11/03/2013

Monday 11th March 2013


LINKS SUPERINTENDENT REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2013
WEATHER

February’s weather was just what the Doctor ordered after the extremely wet weather we have experienced over the previous few months. It was generally dry with a few hard frosts and plenty sunlight which helps waken up the turf after the winter. There was only 2 days that brought any meaningful precipitation meaning that the high water table that had been keeping low areas and certain bunkers flooded retreated to normal levels.

WORK ON THE LINKS

The favourable weather throughout February allowed us to catch up with the winter programs on the courses with many of the jobs that had been open for while being completed. The revetting of bunkers was also a major target throughout the month as in a normal winter we would have had the bulk of them built before Christmas.

CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

The fair weather allowed us to lightly top dress the greens, which often is not possible so early in the year. An application of Sulphate of Iron and Turf Fungicide was also made to help promote photosynthesis and prevent any outbreak of disease.

Winter Works

·        Turfing of the Island on the 17th was completed with an extra row of blocks also being added to the burn wall on both sides to soften what would have been a very steep slope towards the burn.

·        Turfing completed alongside the 1st tee

·        Site of the old white tee at 4th lowered and turfed

·        Excavation hole between 10th/11th sand capped

·        12 bunkers revetted at: 3rd Fairway (3), 4th Green LHS (2), 5th Green, 7th Green, 8th Green LHS, 9th Fairway LHS, 10th Green LHS, 14th Fairway LHS.

Other work

·        Plugging worst of divot scars on heavy played landing areas on fairways

·        Pumping water from low lying areas at start of month

·        Ditch/Pipe repair at RHS 12th fairway

·        Mains irrigation pipes spanning Barry Burn at 10th & 17th holes raised along with bridges at 17th to help reduce the risk of future flooding

·        Start made to brushing roughs

BURNSIDE

The greens were sprayed with an application of Seaweed and Sulphate of Iron late in the month as temperatures started to increase. The 3rd green was mini cored and top-dressed to continue to dilute the silt left from the Barry Burn flooding in December; this hole was brought back into play on the last weekend of the month after being closed for 5 months throughout the winter.

Winter Works

·        At the 3rd/4th holes the removal of silty soil in low areas and replacing it with sand commenced along with preparing ground along the burn bank after re-positioning and raising the bridge in front of the 4th tee.

·        Raising of low areas on 5th fairway

·        Mounds lowered alongside 16th tee and re-turfed along with where gorse had been removed on the opposite side of the road.

·        6 bunkers revetted; 11th fairway (2), 12th green (2) and 18th green LHS (2)

Other work

·        Verti-drain work continued on tee’s, walkways and fairways

·        Water was pumped away from low areas on the 6th, 8th, 12th, 13th and 15th holes

·        A granular application of Sulphate of Iron was made to the tees to help control moss and earthworm activity

·        Gorse trimming took place on the 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th holes

BUDDON LINKS

Winter works

·        Bump on the right side of the 4th green was lowered

·        Extension to the rear of the 5th tee was carried out along with the continuation of the re-contouring work behind the 4th green.

·        New Ladies tee on the 12th hole was built

·        New ‘Gold’ tee on 13th hole was levelled and partly turfed

·        Area at start on 2nd fairway which had been stripped was re-turfed

·        Revetted patch carried out on greenside bunker on 10th hole

Other work

·        Tee’s verti-drained

·        Fairways top-dressed

·        Mounds behind 17th green strimmed and clippings collected

·        Damaged gorse trimmed and chipped along with big pile of gorse at compound to right of 12th tee

·        Filling pot holes on roads as required

 
 
Sandy Reid, Links Superintendent - 8th March 2013