week 15 Update

Week 15 Update
Well another busy week, our main focus for this week has been getting everything ready for the McLeod Cup this Saturday, and getting some pace on the greens after last Sundays result where the greens speed got slower, this actually happens a lot as when you cut the turf at a lower height (remember last week we went from 3.75 down to 3.5mm) it will stress out the plant and the golf ball instead of running along the top of the leaf will actually nestle down in the leaf thus creating more friction on the ball thus slowing it down. (you can usually tell when this is happening, buy looking behind the ball on a straight putt, the ball will wobble from side to side instead of running straight a bit like a pinball machine) The topic of greens speed is a huge subject with many factors affecting the end results so over the next few months ill try to explain some of the main considerations we look at regarding greens speed so stay tuned
Back to this week, we changed up our mowing schedule and got in some double cuts, we also made the plant use up some of its nitrogen stores thus helping slow the growth rate and along with the plant getting used to its new cutting height (it usually takes 4 to 6 mows to achieve this properly) thus the ball is now up on the leaf instead of in it, so the overall result is we have quickened the greens up, they are running at 9.2 on the stimpmeter. We have also for this weekend left the rough long this is to tighten up the course proper
We have also had a fair few irrigation breaks, these always seem to happen at the most inconvenient time, the 2 main ones were the top bank on the 4th fairway and the other at the green end of the 9th this one required the replacement of the actual solenoid thus the main pipes had to be dug up and flexed to enable us to fit another in the problem with poly pipe is that everything must be exact as there is no room for error if it goes back and its not spot on it wont hold and you will have to do the whole thing again.(for the record all went well first time)
Unfortunately irrigation leaks are a regular occurrence especially on the old system as the pipes are very old and in some spots are wearing down the wall of the pipe so making it thin and thus easier to blow out, and with the colder weather the brittle pipe is more prone to break
The area on the 4th where the garden- screen is going has been shaped and sprayed, we have let it settle down this week and then will add our topsoil and mulch next week.
The 8th crossing is growing in well we gave it a light top dress in the joins this week and next week will peg any areas that require it we should be on it very soon
well thats about it for this week till next time keep swinging pete