4th Fairway Drainage

I am pleased to report that the second phase of the drainage works on the 4th fairway have now been completed.

I have included some pictures of the progress.

Removing the contaminated gravel to expose the existing drainage pipe.

The first section is ready for back filling

Clean gravel & grit being spread 

Completed works

Murrayfield Golf Club – Drainage 4th Fairway – Phase II

 Drainage 4th Hole

Members will remember that earlier this year we replaced a large section of the main drainage pipe that runs down the left-hand side of the 4^th fairway, the original pipe work had been damaged by tree roots and was beyond repair.

Next week (weather permitting) we intend to commence phase II, the plan is to excavate and refurbish the existing drain, which crosses the fairway at approximately 230 yards from the teeing ground.

We will remove the existing turf (which has an extremely high thatch content) and gravel from over the top of the drain, as this gravel is now contaminated with debris.

This contamination is now slowing infiltration rates and is causing surface flooding, especially after excessive rainfall.

Locating pipe work

Existing gravel contaminated with soil and debris

Once the drain has been covered with fresh 15/ 20 mm diameter gravel, a 50 mm layer of 2-4mm diameter grit will be added.

The grit layer will prevent the new root-zone from being washed down and mixing with the gravel, consequently, ensuring rainwater can drain freely down to the drainage pipe.

Finally, the drainage line will then be returfed with new turf and marked as ground under repair. 

Drainage 16th Hole

We will shortly be announcing plans to start a phased improvement program to the drainage system from the 16^th fairway and hope to commence excavations later this year. 

Autumn Maintenance Programme 2011 - Update

Update - September 20th

Last week we commenced our Autumn Maintenance Programme at Murrayfield, all the tees were hollow cored with 12mm diameter tines to a depth of 75mm and top-dressed with sand.

The tees will receive further applications of sand over the next few weeks to ensure that all the aeration holes have been backfilled and to assist in restoring surface levels.

Hollow Coring 5th Tee

This year we are extending the maintenance programme to include greens surrounds and approaches.

Over the years some of these areas have become compacted and others now have significant accumulations of thatch (organic matter).

This week all the approaches will be hollow cored at the same setting as the tees and top-dressed with sand.

Hollow Coring 17th Approach

If time and ground conditions permit, a number of approaches with excessive thatch levels will be hollow cored and top-dressed again in late October. 

9th Green Surrounds Improvement - Phase 1

Update 

Good progress has been made in the last few days, we have spread the intermediate layer of grit and the new root-zone has been added. 

The grit layer, which is a 2mm to 4mm diameter stone, will stop the root-zone washing down and blocking the perimeter drain and prevent integration of the root-zone with the and sub-base. 

Intermediate Layer Completed

The root-zone is a mix of medium course free draining sand (90% content) and top- soil (10% content).

Ready for Turfing

Turf delivery is expected on Tuesday next week and (weather permitting) Phase 1 should be completed later that day.

Badger Damage

For the second time in less than a month, badgers have caused extensive damage to the 5^th green on Murrayfield.  

This morning there were over twenty holes dug on the green by the badgers in their search for food, primarily, earthworms.

Badger Damage - 5th Green Murrayfield

Badger Damage

Unfortunately, at this time very little can be done to deter the badgers, we can only hope that they move onto another area less prominent than our greens…real soon.

9th Green Surrounds Improvement - Phase 1

Today, we started the first phase of the planned improvements to the 9^th Green surrounds. 

We have removed the thatch contaminated turf and clay soil from the rear of the green and shaped the sub-base to ensure that rainwater drains away from the putting surface.

 

Turf being removed from surrounds

Clay soil being excavated

Sub-base being compacted

Tomorrow (weather permitting), we will reconnect and test the irrigation cabling before starting to spread the intermediate grit layer. 

Course Update - September 2011

Autumn Greens Maintenance - 2011

At Murrayfield the Autumn Greens Maintenance Programme has normally commenced in late October or early November, without doubt, hollow coring the greens with 12 or 19 mm diameter tines at this time, when ground conditions are less favourable, soil temperatures are dropping and when weather conditions are more unpredictable, means that recovery to putting surfaces are slow and the benefits of this operation are compromised.

 It has also been the normal practice to hollow core the greens again in the spring with the large diameter tines, which is not only very disruptive but because of low soil temperatures recovery to putting surfaces are painfully slow. I believe bringing forward the hollow coring operation to early October will mean that recovery to putting surfaces will be measured in weeks rather than months and the benefits gained will mean hollow coring in the spring (2012) with large diameter tines will not be necessary.

Week Commencing October 3^rd

All Greens will be Hollow Cored with 12mm tines at 50mm spacing and to a depth of 100mm.

This cultural practice will further reduce thatch, increase oxygen content in the soil, promote root development and make nutrients more readily available to the plant.

 After the green has been cleared of cores, it will then be top-dressed with sand and brushed. The green is then rolled to help with smoothness and finally a potash-based fertilizer is applied to promote strong root growth and aid recovery.

Planned Improvements to 9^th Green Surrounds

It has become apparent for some time that the condition of the turf and surface areas on the left-hand side and the rear of the 9^th green are now in very poor condition.  Without doubt grass growth in these areas is always going to be compromised due to the lack of sunlight, but in both these areas the turf has excessive amounts of thatch, which is impeding the surface drainage and is compounding the problem.

Phase 1

Next week, we intend to excavate and remove the thatch contaminated turf and clay soil at the rear of the green.

The sub-base will then be contoured to ensure that water drains away from the putting surface before the new root-zone is added and re-turfing commences.

During the first phase disruption to play should be minimal and the green will remain in play, although the pin position will be kept forward.

Weather permitting, we would expect completion of this first phase within ten days.

Phase 2 – The left-hand side of the green will be excavated, contoured and replaced in early October 2011.

If you have any questions or require any further information about this or any other course project please feel free to contact me.

Bill Lyon  

Golf Course Manager

August 2011 - Weather

Weather – August 2011

The recorded rainfall/precipitation for August was 167.2 mm, considerably higher than the expected average of 62 mm.

The average soil temperature at 30 cm was 17.5C (1.6C higher than normal)

August was also slightly cooler than normal with the average maximum-recorded temperature 17.8C (0.89C lower than expected).

Recorded sunshine was 110 hours (32 hours less than normal)

Greenkeeping Facilities Update

Members will have noticed that the appointed contractors, Algo, have now cleared and secured the site of the new greenkeeping facilities.

This week the contractors have begun excavating the foundations and levelling the site ahead of the drainage works. 

Excavating foundations

More updates and pictures to follow.