Course Information Blog for W/C 21/01/2013

Course Information Blog for W/C 21/01/2013

As I write, winter is hitting hard now, windchill factor of -3°C , ground conditions are extremely hard followed up with driving snow into the bargain but that's January at Cathkin Braes!  Never the less we must take advantage of hard ground conditions to continue drainage work on the 14th fairway.

This week for three days i will be attending our Industries Annual Machinery, Golf Course Equipment and Education Conference in Harrogate, Yorkshire (BTME).  There I will be viewing the latest machinery technology and attending education seminars, keeping up to date with legislation, improvements in new products and techniques, not forgetting a blether or two with colleagues, no doubt the 2012 season being main topic of conversation!
You can view details of this show by visiting www.btme.org.uk.

In my absence our staff will continue installing further drainage to the beginning of the 14th fairway.  To date, we have installed approx 160m of piped drainage and up to now no existing drainage pipe has been found, mainly rock!  Therefore relying on natural drainage is not an option if our unpredictable climate continues.

Wheel Marks on Greens

I have been asked on several occasions recently why we have Tyre Marks on our greens considering we have introduced some course protection measures for this winter period, understandably!

There are only a few occasions throughout the winter period that our vehicles are on the main greens.  Firstly, if ground conditions allow essential aeration work to be carried out and secondly if we require to 'blanket' spray all our greens with a fungicide or fertiliser.

As you know our winter period offers a limited amount of acceptable spraying days, dry/calm required!  Therefore it is essential that we take full advantage of this by spraying all of the greens in one day.  This is carried out by using our smallest and lightest available tractor and sprayer to minimise tread depth and compaction pressure.  You can be assured that it is our policy as always to minimise the unnecessary use of vehicles on our main greens as much as possible, especially throughout the winter period.

Work Schedule for This Week

• Continue installing piped drainage to the 14th fairway.
• Pitch mark repair forks have now arrived and will be available shortly at the first tee and the pro shop.

Until next week,

Regards

Douglas

Course Information Blog for W/C 07.01.2013

Course Information Blog for W/C 07/01/13

Welcome to the first blog of 2013 and on behalf of myself and all of the green staff may we wish you all a good new year and hope and pray this year will be an enjoyable playing season in more ways than just the weather.
This week and throughout the festive period our staff have been concentrating on installing the final phase of drainage to the rear and L/H/S of the 7th green.

Again rock has been a severe handicap for the staff and our work schedule of which has delayed us on installing new lateral drainage to the beginning of the 14th fairway. We hope to begin this week weather permitting, installing approx six lateral drains linking up to the recently installed main drain that runs adjacent to the course road, again weather permitting we hope to have this completed by end of this month.

On completion contractors will follow this with sand banding at 0.5m centres, right angles to the lateral drainage, this will assist surface water removal between the laterals.

This is the beginning of an extensive drainage installation plan proposed for this and additional fairways throughout the course in conjunction with our drainage consultants advice report.  His report is now with us and is currently being discussed by our Greens Committee and the C.O.M.  A report and plan will be available to view shortly once we have thoroughly investigated all options and advice available to us.

2. Pitch marks

Unfortunately this has been brought to my attention again that Pitch marks are still not being repaired properly on our greens despite my recent blog article and video illustration on how to repair them correctly.

It has been suggested that if we do not see an improvement to pitch marks then we will have no option but to remove these damaged greens from play.  As I have mentioned in recent blogs that it is in our own interest to care for our greens especially throughout the winter period in order to allow us to produce reasonable putting surfaces come the start of the 2013 playing season.

I will be purchasing pitch mark fork tools from our professional; Steven Bree shortly and will have them located next to the ladies and gents markers at the first tee, so there is no excuse now!!

Please don't have me resorting to temporary greens as your club and our staff have invested a lot of money, time and effort insuring main greens are in play as much as possible throughout the year.  Therefore, it would be annoying for everyone if main greens were off due to the damage caused by unrepaired pitch marks.

3. 5th Pond

As you are aware over the past few weeks we have saw a sharp rise in the water level of the pond and in addition flooding to the surrounding fairways.

Recent investigations revealed a blockage in the main pipe existing sluice gate located at the bottom end of the pond.  We have been unsuccessful in locating this pipe due to its depth, however we have located existing clay tile drainage near the sluice gate, to which we have excavated a small ditch from the pond to the clay tile drains.

The level of the pond is now receding and should return to its original level within a few days, until then we will monitor it closely.  As soon as the level has receded enough to allow our staff to repair the blockage, I will be looking at upgrading the current sluice gate and its workings to insure no further flooding occurs.

My work schedule for w/c/ 14/01/13

• Installation of lateral drainage to the first 50 yds of the 14th fairway.
• Completion of the final phase of drainage to L/H/S of the 7th green.

May I wish you "Awe the best" in the 2013 golfing season.

Douglas