Course Manager's Fortnightly Course Update

22nd March 2024

Introduction

I’m really looking forward to the day that our message to members doesn’t mention the weather unless it’s in a positive manner, unfortunately this isn’t that message.

We in the team, follow a number of different weather forecasts and for the first time ever I think, they were all wrong. We were discussing before work ton Thursday morning how it was going to be nice to have a couple of days with no rain on the horizon. Then at 10:00 the heavens opened once again.

Even as I write this, one forecast says that we will receive 6.9mm of rain on Saturday, when another forecast tells us there will be very little rain. Which one do we trust or believe, I’ve come to the decision at the moment, no forecast is reliable.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, at the moment it’s so difficult for us to forecast how wet the course is going to be on any given day and we don’t know what holes might be closed or whether buggies will be safe to use.

During the early season, each morning at 06:15, the course is inspected and only then do we know what condition the course is in and how much rain we have had overnight.

However, to end this introduction on some positive points:

The Ditches are working well, therefore the course dries up relatively quickly.
We are not as wet as some, The Isle of Arran had 265mm of Rain in one month and some inland courses in Yorkshire haven’t cut anything other than greens since October.
Agronomically, we would rather have wet and warm weather than cold and dry,and the grass plants throughout the course are very healthy and all new turf has rooted really well .

Team

Despite the inclement weather, the team continue to get things done, without complaint. It’s very pleasing to see each member of the team challenge themselves whilst also looking for more responsibilities in managing the golf course and progressing their greenkeeping careers.

This coming week sees the morning start time put back to 06:00 and the team are looking forward to the even earlier mornings of mid-summer when it’s not unknown to start at 04:30 and productivity increases significantly when no golf is being played.

Tree Work

This Winter has seen a lot of our time taken up with tree work, therefore it seems pertinent to not only talk about the removal trees but also the creation of new copses, year 2 of our pine nursery relocation and something I find very exciting regarding our most well known tree on the course.

We have just received 100 Scot’s Pines from Mr Ian Hitchcock, these will take their place in the year one nursery and be moved next year.
Last year’s nursery stock have been moved to 2 locations, these being behind the first tee and next to the Queen’s copse by the 14th hole.
Some other “self seeders” have been moved to various places around the course also.
Following successful survival rates in a number of other plantations we have thinned out some specimens and they have been moved to holes 5 (along the fence line) and 14 beyond the Queen’s copse.

Course Furniture

Those that have played the course will hopefully have seen the new tee furniture on the course. To date the red and white yardage plates have been replaced, as have all point of play markers.

The red course has now been replaced by a green course, yellow and white will remain the same colours and there will be an additional measured course and markers, between the green and the yellow and this will become the blue course.

Looking Forward

With Easter just around the corner, we will be increasing our frequency of cuts across the course and reducing the heights of cut from Winter to Spring levels.

We never put the long term condition of the course at risk for Easter week, it just so happens that usually around Easter temperatures start to rise and some uneven growth begins, we are not seeing this so much this year down to the higher than normal temperatures we are receiving in March.

April 15th will see the greens being aerated with the Air-2-g2. This has been used on an annual basis to aerate greens rather than punch lots of deep holes across the green, ( which not only affects ball roll but also creates lots of holes ideal for many unwanted pests to lay their eggs) it has 3 spikes at a length of 12 inches that each make a small hole and then with an onboard compressor, air is blasted when the spikes reach their full depth whilst also blasting through another 3 holes further up the spike 6 inches from the surface, this help eradicate surface compaction with very little disruption to the surface. The process should take 1-2 days and disruption to play will be very minimal.

Following last week’s granular application to greens and this weeks feed to new turf and pathways, the beginning of next week will see us feed the tees, this is with a 5 month slow release fertiliser that will be backed up throughout the season with our tonic sprays.

Conclusion

So to end this message on a positive, we as a team believe the course is in a good place as we enter a new playing season. Lots of improvements to be made and the weather will improve. The grass compositions across the course are improving each year and the forecast now says no rain on Easter Sat-Mon (still don’t believe it though).

I hope those playing over the next 7 days can play in good weather and those playing in The Easter Tournament enjoy the course and the great atmosphere around the club over the four days.

Peter McVicar | Links Manager

On behalf of the Green Team

Return to News Page

Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.

Hesketh Golf Club