Recent content by greensman

I am somewhat of a purest when it comes to greens. I much prefer natural golf. The firmer the better, when the sun comes out and the ground becomes firm I can play the game as it was intended. Then when it rains I have to play ‘target golf’. It is understandable that many golfers prefer...

Sorry, I didn’t make that clear. Lawnsand is a fertiliser, containing ammonium sulphate & iron sulphate. Moss hates this stuff and the grass loves it. You only need one 20kg bag for 350sq m and you can get this from any gardening store, it’s also very inexpensive. It will need to be applied...

If only it was that simple! How many of us complain about inconsistent sand? probably all of us. So why is sand inconsistent and how can this be avoided? The reason is complex: Drainage – the wetter the sand, the firmer it becomes (like building sand) Contamination – tree leaf litter...

This sounds like an architectural decision, some architects design pot bunkers to be as challenging as possible. Designing bunkers with a flat base the ball can sit close to the face making the shot very difficult indeed. The other style is the bowled out bunker, this is when the base is higher...

Think this is a similar question,has the snow added to the problem of moss growth taking over the grass. Moss is an opportunist, if the grass is thin the moss has an opportunity to invade. So the snow may well have thinned the grass giving the moss more of an opportunity. Other factors may be...

I think the last guy was indeed me, however I have changed my name. Anyway I will do my best but as you will appreciate I am busy at work so I will answer early morning and evening. On that note, the wife has called me for my dinner and then I intend to go to the Match ... come on you Reds...

Thanks Get a good mower, cylinder, cut around 14mm, remove problem trees and shade, aerate regularly, top-dress & brush if possible and avoid over feeding and watering. That’s a start! Good luck!

Ideally hollow coring should be avoided, however at times it’s a necessary evil. This process removes thatch, thatch is the waste product of the plant. This spongy stuff makes winter golf poor (hence your complaint about the winter greens) its also contributes to disease, poor roots, uneven...

If we had a crystal ball then yes, we could have sprayed a preventative fungicide chemical before it snowed, but who predicted that snow fall? Snowmold or fusaium patch has been a huge problem this year. It loves the snow, the fungi Michrodochium nivale likes certain conditions and when the...

Hi The changes at Wentworth were inevitable, no golf course can sustain this amount of manicuring - fertiliser – water – ultra low cutting heights, chemical use and so on without consequences. The result being soft, meadow grass (poa annua) greens. Its widely publicised that while this...

Hello one and all I’ve been a Head Greenkeeper for many years, as well as a keen golfer. I’ve been lucky to be able to play some of the very best courses managed by the very best greenkeeprs. But the problem with my occupation is the dreaded ‘assumption’ it’s a greenkeeping nightmare...

Hi Colin I feel your pain, I have been a course manager for many years and I can honestly say that the last few seasons have been the worst... Weather, finances, changes in Chemical legislation are all making our jobs very difficult indeed. I know these sound like excuses but sometimes we just...

Hi Colin I am intrigued to know what course you are talking about.

About 20 – 30 years ago we have a large influx of planting trees across on our UK golf courses. The problem is, since then little or no management to the tress have been done. This is partly because some members see them as some sort of sacred cow and have a lack of understanding on how trees...

This has been a very entertaining thread, ok its my turn! Not repairing pichmarks and complaining that the green bobbled Not raking bunkers Not replacing divots Fat block leaning on the putter leaving a big indentation in the green. Young lads with remote control trolleys, that’s just...