Drainage 16th Fairway

This month’s persistent rainfall has again highlighted the fact that drainage from the 16^th fairway is severely restricted; either by collasaped pipe-work or because the rumble/stone drain through the woodlands has become blocked with tree roots.

Today we had a contractor on site to help us locate the main drainage outlet, which crosses from the 16^th fairway into the grey car park.

Excavations in progress

Some hours later, after digging through approximately sixty tonnes of soil, we located the pipe at a depth of nearly three meters.

Over the next few days we will survey the ground and pipe levels before monitoring the flows and decide on how best to address the problem.

Weather

Weather 

We recorded another 10.4 mm of precipitation today, bringing this month's total so far to 144.4 mm and for the year a total of 547 mm (22 inches).

The annual precipitation for Edinburgh is normally 668 mm (26 inches) 

Let’s hope August 2011 is not like my first summer at Murrayfield; in 2008 a total of 220 mm of rainfall was recorded in the month of August …. that’s 8.8 inches.

Verti-Cutting & Scarifying

Today we took the opportunity; as it was dry, to lightly verti-cut the greens before cutting them, this cultural practice removes the grass plants lateral growth and helps refine and smooth putting surfaces.

On the greens where we have excessive amounts of thatch (organic matter) we used the pedestrian operated SISIS Auto Rake.  

Scarifying 17th Green

Close up after thatch removal

 

On Monday (weather permitting) we plan to aerate greens 7,12,13,16 & 17 on Murrayfield and greens 1 to 9 on Ravelston with slim 8mm diameter solid tines, once the aeration work has been completed the greens will be lightly top-dressed with sand.

June 2011 - Weather

Weather - June 2011

June 2011 was slightly cooler than normal, although a temperature of 25C was recorded on June 3^rd quite a stark contrast to June 5^th when the highest daytime temperature recorded was only 10C. 

June 22nd - Flooding on the 16th Fairway

We recorded precipitation on 18 days in June and a total rainfall of 84.5mm; between June 21^st and June 22^nd we recorded 49.2 mm, which closed both courses until lunchtime on June 22^nd (average rainfall for June is normally 51mm).  

Monday - Maintenance Day

Like a lot of other golf courses we normally tend to carry out the majority of our greens maintenance work on a Monday, some weeks it may be aeration or surface scarifying or top dressing, today it was a combination of all of the above.

The greens on Ravelston were verti-cut and cut and on Murrayfield aeration work was completed on greens 3,9,10 & 11, the greens on both courses were then top dressed with sand, brushed and rolled.

Sand top dressing being applied

Tonight the greens on both courses will be lightly irrigated, this will help wash any sand remaining on the grass leaf into the canopy of the plant and ensuring clean putting surfaces for tomorrow.