. We are now planning to incorporate the first over seeding process to the greens surfaces this spring together with the first topdress once temperatures are warm enough. I am also satisfied that conditions are at the right stage for fine grass germination and establishment. We will have to raise the height of cut slightly during a period of around two weeks for this to take place but I’m sure that the long term benefits will prove to be worth it. Our main aim is to have predominantly fine grasses throughout all of the greens surfaces. Creating the right environment is key with over seeding helping to speed up the natural process. This will prevent us from experiencing any "bobblyness" on the greens caused by different grass species.

I would also like to request that we all pull together with regards to keeping on top of pitch marks to greens surfaces. This is also another of the main factors that can have an adverse effect on the putting surface of greens. Reducing the effect of this would be of great benefit to all.

Tees

It is very important that we allocate as much time within our team as we can with regards to the maintenance of our tees. We have just completed our first full renovation to the tees surfaces together with regular aeration, an extensive feeding program and all the recent rainfall that we have been having. The tees surfaces will improve drastically very soon now. A huge credit has to go to Lloyd Millwood and his junior section for all the efforts that they put in with the divoting throughout the year. We set a target to try and put in place two divoting days every half term period. We also plan to hand cut the tees as appose to a ride on mower when possible. This should add to the presentation of the course and the improved quality of cut that you get through hand cutting. With regards to the 11^th tee, we have now levelled this out and hope for the full germination and establishment by the end of May so that it can be put back in play.

Fairways

Again, our fairways have responded very strongly to all of the recent rainfall. We aim to cut the fairways at least once a week and again much credit must go to Lloyd Millwood and the junior section with all the divoting to the fairways throughout the year. I am looking at removing the preferred lies ruling by the end of April, however more emphasis on the replacing of divots would put us in a much stronger position to do this and would be very much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Jeff Foulger (course manager)