Sweep & Fill

We have recently been evaluating a new type of top-dressing brush, called the Sweep and Fill.

Although the brush is relatively new to the UK market place, it has been used extensively in the States for a number of years.

The Sweep & Fill Brush

Unlike conventional drag brushes, this brush effectively places the top dressing sand down into the crown of the plant and the aeration hole.

The sweeping action places more sand directly into the aeration holes thus leaving putting surfaces cleaner and reducing recovering time.

Brushing in top dressing sand after hollow coring 7th green

The brush has been primarily designed to brush sand into aerification tine holes, but is also extremely effective when used to groom the putting surfaces prior to mowing.

Putting surface after brushing

Putting surface - Day 5

Putting surface - Day 9

By using this method of brushing, favourable weather and ideal soil temperatures the putting surface trueness was restored by day nine. 

Greens Autumn Maintenance 2013

This year we commence our greens autumn maintenance programme on Monday 7^th October.

Greens 1,2,4,6,8,12,13,14,15,16,17&18 will be hollow cored with 12mm diameter tines to a depth of 100mm and top-dressed.

Because of their location i.e. lack of sunlight, low soil temperatures and poor airflow, greens 9, 10 & 11 will not be hollow cored at this time.

It is our intention to hollow core these greens in late spring next year, when soil temperatures and light levels start to increase.

The required autumn maintenance on greens 3,5&7 has already been completed.

In late October the greens will then be verti-drained with 12mm diameter tines to a depth of 250mm and top-dressed with sand.

Members please note that there will be disruption to play and some temporary greens will be in play during this essential maintenance work.

Undoubtedly, there will be a period of recovery beyond the planned maintenance itself.

Whilst it is appreciated that this will cause inconvenience to members, please be assured that this work is entirely necessary to ensure continued, long-term improvement in our putting surfaces.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the members for their support, tolerance and cooperation during this greens maintenance programme of works

Bill Lyon

Golf Course Manager

1^st October 2013 

Seed Germination

I thought I would post some photo's taken earlier today showing the results of the recent tee over-seeding program.

These tee's were over-seeded 14/28 days ago.

14 days after over-seeding

21 days after over-seeding

28 days after over-seeding

28 days after over-seeding

Tee Maintainance

Over the last few weeks we have been busy scarifying, hollow coring, over-seeding and top- dressing the teeing grounds.

Hollow coring the 14th tees

August/September is an excellent time to implement this type of renovation program, as the soil and air temperatures are excellent for seed germination.

Although the results have been impressive, we still have a few weak areas requiring additional re-seeding.

Weak area on 9th tee

Re-seeded and top dressed

Because soil and air temperatures are starting to fall we have decided to use germination sheets to promote and improve the germination process in these areas.

Germination sheet

In the autumn germination sheets help retain soil temperatures, which means that the re-seeding period can be extended. 

We would expect germination within a 14/21day period, after which the sheets will then be removed.