Monday was a big day on the course, with the course team and volunteers
working together on the major turfing project on the 17th flyover.
Turf was stripped from the 12th fairway and relocated to the 17th flyover,
significantly improving the playing surface in that area. This upgrade will
also ensure a much smoother ride for those using carts on this hole. The
improved area of the 17th flyover is approximately 1,000m²,
but the project involved handling around 2,000m² of turf
in total — as it had to be carefully cut and manually lifted from the 12th
fairway before being transported and laid at the 17th. The volunteers involved
with this work certainly earnt their lunch, and I’m sure they slept very well
Monday night!
Two separate applications were made to greens this week, with the first
application focusing on nutrition to ensure the plant can maintain growth and
deal with seasonal stresses. The second application was part of an ongoing
program to improve the soil condition of the greens, which in turn will result
in improved infiltration rates and improved root development naturally.
Greens are being solid needle tined this week, both before and after
competition play. A total of 14 greens have been
completed, with each green rolled immediately following the verti-draining
process. This helps to smooth the surface, leaving minimal
disruption to play while still delivering important agronomic
benefits. Solid tining is essential for relieving compaction within the soil
profile, especially after the recent rainfall
and the frequent mowing and rolling
required to maintain the required playing standards. These practices, while
necessary for surface performance, can compact the root zone over time —
reducing turf health and drainage efficiency if not addressed. This ongoing
maintenance ensures the greens remain healthy, firm, and responsive throughout
the season.
The volunteers were on course Monday morning performing a
bunker run in front of the competition players, assisting with the turfing work
on the 17th flyover, and the painting within the temporary Clubhouse.
A big thank you to everyone that pitched in to help out this week, with the
physical work of lifting the turf hopefully adding a few extra meters to your
drives!
Greens will be cut on both mornings this weekend. I will be
setting pins on both mornings.
Happy Golfing
The Course Team.
