15/02/2011

Tuesday 15th February

LINKS SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT FOR JANUARY 2011

WEATHER

The spell of wintry weather culminated with burn flooding on the 3rd and 4th holes of the Burnside Course and the 10th , 17th and 18th on the Championship following persistent rain and snow melt on the 15th of the month. Day temperatures had improved by this time and remained near normal for the second half of the month, resulting in an average noon temperature of 4 ° C for January. Winds were generally west to north west, light to fresh and total rainfall was 56 mm. Frost was experienced on 14 occasions.

WORK ON THE LINKS

General

The winter programme procedures returned closer to normal following flood clearance in the middle of the month and the three courses were reopened with a full 18 holes by Friday the 21st.

Championship Course

11th Fairway Landscaping

Turf replacement on the raised fairway area and around the relevant bunkers was completed in January. Some top dressing was applied to turf joints and the whole area was rolled.

Bunker Sand

The process of sand replacement continued in rebuilt bunkers.

Bunker Revetments

Bunker revetments carried out during the month included :-

1 left hand side 9th approach
2 right hand side 12th approach
2 on 15th fairway


Turf Repairs

Turf was laid on the run off to the right rear of the 5th green, at the 8th walkway, around the 10th Hogan and in the 15th rough following gorse removal, all following the usual ground preparations.

Iron Sulphate

An iron sulphate dressing was applied to greens, surrounds and teeing grounds in the middle of the month.

Aeration

Greens and surrounds were slit tined in the latter half of the month.

Mowing

Greens and surrounds were brushed, cut and rolled near the end of the month.

17th Fairway - Renovation

The flood prone low lying area of fairway short of the green approach was stripped and an underlying silt layer, mostly about one foot thick, was removed to get down to “clean” sand. This layer was obviously impeding water infiltration and thus affecting turf quality and playability. Sand excavated from the Golf Centre site was driven in as upfill before a shallow covering of root zone mix. The area has recently been turfed over to afford a very worthwhile improvement.

Standing Water Clearance

Standing water and ice was pumped and / or pushed from flooded greens, surrounds and fairways as required following a combination of keen frost and heavy rains. This procedure applied to greens, surrounds and fairway areas on all three courses. Burn flood debris was cleared from the 17th and 18th fairways.

Burnside Course

Bunker Revetments

The old faces on the 16th greenside bunkers were excavated and work progressed with rebuilding. The head on the front right hand side bunker was lowered and material driven to the 15th tee extension. Similarly, with the left hand side bunker which was split into two with reduced height. These reconstructions are near completion with the softer landscaping fitting in well with the green and surrounding contours. Turf was laid on the bunker heads at the 12th green approach and the old face was removed from the bunker at the 13th approach. Late in the month, many bunkers were cleaned out and bunker floors cultivated as required.


13th Fairway – Completion

The small sections outstanding at the 13th fairway project were prepared and turfed over as conditions improved.

Drain – 6th Hole

The drain running along the left hand side of the 6th hole was rodded to maintain maximum flow which aided water movement from the adjacent fairway.

15th Tee Extension

Remaining turf was cleared from the 15th tee and the extended tee prepared by way of the usual levelling, firming and raking. Turf has just been re-laid on the tee table.

Iron Sulphate

An iron sulphate dressing was applied to greens and approaches at the end of the month.

Burn Flooding

Burn flooding again affected the 3rd and 4th holes in the middle of the month which commissioned the usual pumping procedures followed by assorted debris and silt clearance.

Buddon Links Course

11th Hole Developments

Turfing continued around fairway and approach bunkers along with the swale behind the green which replaces the original bunker. The former mound position to the left of the hole which was lowered previously for improved bunker visibility was prepared and turfed over.

8th Greenside Bunker

Turfing was completed around this new bunker at the right hand front of the green.

10th / 13th Bunker Development

The area between the two rebuilt bunkers at these greensides was fully prepared and turfing is underway.

3rd and 18th Tee

Further transportation of road metal from the Open Contractors’ Compound was carried out along with appropriate shaping at the tee site.

Aeration

Greens and approaches were slit tined towards the end of the month.

Greens Mowing

Greens were brushed and cut on the 27th of the month.

Turf Repairs

Several worn areas around the 11th and 13th greens were re-turfed in the usual manner.

Main Irrigation Pipe Re-Routing – 1st Hole

The main irrigation pipe feeding the practice putting green was re-routed around the new Golf Centre construction. A trench was excavated and the 63 mm MDPE pipe with control cable was installed and the trench backfilled.

Environmental Work

Gorse cutting constituted the bulk of environmental work in January and for weather reasons was concentrated in the first half of the month.

Holes involved were:- 9th, 15th and 16th on the Championship Course, 8th, 10th 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th on the Burnside Course, 5th, 7th, 11th and 15th on the Buddon Course. Gorse roots were removed behind the 15th tee on the Burnside Course and young broom growth was strimmed in heather areas on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th holes. The dead willow tree stump was removed and turf laid over on the right hand side of the 5th hole while bramble was strimmed back generally. Cuttings were chipped as normal.










John S Philp
Links Superintendent