A very belated happy new year to you all. As i am writing this the rain is starting to fall pretty heavy now. This could cause us a few problems going forward. With the cold weather of late (a couple of days have hit -8) the frost has penetrated down to 6 inches on some parts of the lower greens (1st, 3rd, 8th & 14th) with the average depth of frost around 2/3 inches. With the ground temperature so low we would need a sustained period of mild day and night time temperatures to induce a full thaw. For me the frost is not my main concern it is the thawing. yes there is still substantial damage to the plant from frost but with the ground thawing from the top down this causes the most issues. As the ground thaws anything that is causing movement to the surface will cause root shearing. This can be anything from a pitching golf ball to footfall. Root shearing is the point where the thawed soil meets the still frozen soil with any roots in that intermediate zone will be sheared off. See link for better explanation http://weather.headlandamenity.com/2017/01/january-30th/
There is a lot of frost damage from trolleys around the 1st green. This morning was again frosty, with the rain forecast heavy for today be prepared for course closures this week. As the rain hits the frost it has know where to go causing the water to puddle. As the temperatures rise we should see the ground thaw and the laying water should dissipate quite quickly, finger crossed. With a relatively dry start to the year and winter in fact we have managed to get a few winter projects crossed off of the list. Below is the recorded rain data from our weather station. As you can see a good January so far compared to the previous 3 years. We forget quickly how bad last winter was. In Oct, Nov, Dec 2015 & Jan, Feb 2016 we accumulated 420.3mm which was well over half of the yearly rainfall for both years. And we have to remember that is not just 420.3mm in the weather station but 420.3mm over every inch of the golf course.
A very belated happy new year to you all. As i am writing this the rain is starting to fall pretty heavy now. This could cause us a few problems going forward. With the cold weather of late (a couple of days have hit -8) the frost has penetrated down to 6 inches on some parts of the lower greens (1st, 3rd, 8th & 14th) with the average depth of frost around 2/3 inches. With the ground temperature so low we would need a sustained period of mild day and night time temperatures to induce a full thaw. For me the frost is not my main concern it is the thawing. yes there is still substantial damage to the plant from frost but with the ground thawing from the top down this causes the most issues. As the ground thaws anything that is causing movement to the surface will cause root shearing. This can be anything from a pitching golf ball to footfall. Root shearing is the point where the thawed soil meets the still frozen soil with any roots in that intermediate zone will be sheared off. See link for better explanation http://weather.headlandamenity.com/2017/01/january-30th/
There is a lot of frost damage from trolleys around the 1st green. This morning was again frosty, with the rain forecast heavy for today be prepared for course closures this week. As the rain hits the frost it has know where to go causing the water to puddle. As the temperatures rise we should see the ground thaw and the laying water should dissipate quite quickly, finger crossed. With a relatively dry start to the year and winter in fact we have managed to get a few winter projects crossed off of the list. Below is the recorded rain data from our weather station. As you can see a good January so far compared to the previous 3 years. We forget quickly how bad last winter was. In Oct, Nov, Dec 2015 & Jan, Feb 2016 we accumulated 420.3mm which was well over half of the yearly rainfall for both years. And we have to remember that is not just 420.3mm in the weather station but 420.3mm over every inch of the golf course.
As I previously mentioned we have made a good start to the winter work programme. The first project we did was to fill in both fairway bunkers on the 12th. I felt these were too penal to mid - high handicap golfer along with it being stroke 1 for men and stroke 5 for ladies that is challenge enough in its self. So we filled both bunkers it creating some subtle mounding to provide some individuality between holes 5 and 12. We imported some 100 tonnes of sub-soil. We then planted so Beech trees (Fagus) rather than Scotts Pine (Pinus sylvestris). Although Scotts Pine are quick growing and would probably provide a better divide between the two holes we decided to go with a mixture of Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica "purpurea") and Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica). Slow growing but in time will provide a good barrier also as stated in the club name we are Burnham Beeches. We carried on the planting right the way down to the rough by the ladies 5th tee.
The 17th path tee edging has had a total revamp. All the existing half round timber was removed and replaced with oak sleepers, as was all the surrounding timber around the path. The bottom row of oak sleepers have a 300mm metal rod through either end that is concreted into the ground for stability. The sleepers are all fixed together by 175mm hex screws. We decided to lay them flat on top of each other for stability. The path was redug to level as it was sloping towards the bench. It was excavated 300mm down to accomodate type 1 scalpings. drainage was installed and 75mm/100mm of path material was applied and compacted. The tee side of the sleeper wall was turfed with RTF (Rhizomatous Tall Fescue) which is hard wearing and can potentially send its roots down 1m. Turf mesh was placed directly above the steps at wear points and also leading to the path from behind the 16th green. This will remain closed untill the turf has fully grown through the turf mat.
We have also stripped and re-turfed the wear areas along side the men's 11th. The turf was cut using a turf cutter. Then the area was rotovated and some rootzone was added to ameliorate into the original soil. The area was turfed again with RTF and a turf matt was laid along side the tee.
There has been quite a lot of tree/scrub clearing taking place. The right of the 12th path up to the fairway was cleared of all the scrub and holly, all the leaves were raked down and disposed of. Stumps were ground out. This will speed up play and aesthetically look better.
To the right of the 16th green has also been cleared of all the scrub. This area was mainly bramble and weeping holly branches. All the brambles were removed and holy branches were taken up to roughly six foot. This area was pretty close to the green and very penal to not a particularly errant shot. This again will speed up play and will also let some much needed air and light onto the green.
The 9th medal tee and ladies 9th tee again have had some scrub clearance. We have removed quite a bit of blackthorn/brambles in front of the mens medal tee that was obscuring the tee shot. Around the ladies tee we have done the same and removed some small hawthorn. The old apple tree had to be removed due to poor condition. We have also installed some drainage to try and catch the spring running behind the ladies tee. This has yet to be completed. To finish this job off we will strip the back half of the ladies tee, relevel and turf.
Both ladies and mens 15th tees will have some trees removed to the left of the tee. mainly holly trees. These act as massive wind breakers and light covers. Work is already under way with the majority of the trees removed from around the ladies tee with just the men's to do. This work will let some mush needed air and light onto both sees of tees. Work here will be continued over the next few weeks.
We have had tree surgeons in to remove two dead beech trees and coppice three more to the right of the 14th green. The main reason for this work being carried out was the poor state of the dead trees overhanging Green Lane and the course. This became a Health & Safety issue. The 14th green/rough will also benefit from this work. The area to the right of the green was poor at best. The added light/air should improve that and at least make it playable with a few cultural practices thrown in to help.
The scrub to the right of the 3rd mens medal tee all the way down the path and the oaks by the bridge have been trimmed allowing a better view to the green
There has been quite a lot of tree/scrub clearing taking place. The right of the 12th path up to the fairway was cleared of all the scrub and holly, all the leaves were raked down and disposed of. Stumps were ground out. This will speed up play and aesthetically look better.
To the right of the 16th green has also been cleared of all the scrub. This area was mainly bramble and weeping holly branches. All the brambles were removed and holy branches were taken up to roughly six foot. This area was pretty close to the green and very penal to not a particularly errant shot. This again will speed up play and will also let some much needed air and light onto the green.
The 9th medal tee and ladies 9th tee again have had some scrub clearance. We have removed quite a bit of blackthorn/brambles in front of the mens medal tee that was obscuring the tee shot. Around the ladies tee we have done the same and removed some small hawthorn. The old apple tree had to be removed due to poor condition. We have also installed some drainage to try and catch the spring running behind the ladies tee. This has yet to be completed. To finish this job off we will strip the back half of the ladies tee, relevel and turf.
Both ladies and mens 15th tees will have some trees removed to the left of the tee. mainly holly trees. These act as massive wind breakers and light covers. Work is already under way with the majority of the trees removed from around the ladies tee with just the men's to do. This work will let some mush needed air and light onto both sees of tees. Work here will be continued over the next few weeks.
We have had tree surgeons in to remove two dead beech trees and coppice three more to the right of the 14th green. The main reason for this work being carried out was the poor state of the dead trees overhanging Green Lane and the course. This became a Health & Safety issue. The 14th green/rough will also benefit from this work. The area to the right of the green was poor at best. The added light/air should improve that and at least make it playable with a few cultural practices thrown in to help.
The scrub to the right of the 3rd mens medal tee all the way down the path and the oaks by the bridge have been trimmed allowing a better view to the green
Upcoming Work
Weather permitting of course. Complete behind the ladies 9th tee. Complete 15th tees.
Returf to the side of the mens 4th tee and lay turf matt's. Time and weather dependant we will remove the upright wood on the 6th tee and replace with exactly the same as the 17th. In the coming weeks we plan to get some aeration in on the greens. We will go with a 12mm x 220mm time first on our Widenmann then try and get as much dressing into the holes as possible. Apply a little more dressing then tine with a 8mm x 75mm tine. if the weather is not conducive to dressing we will just aerate. Work will be carried out to the 5th bunker to try a rectify the ever increasing drainage problems.
Returf to the side of the mens 4th tee and lay turf matt's. Time and weather dependant we will remove the upright wood on the 6th tee and replace with exactly the same as the 17th. In the coming weeks we plan to get some aeration in on the greens. We will go with a 12mm x 220mm time first on our Widenmann then try and get as much dressing into the holes as possible. Apply a little more dressing then tine with a 8mm x 75mm tine. if the weather is not conducive to dressing we will just aerate. Work will be carried out to the 5th bunker to try a rectify the ever increasing drainage problems.
BIGGA 2017 Awards
As some of you may already know we were the winners of the BIGGA Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year award for our preparation of the course during the Ladies England Golf event. This has to be the most proudest moment of my career to date. We as a team are sound proud to receive this award especially as we managed to pip The Grove to 1st place. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Greenstaff to thank John Smith and the board for nominating us. Also a big thankyou to Stephen Wilson for taking the time to drive myself and Rob all the way to Harrogate. Thank you also to those of you who sent us cards or conveyed your congratulations, it makes us immensely proud. See links for articles http://www.bigga.org.uk/members/news/these-talentards-at-btme/00901.html
http://www.englandgolf.org/news.aspx?itemid=11742&itemTitle=Top+award+for+England+championship+greenkeeping+team&sitesectionid=38&sitesectiontitle=News&returnlink=news.aspx%3fitemid%3d11756%26itemTitle%3dEngland%25e2%2580%2599s%2bTowndrow%2bbeats%2billness%2bto%2breturn%2bto%2binternational%2bgolf%26sitesectionid%3d38%26sitesectiontitle%3dNews
http://www.englandgolf.org/news.aspx?itemid=11742&itemTitle=Top+award+for+England+championship+greenkeeping+team&sitesectionid=38&sitesectiontitle=News&returnlink=news.aspx%3fitemid%3d11756%26itemTitle%3dEngland%25e2%2580%2599s%2bTowndrow%2bbeats%2billness%2bto%2breturn%2bto%2binternational%2bgolf%26sitesectionid%3d38%26sitesectiontitle%3dNews
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support and for the majority of you adhering to the white lines.
I would also like to take this opportunity in wishing Patrick all the best in his new adventure. Thank you for reading and lets keep our fingers crossed for a dryish end to the winter. Don't forget to check the Headland weather link for the daily forecast before you set out.
Lee & The Greenkeeping Team
I would also like to take this opportunity in wishing Patrick all the best in his new adventure. Thank you for reading and lets keep our fingers crossed for a dryish end to the winter. Don't forget to check the Headland weather link for the daily forecast before you set out.
Lee & The Greenkeeping Team