The Heat Is ON

Just 14 days into Summer and we are already having temperatures we do not normally experience till mid Summer at least. We have had only 3 days below 30 degrees, with the average temperature 5 degrees above average sitting at 32.1 degrees and the relentless heat shows no sign of easing in the immediate days ahead with maximums of 36 expected.
Minimum temperatures are fairing a little better just 1.9 degrees above average at 15.4 degrees and this is allowing the greens some respite.
The earlier heat and drying northerly and easterly winds have impacted on the various management programs including increased surfactant applications and irrigation but by far the biggest impact has been on the early summer season herbicide program specially on greens.
Any herbicide application carries a degree of risk but when air temperatures increase above 30 / 32 degrees that risk is increased proportionately. We have been forced to modify our program, miss some applications and re evaluate how we proceed in the immediate future. What this means for you is you may encounter saltine in the greens you believe is not being treated,  this is not the case, we are being proactive in reducing the risk to the greens through the heat period with control measures being modified accordingly. It will also mean when control measures resume the saltine will more visible than normal when under control measures.

 In other news
The 8th bunker conversion to a low mound has progressed with fill carted in, shaped and consolidated by staff.  Soil amendments, installation of irrigation and final settling will take place this week. The area will be stolonised next week with anticipated grow in to take a few months.
I decided not to turf due the area size, the area being in the rough and believing stolonizing will offer stronger establishment considering the specific factors of the area.


On a less than savory note the picture of the below divot was taken on the 12th green, this is the third such incident over the past 2 weeks. Anyone witnessing players being responsible for this are urged to report the player to staff / Committee members so disciplinary action can be taken. Sometimes damage to greens is through carelessness or just rough handling of equipment / fixtures, divots are a deliberate act either through ill temper or maliciousness and has no place on the golf course !!!

Greens are being cut at 3mm for the summer period except for major events where more intensive maintenance and lower heights will be employed.

Lastly on Behalf of the Greenstaff, I wish all our Members, Directors and visitors a Healthy, Safe and Happy Christmas and New Year. 
Hoping your wish list of New clubs, new balls, and Membership of Capel Golf Club are found under the right tree, not one like this


Happy Hooking !!




Popular posts from this blog

November 2023

Image
Welcome to another instalment of the Course Maintenance Blog, I will try and slow down the typing, because we have been going at a cracking pace on the course over the past 6 weeks that would leave the Cup hopefuls in our wake.   The Finish line is in sight for a number of projects undertaken over the last month and looking forward to holding back the reigns( ok no more cup puns) to give time to consolidate the previous work performed.  My thanks to Ben for his tireless efforts, with a great many extra hours worked, my staff who have also worked extra hours and of course both of our major works could not have been completed without the wonderful help of our ever present volunteers. This should never go unnoticed, coming from a metro golf course background, where volunteers were scarce to say the least; I am forever appreciative for the help these members give. Forget the profit and loss sheet for a moment or the condition of the course/ facilities, the true strength of a NFP club l
Read more

Saltene and Couch Grass

Image
I thought I would talk about this subject instead of what has been run of the mill course work updates lately, nothing like a bit of variety to keep it fresh... It is this time of year (summer if you didn't know better) the couch and saltene in the greens become more visible and start to out compete the bent grass. If you have been good students and followed the turf 101's on this blog you would know Bent is a cool season grass preferring cooler temps, Couch and Saltene both warm season grasses preferring hotter temps for optimum growth. So what happens when the two compete against each other year round ?   During the cooler months,  April through October the Bent grass out competes the Couch and Saltene, the Couch and Saltene are still there just not as pronounced as during the warmer months, thanks to their vigorous rhizomes even tho the bent has control of the top, the couch and saltene are waiting to pounce when warmer temps arrive due to their extensive rhizome syste
Read more

Hydraulic Oil Leak

Image
Over the weekend we had a Hydraulic Oil leak under the mower when mowing greens, unfortunately as it was pre-dawn mowing with a heavy dew, the operator only detected it when the sun came up after he was halfway through.   Of 13 greens mowed, 8 are effected of which 4 are cause for the most concern. Wishful thinking, I am wondering, and will find out soon enough, with the greens renovations only just completed whether the vigorous growth we have encourage to recover from Reno's and the higher cut we were mowing at will lessen the impact and we may be able to cut out most of it....Experience tells me IT IS wishful thinking. With this type of oil leak, it isn't so much the oil but the temperature of the oil that causes most of the damage, instantly killing the grass it contacts. We have applied Activated Charcoal, and a dilute detergent to deactivate and dilute the oil, there isn't much more we can do I am afraid.  We have sanded the 15th to see if that helps, unfo
Read more