Greens blog for w/c 22/2/16
Welcome back to our
course blog after a long absence, however its my intention to resume
informing members of the ongoing activities and future plans for our
course.Apologies on my behalf for the absence.
So whats been going on lately??
Firstly, details of this years winter programme as follows:~
1) Improve/repair drainage on 2nd fairway
2) Path renovation at the 1st tee
3) Extension to the entrance and exit to the 2nd path
4) Green side bunker renovation at the 10th and 17th holes
5) 3rd ladies tee- re level existing tee to include an AstroTurf winter tee to l/h/s of main tee
6) 3rd ditch- repair to timber edging and grass banking mainly to the r/h/s near hawthorn tree
7) Improve drainage on the r/h/s of the 14th apron/fringe
8)
r/h/s of the 5th hole- Planned removal of 5 trees to maximise light and
air circulation, pipe and infill of narrow ditch leading to pond,
install soil and landscape area where trees were to provide a improve
landing area more so from the new tee direction.
9) Investigate drainage problem to the l/h/s of the 10th rough
COMPLETED PROJECTS TO DATE :-
1) 2nd fairway drainage
2) Path renovation at the 1st and 2nd tee's
3) Vertidraining and disc slitting to all fairways
4) Hollow coring and collection of cores to all main teeing areas
MAINTENANCE WORK TO DATE :-
1)
Following hurricanes Gertrude and Henry earlier this year and combined
with higher rainfall levels, certain winter projects have had to be
temporally postponed until ground conditions improve in order for our
machinery to access these area's with the minimal amount of damage to
the course.
During periods of high rainfall and the postponement
of winter projects our green staff have been busy 'crown lifting'
(cutting tree branches from the base upwards) trees throughout the whole
course. This will allow access around the base of the tree for golf
shots and easier maintenance for our green staff.
WINTER PROJECTS OUTSTANDING :-
1)
10th and 17th green side bunkers - Final turfing was delayed to allow
the new soil and bunker sand to compact. Greenstaff will return within
the next couple of weeks to complete the rest of work required to
complete the project. Once the new turf has completely rooted into the
new soil then play will resume from the bunkers but until then these
area's will be treated as GUR.
2) 3rd ladies tee - Construction is
almost complete, however hard frost and snow have hampered the re
turfing process. hopefully there will be break in the weather to allow
us to complete this project by the end February.
3) 5th hole
renovation- This project will unfortunately be postponed to later in the
year approx OCT/NOV due to the deterioration in the turf on the 6th
medal tee. After numerous treatments and with considerable periods of
rest, the surface had shown signs of recovery during last season and
into early autumn, however as temperatures and daylight decreased and as
we approached into winter, grass coverage began to deteriorate
significantly. After consultation with our committee it was agreed that
the 6th medal tee is now more of a priority now than the 5th hole
project. Factors in the deterioration of the surface have been a
considerable lack of sunlight and air circulation, acidic rain droplets
from pine needles from over hanging tree branches, plus soil tests have
identified high levels of sulphur found in the root zone (cause
unknown). A solution has been agreed to crown lift all trees surrounding
the tee to maximise the air and sunlight issue, of which tree
contractors are currently carrying out. For budgeting purposes we have
decided to repair only the first third of the 6th medal tee just now,
leaving the additional two thirds for Oct/Nov, once the competition
season has come to an end. Hopefully the new turfed section will be
ready for the first competition in April, however if not the white medal
markers will be located to the rear of the gents tee until the new turf
has completely established.
3RD DITCH
Due to
deterioration in the timber edging sections of the ditch it will be
necessary to renew these timber sections which are located mainly to the
r/h/s near the hawthorn tree. Repair work will begin when we have
completed all our outstanding projects. This I have scheduled for late
March. If left unrepaired this could have serious flooding issues within
and around this area.This could also affect holes 3, 4, 6, and
14,therefore it is essential this repair is carried out as soon as
possible.
R/H/S OF14TH APRON/FRINGE
As rainfall
records keep getting broken, this area has been gradually been
deteriorating for a number of years now, therefore new drainage was
required to improve the quality of turf especially so close to the
green. New pipe drainage has now been installed with final turfing
required to complete project, again final turfing had been purposely
delayed to allow new root zone to compact further. Turfing is scheduled
for the w/c 8/3/16.
I hope this keeps you up to date
so far with all the goings on within our winter programme however if
you require further information then you can email us at
Greens@cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk.
The greens
committee, greens staff and myself would like to wish you all a great
golfing season and hopefully we will all be basking in sunshine this
summer !!! wishful thinking LOL !!
Finally, i would
like to thank Lyndsay Ross for his time, effort and enthusiasum during
his reign as Greens convenor and welcome Kenny Alexander who replaces
Lyndsay as Greens convenor. I hope you will join me in wishing Kenny the
very best of luck in his new position. He will need it working with us
!! LOL.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Friday, 14 August 2015
Greens Blog August 2015
First of all apologies for the absence of the blog over the past few months. The Greens team has been pretty busy on the course as you can see but it’s our intention to publish a more regular blog on the website telling you what’s happening on the course.
Practice Area
Following a risk
assessment of the practice area some changes have been made to the practice
area on the grounds of health and safety. The practice area has now been
segmented into a number of smaller areas each with a defined purpose and these
are set out below:
Main Practice Area - when practising
from this area members must play from within the ropes hitting in the direction
of the distance markers.
Short game Area - to the left of
the practice area flags have been set at 30, 50 and 80 yards for you to tune up
your short game, all shots played must be confined to the area marked out by
the white stakes
Chipping Area – to the right of
the practice area a green has been prepared together with a bunker to allow
members to work on their skills in and around the green, all shots must be
played from within the blue staked area. Longer range chipping onto this green
is prohibited.
Teaching Bay – an area has been
segregated to allow the Pro and his assistant to give lessons in privacy and
members must not use this area unless accompanied by the Pro or his assistant.
Over Flow Area – when the main
practice area is busy there is an additional area located to the right of the
teaching bay which you can used however there are no ropes or stakes to define
where shots should be taken from so members must be careful when using this
area paying particular attention to members who are retrieving balls from within
the main area.
The following rules
must be adhered to when practising within this area:
Never hit balls to
towards the club house unless you are within the blue staked Chipping Area.
When going retrieve
balls members must walk on the outside of the white stakes.
When a member is retrieving
balls other members using the main area must refrain from hitting shots in the
interest of member safety.
We hope you enjoy
the practice area but please take care and remember to show consideration to
other members sharing the area.
New 5th Tee
Captain Frank playing
the new 5th tee on member and guest day.
The addition of the
new teeing area tee has made what was already a good hole in to a great hole!
2nd fairway split drain
We have a problem on
the second fairway with a drain that has split and if we try and repair it at
this time the hole would have to be closed for health and safety reasons while
remedial work was carried out. At this time of year when there are on-going competitions
it’s not feasible for the hole to be closed and so for the time being the
affected area has been marked with blue lines and declared GUR and will remain
like that until the completion of all the competitions for this season.
Your patience and
understanding during this time is much appreciated.
Ladies 18th Tee
The ladies tee on
the 18th has been completely re-laid and will be top dressed soon
with the intention being that it will be available for use in the Ladies club
championship.
Course Aesthetics – Ongoing
Maintenance
In addition to the
scheduled cutting and maintenance programme that is necessary over the ‘summer’
months we are working on improving the overall appearance of the course
especially areas that are bare, rocky or worn. Particular attention being given
to areas close to greens or tees to ensure these areas are playable and look
good. There is nothing worse than being faced with a bare or unkempt lie when
attempting a delicate pitch onto the green.
This will take some time to complete throughout the whole course but we believe it is something that our members consider important. We have prioritised certain areas such as the area around the 5th green and the zone in front of the Ladies 1st tee. We will continue to work on other areas that require remedial work with care being taken to ensure minimal impact to members playing the course.
It is attention to this sort of detail will be well received by members as this will improve the overall appearance of the golf course.
The larger areas needing repair will be dealt with during the 2015/16 winter programme.
This will take some time to complete throughout the whole course but we believe it is something that our members consider important. We have prioritised certain areas such as the area around the 5th green and the zone in front of the Ladies 1st tee. We will continue to work on other areas that require remedial work with care being taken to ensure minimal impact to members playing the course.
It is attention to this sort of detail will be well received by members as this will improve the overall appearance of the golf course.
The larger areas needing repair will be dealt with during the 2015/16 winter programme.
We wish you good
golf for the rest of the season.
Greens.
.
Sunday, 30 November 2014
Course managers blog for w/c 1/12/14
Summer has sadly been and gone however I hope you've all had an enjoyable season not only at cathkin braes but had been fortunate to play at various local clubs in our area and also courses further afield as well. Simarly my staff and I have also enjoyed one of our best seasons for sometime thanks to some great weather we've had throughout the summer months this year.
On behalf of the greenstaff,greens committee and myself we would like to thankyou all for your positive feedback and kind comments regarding the condition of the course this year. It has been extremely encouraging to hear members enjoying the course and their golf this season and I do hope this continues for many seasons to come.
Continuing with some more thank you's is to my temporary staff this year of Andrew Galbraith and Stuart Cameron for their hard work and effort they have put in this to ensure the course is kept tidy especially divoting of the fairways which I can a sure you is an extremely monotonous task but never the less essential of which I think we have all seen and still seeing the benefits of regular divoting of the tees and fairways. Andrew and Stuart have recently left us and I do hope they can return to cathkin braes in the spring next year.
Let me update you on what's been happening on the course so far
Myself and the committee have finalised and agreed our forthcoming winter programme and is as follows:-
1) The renovation and upgrading of pathways adjacent to tees at the 6th,8th and 9th continuing with the rubber matting specification as of previous paths installed. Paths at the 6th and 8th are now complete. I have delayed the 9th path so that I can concentrate on green side bunker renovation at the 6th,9th and 15th holes. This will allow me to transport large quantities of material to these bunker while the ground is still relatively firm therefore minimising compaction and turf damage to access routes and landing areas.
2) Greeenside bunker renovation at 6th, 9th, 15th, 17th and 5th holes still continuing with the revetting style construction. During construction temporary greens will be in play Mon - Fri unless notified otherwise. The 5th hole may be closed during construction to allow greenstaff to work safely and efficiently again Mon - Fri unless otherwise notified.
3) The construction of additional teeing area to the 5th hole located to the r/h/s of the 4th green. Work has begun and will continue throughout the winter period. Hopefully the spring of 2015 will be kind to us as I intend to have you playing from the new tee at some time in May!! weather and temperature will determine opening the new tee.
End of winter programme.
Course maintenance to date :-
TEES- All main teeing ares have now been hollowcored and left open (not sand top dressed ) by doing so this will allow air and surface moisture to pass through the root zone quicker therefore keeping the turf drier and healthier throughout the winter months. Sand topdressings will be applied in March prior to the competition season starting.
GREENS- All main greens have now been closely hollowcored with the exception of the 18th. Weather deteriorated around the time of proposed greens renovation therefore garden sand injection was not an option at that particular time, however both operations do similar work and benefits for the turf - remove thatch and incorporate sand into holes and grooves providing firmer free draining turf. As weather improved later that week I decided to garden sand inject the last green that had to be done-18th , this way I can monitor what operation is more effective.
6TH MEDAL TEE
You may of noticed this season the quality of turf on this tee has been sub standard due to few factors such as shade and a possible root zone issue. Recently we have hollowcored and applied a sand top dressing incorporating grass seed and soil conditioners to aid recovery. To assist in the recovery it is proposed that we crown lift branches on all trees on the l/h/s of the tee to allow additional light and air around the teeing area. I hope to see an improvement in turf quality next season, if not tree removal and tee construction may be required.
PITCHMARKS
It is with great delight I report that there has been an improvement in the repair of pitchmarks on our greens recently considering the difficulty in identifying them due to the topdressing sand on the greens at present. Regular applications of sand top dressings will effectively make the putting surfaces firmer which of course is our main objective, however the colour of sand makes it difficult to identify ballmarks, therefore could take an extra few minutes to seek out ballmarks especially
throughout the winter as this has an effect on how our greens perform come the start of the 2015 season. Thankyou and keep up the good repair work.
MEMBERS TOILET
We have a new security code for the members toilet at the greenkeeping building - C1234
This is a less complicated code and hopefully easily remembered.
Hopefully I will have another blog for you before we break for Christmas, however if not can I take this opportunity on behalf of the greenstaff,greens committee and myself to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year also good luck for the 2015 season
Regards
Douglas
Summer has sadly been and gone however I hope you've all had an enjoyable season not only at cathkin braes but had been fortunate to play at various local clubs in our area and also courses further afield as well. Simarly my staff and I have also enjoyed one of our best seasons for sometime thanks to some great weather we've had throughout the summer months this year.
On behalf of the greenstaff,greens committee and myself we would like to thankyou all for your positive feedback and kind comments regarding the condition of the course this year. It has been extremely encouraging to hear members enjoying the course and their golf this season and I do hope this continues for many seasons to come.
Continuing with some more thank you's is to my temporary staff this year of Andrew Galbraith and Stuart Cameron for their hard work and effort they have put in this to ensure the course is kept tidy especially divoting of the fairways which I can a sure you is an extremely monotonous task but never the less essential of which I think we have all seen and still seeing the benefits of regular divoting of the tees and fairways. Andrew and Stuart have recently left us and I do hope they can return to cathkin braes in the spring next year.
Let me update you on what's been happening on the course so far
Myself and the committee have finalised and agreed our forthcoming winter programme and is as follows:-
1) The renovation and upgrading of pathways adjacent to tees at the 6th,8th and 9th continuing with the rubber matting specification as of previous paths installed. Paths at the 6th and 8th are now complete. I have delayed the 9th path so that I can concentrate on green side bunker renovation at the 6th,9th and 15th holes. This will allow me to transport large quantities of material to these bunker while the ground is still relatively firm therefore minimising compaction and turf damage to access routes and landing areas.
2) Greeenside bunker renovation at 6th, 9th, 15th, 17th and 5th holes still continuing with the revetting style construction. During construction temporary greens will be in play Mon - Fri unless notified otherwise. The 5th hole may be closed during construction to allow greenstaff to work safely and efficiently again Mon - Fri unless otherwise notified.
3) The construction of additional teeing area to the 5th hole located to the r/h/s of the 4th green. Work has begun and will continue throughout the winter period. Hopefully the spring of 2015 will be kind to us as I intend to have you playing from the new tee at some time in May!! weather and temperature will determine opening the new tee.
End of winter programme.
Course maintenance to date :-
TEES- All main teeing ares have now been hollowcored and left open (not sand top dressed ) by doing so this will allow air and surface moisture to pass through the root zone quicker therefore keeping the turf drier and healthier throughout the winter months. Sand topdressings will be applied in March prior to the competition season starting.
GREENS- All main greens have now been closely hollowcored with the exception of the 18th. Weather deteriorated around the time of proposed greens renovation therefore garden sand injection was not an option at that particular time, however both operations do similar work and benefits for the turf - remove thatch and incorporate sand into holes and grooves providing firmer free draining turf. As weather improved later that week I decided to garden sand inject the last green that had to be done-18th , this way I can monitor what operation is more effective.
6TH MEDAL TEE
You may of noticed this season the quality of turf on this tee has been sub standard due to few factors such as shade and a possible root zone issue. Recently we have hollowcored and applied a sand top dressing incorporating grass seed and soil conditioners to aid recovery. To assist in the recovery it is proposed that we crown lift branches on all trees on the l/h/s of the tee to allow additional light and air around the teeing area. I hope to see an improvement in turf quality next season, if not tree removal and tee construction may be required.
PITCHMARKS
It is with great delight I report that there has been an improvement in the repair of pitchmarks on our greens recently considering the difficulty in identifying them due to the topdressing sand on the greens at present. Regular applications of sand top dressings will effectively make the putting surfaces firmer which of course is our main objective, however the colour of sand makes it difficult to identify ballmarks, therefore could take an extra few minutes to seek out ballmarks especially
throughout the winter as this has an effect on how our greens perform come the start of the 2015 season. Thankyou and keep up the good repair work.
MEMBERS TOILET
We have a new security code for the members toilet at the greenkeeping building - C1234
This is a less complicated code and hopefully easily remembered.
Hopefully I will have another blog for you before we break for Christmas, however if not can I take this opportunity on behalf of the greenstaff,greens committee and myself to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year also good luck for the 2015 season
Regards
Douglas
Sunday, 29 June 2014
Blog 30/06/14
Course Information Blog W/C 30/6/14
Apologies for the absent blog info and I take responsibility for this, although we are now in summer mowing maintenance, however there are a few items for updating.
16/17th Drainage
Drainage work is well underway and will continue throughout the forthcoming months and i can report is working well. Approx 80% of the main drainage has been
installed and surprisingly only 6m of rock removal was required (thankfully) although large tree roots have been an issue, but expected !!. Recent rain fall has
put this area to the test and can say we have seen a significant improvement in surface water removal, however i am sure there is more to follow!!.
Unfortunately we could not link this drainage into the new drainage that contractors installed last year due to level issues, therefore we had no option but to
direct flow down towards the 18th fairway whereby linking into new drainage our staff installed last winter this includes the small open area on the 18th fairway
approx 100ydsfrom the 18th green. We will continue to work on this area as and when labour becomes available.We are now on regular course maintenance throughout
the course,therefore i cannot commit to a finishing date at present but will update you on any progress we make.
6th Medal Tee
As you may have noticed recently the back half of the 6th Medal tee is showing signs of deteration again, considering this was returfed recently with shade
tolerant turf last winter. A couple of theories we are looking into are removing a small quantity of tree's surrounding the tee to allow additional air and light
to circulate around the tee, also i will be taking samples of the existing rootzone for analysis in case there are any deficiencies or other issues preventing grass
growth. If the rootzone is at fault then I suggest to returf the surface to see it through this season and then address the rootzone problem as part of our Winter
Programme.This is worst case scenario. Test results may indicate in balances or deficiencies that can be resolved by application of products. We await results.
In the meantime play will continue from or around the front of the tee.
13th Tee
Now that the construction of the new tee and bunkers are complete I would like to thank you all for your positive comments and
feedback on the construction and the improvement it has made to this hole.
Thoughts are already underway on similar work to various holes throughout the course and if agreed will be included in our forth coming winter programme.
There is however a few minor improvements outstanding:-
1)astroturf to be installed to the wooden sleeper steps to prevent slipping during wet conditions.
2)A small post and rope fence running along the top of the sleepers to prevent accidental falls and also to encourage you to use the steps provided.
Delivery of the rope and posts are scheduled for delivery W/C 30/6/14 and will install on delivery.
Yellow gents tee markers have now been returned to the new main tee and will mainly be positioned to the l/h/s where the original turf was laid.the original turf
is more harder wearing compared to the new turf on the r/h/s where the ladies red markers will remain for the rest of the season.This will limit the wear and allow
the new turf to establish and mature over the next couple of seasons.
1st green
As you may have noticed recently on various greens especially the first, bare areas appearing mainly to the l/h/s of the green. An aggressive weed which can withstand
low height of cut called "chickweed" had begun to dominate this area of the green. Weedkiller has been applied and has now taken effect.Our next stage will be to
over seed the bare areas with the appropriate green seed and sand mixture. We will regularly monitor the progress of germination and hopefully have these areas filled in
over the next three to four weeks.
Practise Net
Over the winter period high winds have affected the stability and main support of the frame work, therefore requiring a new metal structure. John Currie
(Facilities Manager) - Gardener LOL ! has temporally stabilised the framework until a new one is sourced,in the meantime please exercise care when
swinging near the net. If it deteriorates further we will have no option but to close it until a new frame is installed.
8th bridge
You may have noticed recently we have made a slight improvement to the surface on and around the bridge.Astroturf is now installed and new rubber matting either side of
the bridge too.This is a short term tidy up until the autumn/winter as we intend to resurface the whole of the 9th path to similar specification as the new 16th and
13th paths.This will also be included in our winter programme of course improvements.
Proposed New 5th Tee
Blue posts will be installed shortly outlining the site for the proposed new 5th Tee to the R/H/S of the 4th green. A painting is located in the entrance of the
clubhouse showing the view from where the proposed new tee will be constructed, if it has been moved you are welcome to stand at the site within the blue posts to view
how the new hole will play, yardage will similar to what it is at present. A small number of trees will require to be removed, in addition bunker renovation similar to the
the front bunker will also be carried out.Construction will start in the autumn as part of our winter programme. I hope you agree that these proposed improvements will
not only aesthetically but from a playability point of view too enhance one of our best par 3's on the course.
Finally I would like to congratulate all of the winners on club championship finals day last Saturday and commiserations to the runners up. Having watched most of the match's in the afternoon i saw some quality golf shots being displayed from both young and old. What is more refreshing to see is the attendance from members & friends who came out to lend support to make what is a great day in the golfing calendar at Cathkin Braes. Well done to all.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas
Apologies for the absent blog info and I take responsibility for this, although we are now in summer mowing maintenance, however there are a few items for updating.
16/17th Drainage
Drainage work is well underway and will continue throughout the forthcoming months and i can report is working well. Approx 80% of the main drainage has been
installed and surprisingly only 6m of rock removal was required (thankfully) although large tree roots have been an issue, but expected !!. Recent rain fall has
put this area to the test and can say we have seen a significant improvement in surface water removal, however i am sure there is more to follow!!.
Unfortunately we could not link this drainage into the new drainage that contractors installed last year due to level issues, therefore we had no option but to
direct flow down towards the 18th fairway whereby linking into new drainage our staff installed last winter this includes the small open area on the 18th fairway
approx 100ydsfrom the 18th green. We will continue to work on this area as and when labour becomes available.We are now on regular course maintenance throughout
the course,therefore i cannot commit to a finishing date at present but will update you on any progress we make.
6th Medal Tee
As you may have noticed recently the back half of the 6th Medal tee is showing signs of deteration again, considering this was returfed recently with shade
tolerant turf last winter. A couple of theories we are looking into are removing a small quantity of tree's surrounding the tee to allow additional air and light
to circulate around the tee, also i will be taking samples of the existing rootzone for analysis in case there are any deficiencies or other issues preventing grass
growth. If the rootzone is at fault then I suggest to returf the surface to see it through this season and then address the rootzone problem as part of our Winter
Programme.This is worst case scenario. Test results may indicate in balances or deficiencies that can be resolved by application of products. We await results.
In the meantime play will continue from or around the front of the tee.
13th Tee
Now that the construction of the new tee and bunkers are complete I would like to thank you all for your positive comments and
feedback on the construction and the improvement it has made to this hole.
Thoughts are already underway on similar work to various holes throughout the course and if agreed will be included in our forth coming winter programme.
There is however a few minor improvements outstanding:-
1)astroturf to be installed to the wooden sleeper steps to prevent slipping during wet conditions.
2)A small post and rope fence running along the top of the sleepers to prevent accidental falls and also to encourage you to use the steps provided.
Delivery of the rope and posts are scheduled for delivery W/C 30/6/14 and will install on delivery.
Yellow gents tee markers have now been returned to the new main tee and will mainly be positioned to the l/h/s where the original turf was laid.the original turf
is more harder wearing compared to the new turf on the r/h/s where the ladies red markers will remain for the rest of the season.This will limit the wear and allow
the new turf to establish and mature over the next couple of seasons.
1st green
As you may have noticed recently on various greens especially the first, bare areas appearing mainly to the l/h/s of the green. An aggressive weed which can withstand
low height of cut called "chickweed" had begun to dominate this area of the green. Weedkiller has been applied and has now taken effect.Our next stage will be to
over seed the bare areas with the appropriate green seed and sand mixture. We will regularly monitor the progress of germination and hopefully have these areas filled in
over the next three to four weeks.
Practise Net
Over the winter period high winds have affected the stability and main support of the frame work, therefore requiring a new metal structure. John Currie
(Facilities Manager) - Gardener LOL ! has temporally stabilised the framework until a new one is sourced,in the meantime please exercise care when
swinging near the net. If it deteriorates further we will have no option but to close it until a new frame is installed.
8th bridge
You may have noticed recently we have made a slight improvement to the surface on and around the bridge.Astroturf is now installed and new rubber matting either side of
the bridge too.This is a short term tidy up until the autumn/winter as we intend to resurface the whole of the 9th path to similar specification as the new 16th and
13th paths.This will also be included in our winter programme of course improvements.
Proposed New 5th Tee
Blue posts will be installed shortly outlining the site for the proposed new 5th Tee to the R/H/S of the 4th green. A painting is located in the entrance of the
clubhouse showing the view from where the proposed new tee will be constructed, if it has been moved you are welcome to stand at the site within the blue posts to view
how the new hole will play, yardage will similar to what it is at present. A small number of trees will require to be removed, in addition bunker renovation similar to the
the front bunker will also be carried out.Construction will start in the autumn as part of our winter programme. I hope you agree that these proposed improvements will
not only aesthetically but from a playability point of view too enhance one of our best par 3's on the course.
Finally I would like to congratulate all of the winners on club championship finals day last Saturday and commiserations to the runners up. Having watched most of the match's in the afternoon i saw some quality golf shots being displayed from both young and old. What is more refreshing to see is the attendance from members & friends who came out to lend support to make what is a great day in the golfing calendar at Cathkin Braes. Well done to all.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Course Managers Blog for W/C 10/03/14
5th, 11th and 13th bunkers during construction
Winter Programme Update
13th Tee
Winter Programme Update
13th Tee
I have purposely left turfing as late as possible to allow the new rootzone to consolidate as much as possible, this will identify any subsidence that has occurred over the winter period. Also releveling that may be required prior to turfing. The original turf was laid pre Christmas and is now showing signs of rooting due to the milder temps of late, however if the new turf has not rooted sufficiently in time for the April competitions we will install a temporary tee mat until the new turf has rooted sufficiently to take normal play.
Rooting will only occur as the temperature increases to approx. 6oC upwards, (Hopefully Spring will be kind to us !!). Regular sand topdressings will be applied to ensure turf stays dry, firm and level. Non competition play will continue from the astroturf or small grass winter tee's on the R/H/S. I am sure you will agree that once all the renovation is complete this will be of significant improvement to the hole and well worth the money and effort spent on it's upgrade.
Bunker Renovation
We have recently began the reconstruction to various greenside bunkers throughout the course at holes 5,11,13 & 16. I have chosen a revetting style bunker face due to the steep severity of these bunker faces and I am aware this style of bunkering is common practise on links style courses, however this type of construction encourages the balls to roll into the middle of bunker and not having them stuck up the face and in some cases no shots!. This type of construction is not for life and will require refacing in the future approx 5-7 years, however it has labour saving benefits from a maintenance level.
I am expecting delivery of new turf w/c 10/03/14 and will have bunkers at 5 & 16th complete by the end of this week, however construction to the 11th and 13th is still on going although progress is being hampered by poor weather of late. I expect to have them complete by end of w/c 17/03/14. New turf around the bunkers will require some time to root in, therefore in the meantime bunkers will be marked GUR. Long handled ball scoops will be provided to retrieve your ball from the bunker. Please exercise extreme care not to stand on the newly land turf as this will only hamper it's recovery. Thank you.
Drainage
R/H/S 18th
New drainage is now installed and has been significantly tested over the last month, I can positively report it is working well. I have purposely left a small inspection area near the 18th greenside as we intend to install new drainage to the front of the 17th gents tee connecting it into this pipe. Once all turfing to bunkers, tee's and drainage areas are complete we will be attending to the front of 17th gents tee area. As I have mentioned in previous blog reports we do have high thatch problem areas and I have outlined necessary control methods to aid drainage throughout the course, however these controls ie. hollowcoring, scarifying & sand topdressings can only be carried out until we have the appropriate main & lateral drainage in place to remove high quantities of surface water, which in this climate is essential.
Hole closures
2nd 15th and 16th holes
Q - Why has it been necessary to close these holes?
A - It has been noted & commented that the course has held up particularly well this winter especially our greens. This of course is due to the investment in aereation equipment and the hard work carried out by the staff to ensure our putting surfaces remain in play and in the best condition possible and I thank you for all your positive comments.
Regrettably it has been necessary to bring in some control measures to protect certain areas of the course that are under severe pressure to drain properly. 2nd hole in particular is low lying fairway therefore rain water will naturally accumulate here. With rain fall increasing it is now identifying faults in our older clay tile drainage system incapable of supporting this amount of water, also and unknown to us the new irrigation pipes has cut through older clay tiles causing areas to flood. Unfortunately no plans of clay tile drainage exist. Our green staff are now attending to these bursts, therefore it is for health and safety reasons we require this hole to be closed until repairs are complete.
This will also give the small landing area some rest bite/ recovery prior to the onset of a busy season ahead. I anticipate these repairs to last for approx a few weeks, however if the high rain fall continues and there is no improvement surface water drainage then the hole may remain closed until further notice. Information on hole closures via course info sign & tee signage, pro shop website. As you know the club has invested heavily in new drainage system to 14th & 16th fairways and as you have noticed this has been extremely successful throughout last summer and certainly put to the test this winter.
Unfortunately the areas to the right and especially the L/H/S of the 16th green and in front of 17th tee are now becoming impossible, therefore to prevent further damage to the ground surface and personal injury we have implemented these control measures. Additional drainage to the L/H/S 16th & 17th gents tee is required. We will be directing the flow of water towards the 18th fairway connecting to the new drainage mentioned earlier, unfortunately these areas are lower than the new drainage on the 16th otherwise we could have connected into this. Tree removal will be inevitable to allow new main drainage through these areas. Damage to the turf will be kept to a minimal.
Work on this area will begin once all the renovation to the bunkers is complete, hopefully by wc 24/03/14. I will update you via the course information sign, pro shop and website.
Flagpole
We have recently taken delivery of the new 8m fibre glass flagpole. A large concrete foundation has to be installed prior to erecting the flag pole. Installation will start once I have completed all the bunker renovation and our aim is to have it installed in time for our competition session beginning on the 5th April.
Thank you,
Douglas
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Cathkin Managers Blog for W/C 27.01.2014
Cathkin Managers Blog for W/C 27.01.2014
Firstly, on behalf of the greens committee and greenstaff may we wish you all a happy new year and hope you had an enjoyable festive break and looking forward to a prosperous 2014.
Winter Project Update
13th tee renovation
Work on the tee began back in November primarily to re-level and maximise teeing area due to years of subsidence and also with the demand for golf on the increase we now need to look at increasing the overall teeing area especially to the par 3's. All the existing turf has now been laid and is showing slight rooting due to mild temperature. Additional new turf will be purchased shortly this is due to the increased size of the tee. I have scheduled this for the begining of February weather permitting anticipating the new turf will have rooted well enough to begin competition play in April, however if this is not the case then the laddies and gents tee markers will remain on the temporary tees until the turf has sufficiently rooted.
Wind Blown/Storm Damaged Trees
In light of the recent storms, we suffered minimal wind blown damage compared with similar courses in the area however, the trees that suffered were of particular mature and large in size with extremely large root plates being exposed, this is extremely dangerous to remove to a lesser trained person. Areas that suffered the most were to the l/h/s of the 16th/17th gents tee. Approximately 10 large pine trees had fallen mainly on top of each other making it extremely difficult to remove therefore i contacted a local tree contractor who over the Christmas period and with the assistance of our greenstaff removed the damaged trees. Our greenstaff have also managed to cut up and remove all the additional wind blown trees that have fallen internally as well on the perimeter boundary of the course approximately 14 in total and thankfully none had fallen externally on to the main road.
18th Gents/Ladies Path
Due to health and safety reasons it has been necessary to take action to improve the surface of these paths. AstroTurf on the gents path has new deteriorated badly causing it to become extremely slippery especially when wet and frosty conditions. As a short term solution rubber matting has been installed directly on to the AstroTurf. This has improved the safety aspect although holding on to the metal hand rail is also advised especially when descending with a motorised trolley, again this is merely a short term solution until a more long term surface is found. I contacted a specialised contractor to install a rubber granulated material to approximately 50mm deep to the ladies 18th path, if this is successful we aim to install this product to the 18th gents path at a later date. I will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this product and update you on its progress. You can gain further information on this product by visiting www.theblinder.com (blinder bunker liner and blinder eco path)
follow the link - black EPDM granulated rubber material.
Before After
16th Path
Renovation work is well under way to this path, this is being carried out by our own staff as part of our winter programme. Renovation of this path's surface, ball washer and seating area including the timber bench will continue over the next few weeks and i expect this to be completed by the end of February.
1st Tee Flag Pole
Another casualty from the recent storms was our club flag pole located at the rear of the 1st gents tee. I have contacted a few companies recently and have received further information and quotations on purchasing a new one. I will submit this information to our committee for further consideration and hopefully we will have one installed before the beginning of the competition season.
Course Flags
To protect the condition of our 125 year anniversary club logo flags of which were donated by the past captain society last year, i have removed them and replaced them with our spare older club flags for the use over the winter period. As we approach the start of our winter season I will reinstate the anniversary flags, hopefully they can withstand another season until they require replacing.
Renovation to Main Tee Areas
As you may have seen recently various main tees have been hollowcored and cleared but not top dressed. Normally top dressing would immediately follow hollowcoring but due to the fact they are not in play throughout the winter period I've decided to leave the holes open, this will remove surface moisture quicker and also allow air to circulate throughout the root zone. This will keep them dryer and healthier throughout the winter months. If weather permits top dressing will begin approximately in the beginning of March prior to the golf season commencing.
Bunker Renovation
As part of our winter programme we(greenstaff) will begin the renovation to various priority bunkers throughout the golf course i.e, 5th middle, 11th(all), 13th r/h/s, 16th, these bunkers will require full reconstruction i.e, removal of the existing turf and sand, construct new grass face and edging, install new turf and sand to the correct depth. On the completion of these bunkers we will also assess the rest of the bunkers this course concentrating mainly on the depth of the sand in the appropriate areas. This will continue throughout the forth coming months until all the bunkers are of a consistent playability.
18th Drainage R/H/S 150 yrds
Over the past few years we have noticed surface water lying here for longer periods than usual. Recently we have began investigating, upgrading existing and installing new drainage to improve this area. on investigation we have identified(as with similar poorly drainage areas) a high percentage of thatch within the turf.
This will naturally reduce peculation rates therefore causing flooding to this area. On completion of this area we will also install additional drainage to the exit of the new 18th ladies path of which is also requiring some attention.
Greens Information
We regularly monitor the temperatures of the greens using a digital thermometer so that we can use this information to compare temperatures from previous seasons, also it is extremely useful information when deciding upon applying liquid or granular fertilisers therefore we minimise the risk of wasting valuable labour and expensive products.
Greens Soil Temperatures
21.11.13 07.01.14
Greens Temps Greens Temps
1 0.9°C 7 4.6°C
2 0.5°C 8 4.5°C
3 0.1°C 9 4.3°C
5 0.6°C 10 3.9°C
15 0.8°C 11 4.3°C
16 0.7°C 12 4.5°C
18 0.5°C 13 4.1°C
PG 0.1°C 17 4.3°C
As you can see its unusually mild for January and may it continue.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas
Firstly, on behalf of the greens committee and greenstaff may we wish you all a happy new year and hope you had an enjoyable festive break and looking forward to a prosperous 2014.
Winter Project Update
13th tee renovation
Work on the tee began back in November primarily to re-level and maximise teeing area due to years of subsidence and also with the demand for golf on the increase we now need to look at increasing the overall teeing area especially to the par 3's. All the existing turf has now been laid and is showing slight rooting due to mild temperature. Additional new turf will be purchased shortly this is due to the increased size of the tee. I have scheduled this for the begining of February weather permitting anticipating the new turf will have rooted well enough to begin competition play in April, however if this is not the case then the laddies and gents tee markers will remain on the temporary tees until the turf has sufficiently rooted.
Wind Blown/Storm Damaged Trees
In light of the recent storms, we suffered minimal wind blown damage compared with similar courses in the area however, the trees that suffered were of particular mature and large in size with extremely large root plates being exposed, this is extremely dangerous to remove to a lesser trained person. Areas that suffered the most were to the l/h/s of the 16th/17th gents tee. Approximately 10 large pine trees had fallen mainly on top of each other making it extremely difficult to remove therefore i contacted a local tree contractor who over the Christmas period and with the assistance of our greenstaff removed the damaged trees. Our greenstaff have also managed to cut up and remove all the additional wind blown trees that have fallen internally as well on the perimeter boundary of the course approximately 14 in total and thankfully none had fallen externally on to the main road.
18th Gents/Ladies Path
Due to health and safety reasons it has been necessary to take action to improve the surface of these paths. AstroTurf on the gents path has new deteriorated badly causing it to become extremely slippery especially when wet and frosty conditions. As a short term solution rubber matting has been installed directly on to the AstroTurf. This has improved the safety aspect although holding on to the metal hand rail is also advised especially when descending with a motorised trolley, again this is merely a short term solution until a more long term surface is found. I contacted a specialised contractor to install a rubber granulated material to approximately 50mm deep to the ladies 18th path, if this is successful we aim to install this product to the 18th gents path at a later date. I will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this product and update you on its progress. You can gain further information on this product by visiting www.theblinder.com (blinder bunker liner and blinder eco path)
follow the link - black EPDM granulated rubber material.
Before After
16th Path
Renovation work is well under way to this path, this is being carried out by our own staff as part of our winter programme. Renovation of this path's surface, ball washer and seating area including the timber bench will continue over the next few weeks and i expect this to be completed by the end of February.
1st Tee Flag Pole
Another casualty from the recent storms was our club flag pole located at the rear of the 1st gents tee. I have contacted a few companies recently and have received further information and quotations on purchasing a new one. I will submit this information to our committee for further consideration and hopefully we will have one installed before the beginning of the competition season.
Course Flags
To protect the condition of our 125 year anniversary club logo flags of which were donated by the past captain society last year, i have removed them and replaced them with our spare older club flags for the use over the winter period. As we approach the start of our winter season I will reinstate the anniversary flags, hopefully they can withstand another season until they require replacing.
Renovation to Main Tee Areas
As you may have seen recently various main tees have been hollowcored and cleared but not top dressed. Normally top dressing would immediately follow hollowcoring but due to the fact they are not in play throughout the winter period I've decided to leave the holes open, this will remove surface moisture quicker and also allow air to circulate throughout the root zone. This will keep them dryer and healthier throughout the winter months. If weather permits top dressing will begin approximately in the beginning of March prior to the golf season commencing.
Bunker Renovation
As part of our winter programme we(greenstaff) will begin the renovation to various priority bunkers throughout the golf course i.e, 5th middle, 11th(all), 13th r/h/s, 16th, these bunkers will require full reconstruction i.e, removal of the existing turf and sand, construct new grass face and edging, install new turf and sand to the correct depth. On the completion of these bunkers we will also assess the rest of the bunkers this course concentrating mainly on the depth of the sand in the appropriate areas. This will continue throughout the forth coming months until all the bunkers are of a consistent playability.
18th Drainage R/H/S 150 yrds
Over the past few years we have noticed surface water lying here for longer periods than usual. Recently we have began investigating, upgrading existing and installing new drainage to improve this area. on investigation we have identified(as with similar poorly drainage areas) a high percentage of thatch within the turf.
This will naturally reduce peculation rates therefore causing flooding to this area. On completion of this area we will also install additional drainage to the exit of the new 18th ladies path of which is also requiring some attention.
Greens Information
We regularly monitor the temperatures of the greens using a digital thermometer so that we can use this information to compare temperatures from previous seasons, also it is extremely useful information when deciding upon applying liquid or granular fertilisers therefore we minimise the risk of wasting valuable labour and expensive products.
Greens Soil Temperatures
21.11.13 07.01.14
Greens Temps Greens Temps
1 0.9°C 7 4.6°C
2 0.5°C 8 4.5°C
3 0.1°C 9 4.3°C
5 0.6°C 10 3.9°C
15 0.8°C 11 4.3°C
16 0.7°C 12 4.5°C
18 0.5°C 13 4.1°C
PG 0.1°C 17 4.3°C
As you can see its unusually mild for January and may it continue.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas
Monday, 28 October 2013
Course Information Blog W/C 28/10/2013
Course Information Blog W/C 28/10/2013
Sadly the fine summer weather is now at an end, although temperatures are unusually high for this time of year. Rain fall recordings from 18/10/13 - 25/10/13 shows approx 81mm of rain fall during this period. Thankfully the new drainage installed last winter has proved to be extremely beneficial as the course has taken it very well.
Whats been happening lately -
Fairways - contractors arrived on 14/10/13 to carry out deep aeration to selected fairways. Deep verti-draining is essential prior to the onset of winter. Verti-draining aids water penetration into the root-zone and drainage below, relieves compaction and controls thatch levels. Contractors have completed verti-draining and will return this week to carry out the remainder of sand banding to the 14th fairway.
Following verti-draining our green staff will begin slit tinning fairways to a depth of approx 6", this will begin w/c 4/11/13 and continue on a monthly basis throughout the winter period.
Recent heavy rain has highlighted some areas of flooding especially to the lower area of the 9th fairway approx 120 yards from the green. Drainage has been installed here, however a rise in rock level in the burn to the R/H/S of the fairway beyond the out of bounds reduces the flow of water therefore reducing the rate of which water can be removed from the 9th fairway, we can only rely on the burn level to reduce so that the fairway can drain effectively.
Drainage - recently we have completed installing approx 90m of lateral drainage to the L/H/S of the 14th green. As you know this has been an extremely wet area for sometime. Factors include, limited drainage, high thatch content within the turf and tree roots. Green staff have monitored the effectiveness of the new drainage and thankfully this seems to be successful. Next step is to remove the heavily thatched areas of turf and replace with new. This work will be ongoing and part our winter program.
Greens - sand injection -
If you have played recently you will have noticed linear lines across the greens filled with sand, this is known as sand injection - meaning the turf is scarified to a depth of approx 25mm using 2mm thick blades which removes dead organic matter (thatch) and injecting dried kiln sand directly into the channels created by the blades. The organic matter is scrapped/blown from the surface, then finally cut/rolled using a pedestrian mower, green back in play! Fortunately milder temperatures recently have allowed these lines to recover far quicker than usual, therefore the earlier we can sand inject during autumn renovation then the better the heeling process will be. Sand injection plays a vital role in our greens renovation program to ensure our main greens stay playable as much as possible throughout the forthcoming winter period. For further information on this machine and its benefits visit www.kensettsports.co.uk, follow link to contracting services and Graden contour sand and seed injection.
14th Fairway Update -
Following one of our best summers for several years the condition of the turf has improved dramatically beyond expectations. We have now grass cover to approx 95% leaving only minor areas to be addressed this winter. Contractors arrived on 17/10/13 intending to hollowcore, lift cores and topdress the area recently drained prior to the ditch. Unfortunately heavy rain halted work and we decided not to proceed any further as a high percentage of cores were not getting lifted, only smeared into the turf. Contractors will return when dryer weather is forecasted. I have scheduled the remainder of the sand banding for this week (weather permitting). This will complete all sand banding work as per the contractor's quotation.
13th Tee Renovation -
Work is well underway now in the re-leveling of the 13th tee. This was chosen from a few throughout the course that require attention due to the subsidence over many years. In addition to leveling the surface we will be installing a rubber matting path to the left hand side of the tee, this is a continuation of the path leading from the 12th green. There is also scope to widen and lengthen the tee by a few meters giving us more teeing area which as you know because of its size and par takes a hammering during the playing season. Weather permitting we hope to be at the stage of relaying the original turf by the end of November, all going well. This is the first of many projects of our winter program of which details will follow later this week.
Fairway Protection -
As of the 1/11/13 and similar to previous years we will be introducing fairway protection to all fairways this winter. There is a slight change to the rule this year as we are introducing no play in any area of the fairway except 25 yards from the green. Certain holes are excluded from the 25 yard rule due to the design such as the 1st, 2nd and 5th. This area will be marked by a blue line across the fairway and measured 25 yards from the front of the green. This will donate the end of fairway protection and the beginning of play from the fairway to the green.
We do hope you will adhere to this measure of course protection so that come the start of competition season in 2014 our fairways will have the best possible start and be in the best condition for the time of year.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas.
Sadly the fine summer weather is now at an end, although temperatures are unusually high for this time of year. Rain fall recordings from 18/10/13 - 25/10/13 shows approx 81mm of rain fall during this period. Thankfully the new drainage installed last winter has proved to be extremely beneficial as the course has taken it very well.
Whats been happening lately -
Fairways - contractors arrived on 14/10/13 to carry out deep aeration to selected fairways. Deep verti-draining is essential prior to the onset of winter. Verti-draining aids water penetration into the root-zone and drainage below, relieves compaction and controls thatch levels. Contractors have completed verti-draining and will return this week to carry out the remainder of sand banding to the 14th fairway.
Following verti-draining our green staff will begin slit tinning fairways to a depth of approx 6", this will begin w/c 4/11/13 and continue on a monthly basis throughout the winter period.
Recent heavy rain has highlighted some areas of flooding especially to the lower area of the 9th fairway approx 120 yards from the green. Drainage has been installed here, however a rise in rock level in the burn to the R/H/S of the fairway beyond the out of bounds reduces the flow of water therefore reducing the rate of which water can be removed from the 9th fairway, we can only rely on the burn level to reduce so that the fairway can drain effectively.
Drainage - recently we have completed installing approx 90m of lateral drainage to the L/H/S of the 14th green. As you know this has been an extremely wet area for sometime. Factors include, limited drainage, high thatch content within the turf and tree roots. Green staff have monitored the effectiveness of the new drainage and thankfully this seems to be successful. Next step is to remove the heavily thatched areas of turf and replace with new. This work will be ongoing and part our winter program.
Greens - sand injection -
If you have played recently you will have noticed linear lines across the greens filled with sand, this is known as sand injection - meaning the turf is scarified to a depth of approx 25mm using 2mm thick blades which removes dead organic matter (thatch) and injecting dried kiln sand directly into the channels created by the blades. The organic matter is scrapped/blown from the surface, then finally cut/rolled using a pedestrian mower, green back in play! Fortunately milder temperatures recently have allowed these lines to recover far quicker than usual, therefore the earlier we can sand inject during autumn renovation then the better the heeling process will be. Sand injection plays a vital role in our greens renovation program to ensure our main greens stay playable as much as possible throughout the forthcoming winter period. For further information on this machine and its benefits visit www.kensettsports.co.uk, follow link to contracting services and Graden contour sand and seed injection.
14th Fairway Update -
Following one of our best summers for several years the condition of the turf has improved dramatically beyond expectations. We have now grass cover to approx 95% leaving only minor areas to be addressed this winter. Contractors arrived on 17/10/13 intending to hollowcore, lift cores and topdress the area recently drained prior to the ditch. Unfortunately heavy rain halted work and we decided not to proceed any further as a high percentage of cores were not getting lifted, only smeared into the turf. Contractors will return when dryer weather is forecasted. I have scheduled the remainder of the sand banding for this week (weather permitting). This will complete all sand banding work as per the contractor's quotation.
13th Tee Renovation -
Work is well underway now in the re-leveling of the 13th tee. This was chosen from a few throughout the course that require attention due to the subsidence over many years. In addition to leveling the surface we will be installing a rubber matting path to the left hand side of the tee, this is a continuation of the path leading from the 12th green. There is also scope to widen and lengthen the tee by a few meters giving us more teeing area which as you know because of its size and par takes a hammering during the playing season. Weather permitting we hope to be at the stage of relaying the original turf by the end of November, all going well. This is the first of many projects of our winter program of which details will follow later this week.
Fairway Protection -
As of the 1/11/13 and similar to previous years we will be introducing fairway protection to all fairways this winter. There is a slight change to the rule this year as we are introducing no play in any area of the fairway except 25 yards from the green. Certain holes are excluded from the 25 yard rule due to the design such as the 1st, 2nd and 5th. This area will be marked by a blue line across the fairway and measured 25 yards from the front of the green. This will donate the end of fairway protection and the beginning of play from the fairway to the green.
We do hope you will adhere to this measure of course protection so that come the start of competition season in 2014 our fairways will have the best possible start and be in the best condition for the time of year.
Thank you for your attention
Douglas.
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