01 Jun '10

MAY GREENS REPORT

What happened to the eighth green?

How come the greens are playing so much faster now?

Who is the "new" boy?

A little fine weather at last and the golf course is looking pretty sharp, nearly 50 inches of rain fell between February and May and that’s a deluge. (It was also the way rain fell as much as the amount we had over such short periods.)

Damage to the small buggy bridge between #3 and #4 will be looked at in the near future. Some cold mix paths on 18 and beside the 1^st green will be laid with the help of Glen Stewart. Also having access to reasonably priced cold mix thanks to Shay Watson’s father who works at the cement plant will help keep this job cost effective.

Disease on some greens has been sprayed for and with good weather should start to repair. Due to the cooler weather all greens were cored and top dressed last week. This will relieve some compaction and aerate the soil and will be repeated in the following three weeks.

The greens have been rolled on Thursdays and instead of mowing them this cuts back on stress to the plant during the cooler months but still maintains a good putting surface.

Thanks to Paul and the boys for maintaining the golf course while I was away on holidays. It’s a relief to come back and find it the way I left it.

New trainee Nick Chatfield has replaced Pete Johnston and seems to be working in well with the team. Thomas Wilson is helping out around the course a couple of days a week.

Superintendent Mick.

On Saturday night 29 May two young boys vandalised #8 green and bunker. As well as the damage inflicted on the bunker wall, they used the green as a tee, hitting golf balls with an iron back down the fairway towards the tee. They also drew immature images into the sand on the bunkers.

But you mustn’t have to be clever to be a vandal. When Mark (ex-copper) was informed of the damage, he was able to follow the footprints to a nearby house where the iron used was found on the front lawn, next to the incriminating shoes still covered with sand and grass. Investigating police have charged the two youths, but at this stage consequences are not known.

This may not seem much, but it took two green staff all day to effect repairs - time they could have spent on regular jobs!