week 42 update

Well week 42 here and gone thats only 10 weeks to week 52 where has the time gone ?
with all the rain we are behind with allot of our jobs, just getting out to mow has been.... well..... lets say interesting.......

The greens are coming along well they have had 4 mows now and the height is down to 5.5mm we will mow today then let them rest over the weekend as we are still bringing up allot of sand. Also with it being so wet we have to bring our heights down slower than normal as the turf is taking longer to recover from the stress of lowering the heights and the leaching of allot of nutrients from the soil from the excessive rain, but overall, things moving along nicely.

The path on the 9th didn't get a look in as it is way too wet, we will try again in a fortnight when we can hopefully organize a bobcat and if it is dry enough, get equipment in and around the site.

We are  concentrating on mowing as much as possible while we can, there is another storm front heading this way as I type, this possibly here by late this afternoon, hopefully not to much wind as the base of the trees is wet and that is primed for some falling over if the wind gets up at this stage.

We haven't bothered doing anything with the bunker bases this week, as we feel it more important to mow surrounds and fairways as there is nothing worse than getting a bunker right then down comes some rain and puts you back at square one again...all wasted man-hours that could have been better spent , so we will get stuck into them (bunkers) next week, although we have trimed some edges and sprayed weeds in the faces this week.

The other main problem green keeping wise when we get weather like this at renovation time is disease. So far we have managed to stop the pythium spp. from spreading, we really need a good dry week to get everything back on track.

Well to next time hopefully back to sunshine .... keep swinging pete.

Week 41 update

Always a big week, Reno week with so many man hours going into the greens nearly all other jobs we are behind on so for the next week we are in catch up mode.

The greens are coming along very well, and with the rain last night (22mm) that will only help in the recovery. We plan to mow (high at 6mm to nip the leaf) early next week, hopefully Monday.

There are a couple of reasons we leave the greens for a few days after renovation but the main one is that it gives the turf time to extend its root system. As with all grasses there is a ratio that goes, that the length of the leaf directly affects the length of the roots. Thus it is important to take advantage of this time after renovation and get the most out of the root growth as possible as this will put us in good stead during the summer where the plant is under great stress. So our efforts we put in now will be seen in the summer period.

The Bindi in most fairways has been sprayed, and we have mowed as much as possible with the remaining time available.

Next week we will concentrate on the greens, 9th path, and weeds in bunker faces.
well till next time keep swinging....Pete

Spring Renovation update

Well on Sunday afternoon I must say I was very worried rain coming down, forecast looking like more of the same, the reno contractors ringing up to ask if we will be able to core on Monday or was it too wet to get the equipment on the greens, we have had a good run over the last 9 years so we are due for a bad one, things were looking bleak.

Monday morning .... clear blue sky ..happy days.

Well its early Tuesday morning we have scarified all the greens two ways, all the scarrifings have been broomed of the greens and all greens have been cored.

We have added our organic mix to all greens ( fertiliser, nutri-smart, organics, wetting agent) and rubbed this in with the drag-mats. we also managed to top-dress 10 greens and get them rubbed in and got it all done just as the rain started to fall (10mm)...not a bad 14 hour day.

Today we will top-dress the remaining greens and take all the scariffings to the heap and cores out to bare areas then hopefully get 2 rub ins on each green to work the sand down into the core holes. then water tonight.
Well thats were we are up to thanks to all golfers going around us during the day, well better go load the top-dresser and make a start..till next time keep swinging...Pete

week 40 update

Well this week has all been about getting the greens growing at optimal growth rate ready for Mondays renovations.

We need the growth rate as fast as possible to help the greens recover from coring as quickly as possible.
If you are wondering why we renovate the greens read the earlier blog on renovation.

The new roughcutter has arrived this is to replace the stealth slasher and just in the nick of time as with all the rain and heat we are having both machines are running flat out to try to keep up with it all.

Jon Boag our apprentice for the last 3 years has finished his trade course and qualified for his greenkeeping certificate and was signed off on Thursday so from all of us here good luck in your future endeavors.

Well to next time keep swinging...Pete

Golf Australia Thank you. September 2010



Opening Ceremony Australian Teams Golf 2010 @ McLeod Country Golf Club
The 2010 Australian teams event was great success. All the teams enjoyed playing at McLeod, Oxley and Wynnum Golf Clubs. Therese Ritter from Golf Australia wrote the following thankyou.
The Club would to thank the members for allowing the event to take place.



and so it begins

Well its finally here the Gladys Hay Event we have done all that we can to get the course up to a good standard , now we hope for no storms and not too much heat so the greens will be able to last to the end of the week.
Over the week we will be working split shifts so early starts to get everything ready in the morning i.e. mow greens (double cut) rake bunkers, mow tees, change holes, rubbish run ect.

Then we are all back in the afternoon to do as much mowing as possible on fairways and surrounds as well as bunker faces fixed up and any work on the green to keep them alive for the duration of the week. So far so good..... this is Adrian giving his approval that this bunker on the 3rd is right to go. pete.

week 37 and 7 days to go

Well last week was a busy one with lots of tiding up, and some bunker work, the greens were running nicely at around 9.2 to 9.4 speed all was going well.... then along came the rain.....back to square one.
Thats the way it goes sometimes we had 35mm last night so this week we will be pumping bunkers out ,  trying to get them back to good condition, and allot of work on the greens has to be done as when they are being quickened up they are put under extra stress, that then often means that if we get moisture or high humidity disease (fungi) can become a real problem and there is some (as seen on the 13th green) about so this week we will have to tackle that problem as well.
The area on the left hand side of 14th where the builders left tyre marks has been top-dressed and leveled as well as seeded and fertilized
This friday Earl Warmington (old 2ic) is to get married and we all here wish him and new bride (sue) all the best hope to catch up soon.

well to next time keep swinging pete