August Greens Report

As we are getting towards the end of the summer, here is a quick update on the course and greenkeeping issues.

This summer we have been able to cut the greens at a slightly lower height, which has given a slightly quicker surface. Throughout the summer we have been applying bio-stimulants, humic acids and beneficial bacteria. What we have seen from applying these products is a greater resistance to drought stress, deeper rooting and greater nutrient retention. There are still improvements to be made but we have seen a definite improvement, especially in the sand greens performance (7, 11, 12 ,13, 14, 15.).

We are seeing some signs of a disease called anthracnose on the greens which is very prevalent at this time of year. We will apply a feed and some chemical control to reduce its impact.

Our autumn renovation will take place between Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th of September. All greens will be on temporary for those three days. For this renovation we will be scarifying the greens, top dressing them, then solid tining them. We will then brush the sand into the surface and then apply an autumn feed. The greens should be back in play on Thursday, weather permitting.

The tees have taken the wear reasonably well this year but, as some of them are still on the small side, managing this wear can be a challenge. I am looking into the costs of applying wetting agent to the tees for next year to help the moisture retention during the summer. I have had a couple of questions regarding the length of grass on the 3rd and 17th tees. This has been kept deliberately long this season in order to allow the root system time to develop, they will be cut at normal tee length next season. This is good practice for all new tees, if we cut it short the grass would burn off very quickly and, as our irrigation is very limited on tees, this would result in very poor turf establishment.

We have made some significant progress with the fairways this year. After last year’s drought which saw a significant reduction in turf quality over the fairways, we have done remedial work and applied seed and fertiliser to improve the quality of the turf. We have also increased cutting frequency and improved the presentation. This has come at a cost, but we will try and maintain and improve these standards going forward.

Please make every effort to repair any pitchmarks on the green. We are still finding 10-15 unrepaired marks on every green each morning. Repaired pitch marks make for smoother greens. Please do not take trolleys onto the tees and when using either a club buggy or your own personal buggy please keep 10 meters away from the green as we want to keep the turfgrass quality at its best around these areas.

When using the driving range is NOT permitted to play from any area of grass, this is for the health and safety of all those using the range, please do not put us in a position where we have to ask you to move.

If you have any comments questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me on dave@cricketstthomasgolfclub.co.uk.

Play well!

Dave, Gareth, Jamie, Darryn and Callum.