Links Report For March
Weather
March provided a welcome improvement over February with a dry spell during the first half of the month and a doubling of average noon temperature to a 8C. A westerly airflow dominated and frost was experienced on six occasions. There was a sting in the tail however when high tides (5.9metres) aided by a strong onshore wind resulted in flooding on the 17th and 18th holes of the Championship course on the 30th of the month. Total rainfall was 41mm all falling in the latter half of the month.
Work On The Links
Aeration
Winter trafficked areas were verti-drained with 1/2" tines during the month whilst the hydroject was used on fairway areas and walkways generally with wetting agent added to the tank. Areas which were treated with the selective herbicide "Rescue" last autumn for ryegrass control were hollow tined and overseeded to aid recovery of the finer grasses in these areas.
2nd and 6th White Tees
These tees were turf stripped, rotavated and re-levelled, followed by turf replacement in the first half of the month to provide full use of the teeing area.
Temporary Tee -3rd Hole
The agreed area in the rough at the start of the 3rd fairway was stripped and the rough turf used elsewhere. The ground was levelled and suitable turf re-laid from the turf nursery.
Bunkers
Bunkers were topped up and sand firmed and shaped in the usual manner, concentrating initially on those bunkers rebuilt over the winter period. Grow sheets were removed from bunker faces and a mixture of granular wetting agent, seaweed and organic fertiliser spread on many bunker faces. By the end of the month, a number of bunkers required pumping followed by floor cultivation and/or topping up due to heavy rains and burn flooding (17th and 18th holes) on the 30th.
Roughs
Roughs on the course were brushed from green to tee to lift the grass and aerate the surface following the worse winter for many years. Close strimming of sea lyme in roughs continued from the previous month.
Bridges
Work was completed on rebuilding the stone walling underneath the bridge to the right of the 18th green approach and the decking replaced. Turf was relaid to the vehicle bridge to the left of the island on the 17th hole and decking repairs were carried out to the bridge to the front of the 18th tee Burnside. Some repairs were carried out to the Huxley matting at bridges and a suitable spectator bridge was installed over the ditch on the 6th hole of the Buddon course opposite to the crossing for the 7th fairway Championship.
Wetting Agent
The wetting agent and penetrant, Revolution was applied to the greens in the middle of the month.
Greens Nursery
Sand excavated from the 10th Burnside was transported to the nursery to raise levels as required in preperation for spring re-stocking.
Turf Repairs
Several minor turf repairs were carried out during March including low mounding to the left of the 16th hole for burn flood control as well as one or two gorse removal areas, left side of 15th, alongside 2nd tee roadside and rabbit scrapes generally.
Brushing/Rolling/Mowing
Greens and surrounds were drag brushed whilst tees were brushed using rotary powered brush units. Greens were rolled on several occasions with the green irons whilst re-laid tees were rolled with the heavier pedestrian roller. Greens and surrounds along with teeing grounds and fairways were mown during the month.
Top Dressing
Topdressing was restricted to newly laid tees.
Spring Fertiliser
The organic fertiliser OC2 was applied to weaker greens and weaker areas generally as well as certain tees whilst the putting green received a nitrogen/potash feed split into two halves with different products as part of an assessment.A mixture of lawn sand and a (3-10-5) fertiliser with seaweed was applied to greens and green surrounds. Teeing grounds were treated with lawn sand only.New turfed areas received an application of OC2, the organic fertiliser.
Public Putting Green
The area of turf removal on the unused area of the putting green was cleared and duly overseeded i four directions. Edges have recently been filled to perimeter grass level and seeded.
B.I.G.G.A. Conference
Four members of staff attended the Scottish Annual Conference at Dunfermline at the start of the month.
Sprinklers
Fairway sprinklers were raised to be flush with ground level where required.
Environmental Work
Gorse chipping was carried out during March following the clearance of burnt gorse on the 16th hole. Broom was removed from the left hand side of the 12th hole and the gorse clump behind the 14th winter tee was lowered.
