Carnoustie Golf Links: October 2012

27/10/2012

Saturday 27th October 2012

Another dry week, but temperatures started to plummet towards the end and as i look out the office window i can see some flurries of snow.

The 11th fairway was dry enough for us to mini core and top-dress,

other areas cored were fairway extensions at the 4th and all the teing areas were finished. These areas all recieving top-dressing too.

Certain greens were overseeded again, mainly areas that take a lot of play and rye grass areas just off the greens. We will hope to Rescue these areas come the spring.

Fairways were cut along with approaches/surrounds and tees. Growth is starting to tail off now.

Another dusting off top-dressing was also applied to the greens before being brushed in, cut and rolled

Strimming mounds and other areas

that the Amazone cant get into. More rough cutting this week.

In the sheds, Derek is making up cement sleepers to go on the bridges as the local factory where we got them from before has shut down.

Digger training this week.

Neil Christie advising the men how to be safe in the workplace.

24/10/2012

Wednesday 24th September 2012

LINKS SUPERINTENDENT REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 2012

WEATHER

September was drier than average which allowed playing conditions on the courses to be firmer and faster than at any time throughout the season. There were some strong winds at the beginning of the month which meant some of the seeding on the new holes wasn’t as successful as hoped for as seed was blown from some of the more exposed areas. There was also some heavy rain towards the end of the month which meant some localised pooling of water around the courses especially on the 3^rd/4^th holes of the Burnside.

WORK ON THE LINKS

September saw the commencement of some of our autumn renovation work, such as scarifying and seeding, across the courses but primarily on the Burnside and Buddon Links as with the Dunhill Links taking place in early October the Championship can’t really be touched.

The drier weather along with the slowed growth allowed us to raise the height of cut on greens to allow for better rooting development without compromising playability.

CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

The greens received their usual monthly spray programs of wetting agent, seaweed and growth inhibitor and received a very light top dressing in the middle of the month. Weaker areas were fed as required and the hydro-ject was used on similar areas.

Other work

· Approaches & surrounds were top dressed

· Weak landing areas were fed to aid divot recovery

· Barry Burn and ditches were cleaned as required

· A selective graminicide was sprayed in roughs as required to control rye grass and Yorkshire fog

· Young broom was sprayed with Timbrel as required to kill it of

· Sand in bunkers was shaped up

· The bunker at the LHS 14^th green was revetted to have it looking more presentable for the Dunhill

BURNSIDE

Greens were pencil tined whilst the approaches were aerated with slightly larger cross tines. Pearlwort on greens were sprayed with a selective weedkiller and growth inhibitor was sprayed on greens as per normal.

Other work

· Cutting back thick roughs and collecting grass

· Tee’s slit tined

· Removing weeds from burn

· Shaping bunkers

· Trimming round irrigation sprinklers

BUDDON LINKS

Greens were verti-cut prior to the commencement of the deep scarification work along with over-seeding and top dressing.

Tees were verti-drained, clover around course was sprayed as required and the ditch in front of the 14^th tee was cleaned out.

New Holes

1^st Golf completed their work on the new holes by the end of the month and in my opinion to a very high standard. The seeding took place at the beginning of the month in difficult windy conditions which meant that some exposed areas were required to be oversown by ourselves towards the end of the month as some seed had been blown away.

In general most of the seed, especially on the fairways, has germinated, is establishing well and is increasing in density. Because of the windy weather greenstaff were also required to apply water manually to ensure an even coverage and reduce the risk of run-off that would wash seed away. This was also vital to aid in the germination of the new seed.

The new green on the site of the old turf nursery looks well after being turfed by the greenstaff and is now being cut at the same height as the rest of the greens and has received a couple of top dressings to help smooth it off and keep it firm. Once the approach and the rest of the fairway are turfed in November the hole will be complete and weather permitting should be ready for play in the early part of next summer......fingers crossed!

Other work carried out on the new holes by greenstaff also included lowering the bumps on the second part of the current 12^th fairway, revetting culverts in ditch crossings and preparing a patch on the junior practice area for seed.

STRI AUTUMN VISITS

Both the Championship and Burnside courses received visits from Richard Windows of the STRI to carry out testing on the greens as well as a general course overview. Both courses received very positive reports and it is testament to years of good work along with the continued support of the committee that these results are possible.

We still have targets though and will be striving to improve where possible such as increasing fescue content and managing organic matter levels in the soil profile.

Sandy Reid

Links Superintendent

17^th Oct 2012

20/10/2012

Saturday 20th October 2012

The weather on Monday was beautiful, it gave things a chance to dry out. The verti-drains were out on certain wetter fairways with 1/2" tines to allow some air in. Flooded bunkers were pumped out and the 10th green and surround was midi-cored, overseeded and top dressed. This green was the worst from the flooding, the coring was to try and break up the thin layer of silt that was on parts of the green.

Monday night i was in to overseed some greens as the weather was good. We have a shot of a Vredo seeder from Panmure Golf Club our neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours!

http://www.panmuregolfclub.co.uk/Home/

One pass with the seeder on greens and approaches with certain areas recieving a second pass.

25% Viktorka	Slender creeping red fescue new cultivar
25% Barcrown	Slender creeping red fescue
20% Barswing	Chewings fescue
15% Bargreen II	Chewings fescue new cultivar
15% Barbirdie	Chewings fescue

Seed sitting in the grooves very nicely.

Got a bit carried away with the time.

All greens completed on Tuesday and all greens being double rolled behind to cut down on disruption.

On Wednesday, the 10th fairway was cored, again to remove silt deposits from the Barry Burn.

Dangerous Jimmy is involved. The fairway was then top-dressed and verti-drained with the 1/2inch tines.

A nasty shower of rain through Wednesday afternoon, still left puddles on the 10th green. The decision was to verti-drain the green again with the 1/2inch tines.

Once verti-drained the green was double rolled

and top-dressed and then another double roll. This seems to have done the trick. Others jobs on this week were pumping water!!, spraying greens with Porthcawl and Revolution, coring tees, tractor training with Neil Christie http://plantoperatortrainingscotland.co.uk/ and spraying fairways with a mixture of Porthcawl and seaweed.

Another painting from our very own Barry has been once again donated to Cash for Kids

http://www.tayfm.co.uk/charity/cfk-about/

The painting has been signed by a whole heap of players and celebrities from the Dunhill Links Championship and it will be auctioned off on 27th October.

http://www.tayfm.co.uk/auction/

15/10/2012

Monday 15th October 2012

On Wednesday, i was at Muirfield for a course visit

and Renaissance. Two great courses with a lot of fine grasses.

Great views.

Back to Carnoustie, we managed to get the greens overseeded. The weather was against us with frost delaying our efforts a few of the mornings and of course the rain.