July Course News
Published on 7th July 2017 in Course News
The course has been in its best condition this winter with the mild autumn and frequent rain combining to produce ideals conditions for the couch fairways to retain colour. Many courses have experienced severe frosts however Flinders is protected from frosts with the course rising above the oceans warm thermals.
As winter sets in the frequency of mowing greens will decrease and the height raised to ensure the greens don’t suffer from mechanical damage. The greens are dusted with kiln dried sand during the winter months. Regular sanding will improve the surface providing firmer, smoother greens. It is important to repair pitch marks as the growth slows, it takes longer to recover. The pins are being cut in more varied positions to protect the entire green and allow recovery of old holes. Our preventative fungicide and nutritional program has kept the greens disease free and healthy.
Blue markers are being cyclical rotated on tees in 6 different positions providing varied, full length of play and sharing the wear on tees. Tees are over seeded with a fine ryegrass and fescue blend to provide cover for the dormant couch base. A new gold tee has been constructed on the 3rd hole with other gold tees to be reconstructed on the 15th and 18th holes.
The couch fairways are holding good colour into the winter months and mowing has been wound back to once a month. This is more a general tidy up rather than for growth. It is important to fill divots with sand to promote quicker recovery of the dormant couch. Hoops have been placed to protect the turf from excessive wear from carts and buggies. Poa annua continues to be a problem in fairways as the poa is showing resistance to herbicides and providing mixed success. We are looking at different strategies to eradicate the poa.
The dam storage is approx 60% full. The King St stormwater pumps, which supply the top dam, have been upgraded to perform more efficiently. It has been a dry start to June but we are well placed to harvest the stormwater when the rains come.
We are using finer blended sand in the 12th bunkers to hold shape and pack firmer to provide a barrier from the clay base.
The new 16th tee path is performing well providing a smooth transition from tee to fairway.
Good Golfing.
Colin Morrison
Course Superintendent.
