Condition of your course as Spring arrives

[TonyN]

The short course i use at my local range is in fantastic condition, and has been all winter. I have played it twice a week since october pretty much and have never seen a temp green on. Mats yes but the tee's are looking amazing, cant wait for them to drop the rope. The fairways are never spongy even when it rained heavy all week. The green keepers do an excellent job there and its always a safe bet in the bad weather.

 

[nackanut]

we have had to play off mats or move the ball to the rough for the past two winters. i was only starting to play last wionter and playing off mats was a pure pain in the ring.
but looking at the way the course is shaping up now it looks better than this time last year so there is method in the madness.

 

[DCB]

It's early days yet. There isn't any warmth in the ground here yet so growth will be almost non-existant at the moment. The good thing is this dryer spell is allowing the course to dry out a bit in the meantime.

I'm quite happy to wait another month before starting to moan about things. I can still see snow on the hills out the back room window so it's still winter here!

 

[DCB]

Just as a follow-on, I was down in deepest darkest Leicestershire last week and I recon that growth is about 2-3 weeks ahead of what it is up here.

 

[RGuk]

My course is in fair nick, but the greens are truly terrible. It would be more accurate to call them "yellows". I know it's the price to pay for using them all year round, but I am worried, I have to say. They are cut v.short (in my experience) and I don't think this helps the health of the grass, but I'm no expert.
We are still on mats, but I think a week of dry weather and that'll be that until November. Last year the course suffered overall, especially with the June downpours (I wasn't a member then) and a lot of folks "resigned" in desperation at the state. I'm interested to see how things come on over the next month or two. Our course (like 2 others around here) is built on old farmland and I don't find the fairways lush enough - surely some overseeding would gradually improve this....it's 16 years old this year and mostly well established but somehow not the fairway grass. Another course near here has been at it's site for 30 years and has half the grass of ours....I don't know why the members put up with it, I've not had a good enough fairway lie for a metal wood there EVER!!!???

 

[thecraw]

I think all the Scottish lads just need to bite the bullet at this time untill there is some warmth and growth.

 

[RGuk]

we have had to play off mats or move the ball to the rough for the past two winters.

Are we talking the same type of mat here??
Mats to me = tee mats. Some folk are talking fairway mats (are they?)
? ?

 

[bunkered]

That,s right fairway mats, alot of the top courses up in Scotland use them in the winter.

 

[Greenkeeper]

Hi all

I have to intervene, I have been reading this with interest and this is not a criticism but an observation.
Its winter....... Oh yes it is. Mother Nature dictates how the course performs as much as the greenkeeper. At the moment the weather is very much winter conditions. The soil temperature is just above freezing, when and only when the soil warms up will you see your course resemble spring, patience is a virtue gentlemen. If greenkeepers could change the weather they would be a wealthy men and certainly not in greenkeeping.

My next point is again not meant as criticism.
Some of your remarks towards your own courses are common misinterpretations of my complex profession. So many think they know what’s best... can you consider that actually you don’t know best, and in fact the expert is the guy you are employing.

Let me put it another way! Why would someone (knowing he’s about to get grief) put big holes in the green???? Because he knows what he is doing. Soil needs air as much as humans! Greens are living breathing complex things, full of beneficial bacterial /fungal activity (if managed right) and this is dependent on air. Also, Good root structure is vital for the coming season, and roots don’t grow in soil!!!!! They grow in the air pockets around the soil. So if your greenkeeper is NOT aerating I would be concerned, if he is aerating he should be applauded.

Why are the greens are ‘yellowing’, Why is he cutting so low? Agin he sounds like he knows what he is doing......We tend not to feed in the winter, not feeding results in the grass becoming dormant, hence looking shorter. This is a good old greenkeeping trick; the plant (leaf) basically shuts down to allow the energy to concentrate on root development. The plant is hungry so the roots are searching deeper for food.
Why doesn’t he feed??? Because your greenkeeper knows that, Mother Nature dictates, and like all women, she will not be rushed.

Support the expert you employ, for he knows best!!

 

[nackanut]

yes i was refering to fairway mats. a week to go to the begining of the new season and the fairways are immaculate. mind you, if you hit the mat first mat goes further than ball! better to pick up and play from the rough.

 

[RGuk]

Thank goodness you turned up! I wasn't criticising at all....just curious.
If yellow is good, then hooray...I can stop worrying.

Today the fairways had long cuts in them.....is this good too?

As for the fairway grass thing.....would you be able to elaborate on why these ex-farm-land courses have such poor grass, it's just so thin and sparse.....seems to me the cover is about half that of even the worst public cheap 'n' cheerful council course???

Thanks again for commenting.

 

[nackanut]

fair play mr greenkeeper. our greenkeeper does a fantastic job in the winter making the coarse playable whilst nurturing it for the new season. hats of to all you greenkeepers without your expertise we would all suffer a winter of discontent.

 

[bunkered]

Greenkepeer, i think members of golf clubs need a bit of education when it comes talking about condition of there course, there are far to many people complain about the state of the course, and you now what it is usually the one,s that have had a bad round.

 

[Tommo21]

Had a few holes round Royal Musselburgh tonight and the course is looking real good. All the tees are cut, all the bunkers have been done, second cut round the greeens has been done, fairways are getting done and fed, greeens are getting better by the day. Mats are off, full tees are on.

 

[bunkered]

TOMO21, are you a member there.

 

[Greenkeeper]

Hi Dave

Long slits are very good, especially on poor agricultural fairways. Note of caution though! Care needs to be taken when the season gets close. The slits can open in a dry summer.
The problem with your fairways is common with new ex agricultural land. Farmers produce a yield, a crop, and the type of fertilisers they have used are not preferable to the ‘fine’ tight grass we prefer. It will take some time for the nutrient content to leach out of the soil, aeration will help and then in a few years overseeding with a good seed mix. For example, natural links fairways are very infertile but they have wonderful fine grass with tight lies, a far cry from the arable fairways you seem to have.

Its true to say that the best courses with the best lies are on infertile dry land!

I hope this helps

P.S I agree with the complaints thing, the worst bunker players hate the bunkers... the erratic golfers tend to dislike the rough, ponds, ditches, bunkers, trees and so on.
This is a problem being a keen, yet erratic 11 handicap golfer and a greenkeeper WHO DO I BLAME!!!

 

[RGuk]

Can anyone enlighten me on what the fairway mats are like?
Are these the sort you have to use at St. A's?
Any piccies?? or link to see?

 

[RGuk]

Cheers greenkeeper.....
One thing I like about the cuts is that they provide excellent ramps for long range 3 woods!!! (using preferred lies)
Will the agri-turf eventually come good then with the right care and attention.....it's better than when it was brand new, but it's a way off the ideal even after 16 years!

 

[Leftie]

Support the expert you employ, for he knows best!!

Well said sir. Your whole post was excellent and hopefully has answered many forumers' questions, posted or not.

I don't know about other clubs, but our Head Greenkeeper regularly informs the members of forthcoming works on the courses , the reasons and future benefits.

However, I guess that many members don't take any notice of the information. As soon as the greens have been hollow tined/spiked & top dressed, fairways vertidrained, etc they complain about the state of the greens/fairways with comments such as "Just when they have got it right they go and ruin it again", "couldn't they have waited until after the medal", winge, winge. 3 weeks later they happily accept plaudits from visitors saying that the courses are in better condition than Wentworth or whatever.

I applaud you guys, out there in (almost) all weathers, crack of dawn or earlier and, I suspect, with little thanks or appreciation from most members. I wish I could get my little patch of grass in the back garden looking as good as a fairway.

Forumers. If you get the chance during your busy round, spend a couple of minutes having a chat with the greenkeeping staff. They would appreciate a brief break from their labours with someone taking an interest in what they do.

 

[rgs]

Cant complain about my course Roganstown-playing full tees and greens all year round-only concession at the moment is preferred lies.

Have to commend our greenkeeper who has the course is excellent condition all year round.

I think we all owe our greenkeepers a debt of gratitude for keeping our courses in the best condition possible given the vagaries of the weather in the UK and Ireland where fours seasons are possible in a day.