23/12/2011

Friday 23rd December 2011

Well the weather has turned again, a little bit warmer its like spring!!

The last couple of days, we have taken the topsoil and placed to the side of the job at the 17th.

Sand has been driven into the job and levelled with the lute.

Our aim is to raise the whole area, with a slight run towards the burn. This area was prone to flooding if the burn burst its bank.

Yesterday, greens were rolled and bunkers raked. Today, holes were changed and greens/surrounds were sprayed with a liquid iron to keep diesease at bay.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

21/12/2011

Wednesday 21st December 2011

This week the course has been closed on Tuesday and Wednesday so far due to a thick frost and icy puddles on the fairways from the rain.
Very slippy.

Most of the jobs this week include either cutting down gorse or trees.


12 unsafe trees were cut down at the 9th. Branches were chipped on site and logs stored at the Buddon lake.

Areas of gorse at the 6th, 7th, 9th and 12th were cut/thinned out and chipped. 

It's not only golf balls you find in the bushes!!!

Another job going on is at the 10th/12th tee where we are digging out the road and replacing with hard wearing turf.




16/12/2011

Friday 16th December 2011

We are getting all Christmassie at Carnoustie. The tree is up and its the Christmas Doo today.

This week, greens and fairways were cut.

Still a lot of grass for this time of the year.

At the 10th, area was prepared.

Fairway turf going down.

Fluffy Fescue turf going down along the burn edge.

At the tractor bridge, we have put down rubber matting to reduce the amount of wear on the turf by machinery.

Job completed, great going by all the team this week to get it complete.

I am sure Mr Imlay will be happy with his bridges.


In the Workshop, Eric is busy with a few buggies that have been brought in.
Watch out for that ladder!!!!

13/12/2011

Tuesday 13th December 2011

LINKS SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2011
WEATHER
Although mostly cloudy, November was milder than usual with an average noon temperature of 11.5 °C.  Slight frost was experienced on only 2 occasions and winds were generally westerly with an easterly flow dominating the second week of the month.  Rainfall was a little below normal at 47mm
WORK ON THE LINKS

Championship Course

The mild weather conditions meant for good progress in the “Winter Works” programme and the two week course closure was fully utilised.
Aeration

Aeration work focussed on verti-drain treatment firstly on greens using 8mm solid tines with medium heave followed by green surrounds, teeing grounds and certain roughs using 13mm tines.  Near the end of the month verti-draining was commenced on walk-ways using 19mm tines.  Access routes to the works on the 7th hole were verti-drained on completion.

Bunker Revetments

A good number of bunker revetments were carried out during the month and included the following:-

2 on the 2nd fairway right hand side
1 at the second greenside right hand side
1 on the 3rd fairway (central at ditch)
2 on the 4th fairway right hand side
1 at the 4th greenside right hand side

5 on the 5th hole
1 on the 9th fairway right hand side
2 at the 9th greenside
1 on the 10th fairway left hand side
2 at the 10th greenside left hand side
3 on the 14th fairway left hand side
1 on the 18th fairway right hand side (Miller’s)


7th Hole Re-Positioned Bunker / Fairway Section Raising

Work commenced at the start of the month lifting turf in the area of the new right hand bunker position in conjunction with the adjacent poor fairway section.  Re-usable turf was stored nearby while most of the fairway top-soil was stock-piled on site.  Clean sand was transported to the site to raise levels (8"–10") whilst the new bunker was constructed and surrounding contours merged into the adjacent mound.  The inner bunker head was lowered and the original bunker position infilled to suit before turfing over.  The salvaged top-soil along with fresh root-zone mix was spread over the raised fairway section which was re-turfed with material from the 17th fairway along with the salvaged turf from the site.

Top-Dressing

The 9th green was top-dressed at the beginning of the month following the scheduled hollow-tining.  At the end of the month conditions allowed for a commencement to fairway top-dressing involving the 1st, 4th, 11th and 15th fairways, followed by the usual brushing-in.

Iron Sulphate

A dressing of iron sulphate was applied to greens and approaches in the middle of the month.

Fungicide

Greens received a fungicide application during the month with liquid seaweed and a dew prevention product added to the tank.

Turf Repairs

Several turf repairs were carried out during the month.  Rye grass was “headed” out from the 1st , 2nd and 15th green surrounds, whilst Yorkshire fog patches were similarly replaced on the 12th and 13th greens.  Turf repairs were undertaken in the hollow to the right of the 14thgreen and on the track to the right of the 17th green.  Patching was also carried out at certain bridge crossings.

Imlay Bridge / Raising Burn Walling – 10th Hole 

Work continued to complete the new bridge with coping stone and the laying of stone slabs on the walking deck.  Walling was also completed by the end of the month on the vehicle bridge on the left had side of the hole following the laying of a 6 inch concrete screed on the decking.  After the removal of the existing turf along the front and right side burn bankings of the 10th approach sand was driven in to raise these banks as arranged.  Two layers of used kerbs were laid to raise the right side walling to suit the bridge and new banking heights while one layer of blocks was laid on the 10th fairway side of the burn wall, again to suit new surrounding levels.  Following the usual preparatory work suitable turf was re-laid to cover the raised bankings.  Work on the fairway side of the burn is ongoing with the aim of removing the poor quality existing turf and raising the low lying section therein, to allow flood waters to return to the burn effectively.
  

Island Fairway – 17th Hole

Turf from the start of this fairway was cut and removed, some of which was used at the 10th approach.

18th Greenside Flooding

Flood water from the burn overflow was pumped from the left surround of the 18th green on Monday 28th of the month.  Silt removal was also required from greenside bunkers.

Visit to King’s Quarry- Kilwinning and Royal Troon

Myself, S. Mitchell, C. Boath, P. Atkins, G. Lowe and S. Kerr visited King’s Sand Quarry at Kilwinning, our top-dressing sand suppliers, on the 17 of the month, for a tour of their very impressive facility.  We then went on to visit Royal Troon, which was a first for the staff present, where we were shown round by Course manager Billy McLaughlin.

BURNSIDE COURSE

Aeration
Greens and approaches were verti-drained during the month followed by rolling.  A start was made to verti-draining walkways at the end of the month.  Greens were slit-tined also as were the 12th and 15th fairways.

Fungicide

Fungicide was applied to greens in the middle of the month as a preventative measure.

Iron Sulphate

Greens were treated with an iron sulphate dressing at the end of the month.

Bunker Revetment

The only bunker revetment carried out in November was that in the middle of the 12th fairway.

6th Fairway – Raising and Re-Turfing

This work on the 6th fairway section nearest the greens was the main concentration of the workforce during the month.  Re-usable turf from the area (1300 sq mts) was laid out for future requirements.  Some poorer turf was re-laid behind The Golf Centre and on the burn bank at the 3rd hole.  The existing dark layer was excavated to clean sand and was placed in a low section within the adjacent tree plantation, awaiting future finishing for a prospective wildflower sown out area under the “Operation Pollinator” project. Following base rotavation clean sand was drive-in to raise the area some 7"–10" above original levels.  Following the usual firming and shaping seaweed meal and pre-seeder fertiliser was raked into the surface prior to turfing over at the very end of the month. 

Greens

Greens were hand cut and rolled as required to fit in with verti-drain and aeration during the month.

3rd Hole – Bridge and Banking Re-Instatement

The bridge decking was laid on the strengthened railway line understructure which has been repositioned nearer the cycleway/ service road than before.  6' wide concrete decking was used in the restructure.  The existing silty soil was removed from the banking and clean sand brought in prior to turfing over with turf salvaged from the 6th fairway job.  Finally the boundary fence was replaced.

BUDDON LINKS COURSE

Bunker Revetments

Bunker revetments during the month involved the following:

2 at 3rd greenside
2 at the 8th hole left hand side
3 at the 16th greenside
1 at the 18th green left hand side

Bunker Maintenance

Bunkers were tidied and sand shaped as required during the month.

Aeration

Greens, tees, fairways and walkways were slit-tined during the month.

Bridge Replacement

The bridge at the front left of the 8th tee was refurbished with new timbers early in the month following ditch clearance work alongside the tee and beyond.

Greens

Greens were brushed, cut and rolled as required during the month

Course Drainage Developments

There was a major concentration on ditch clearance and drainage pipe installation through the month. The ditch running alongside the 6th hole is currently under excavation to establish suitable base levels as is the extension behind the 6th green and alongside the 13th hole. The ditch to the left of the 7th hole which started some yards behind the 8th tee was developed southwards through the trees and up alongside the 9th green. 6" perforated pipe was laid in this trench, gravel backfilled and sand capped. A lateral using 4" pipe was laid in across the 9th green approach. A similar pipe was installed across the 10th green approach which was run alongside the 10th green surround mounding to an outlet into the cleared out ditch behind the 13th green.

Environmental Work

Environmental work carried out included gorse cutting to the left of the 6th hole, Burnside Course, and gorse chipping. Heather brash previously cut and collected from the Buddon Course was dried on a heated tunnel before screening to produce “cleaned” heather seed for future courses use.




John S. Philp
Links Superintendent 

09/12/2011

Friday 9th December 2011

Well, Hurricane "Bawbag" didn't cause too much problems on the course.

4 tree's down at the 9th, 2 of which were marked for coming down anyway.

Just a lot of mess on the 9th fairway

and on/round about the 10th green.

More sand being driven into the 10th today.
At the end of the day, the temperature feels a lot cooler. Might be a touch of frost tomorrow.

08/12/2011

Thursday 8th December 2011

The frost has stayed with us over the last few days.

Pins still on winter greens. We have started cutting/trimming gorse in a few areas.

All gorse cut so far has been chipped on-site.

 Dangerman is still caressing the heather seed in the shed.

Bunker building is still going on at the 6th(above)

and at the 13th(above).

Adjustments to the bunker at 13th, they must have missed the head again!! Burt Reynolds is getting excited, Xmas doo next Friday.

At the 10th more sand has been driven in with more to follow.

Both bridges have been finished by the building contractors.

Today, it was just a little bit windy. Gusts reaching up to 80/90/100 MPH depending on who you talk to.

So far, just a couple trees on the Burnside down and Uncle Brandy's wig blew off a few times but we will just have to wait and see what the damage is tomorrow. 

06/12/2011

Tuesday 6th December 2011

Little touch of frost on Friday but yesterday it was a little bit harder. Pins were put on the winter greens and it looks like they will stay there today.

At the 10th, the greenside of the burn was all turfed.



Builders have still to finish at the tractor bridge. Looks good.

Work has now started on the fairway side of the burn. Best of the turf saved and poor soil in the low area has been taken away and replaced with sand.

Other brick work going on is at the 17th, this will be our next big job.


Last week before the frost we managed to top-dress nearly all the fairways.

Only the frost stopping us from completing the final few.

Dangerous Jimmy is still at the heather seed.


More modifications to the contraption!


Last week bunkers at the 4th were completed, this week bunkers at the 6th, 12th and 13th recieve a touch of TLC.

Bunkers covered with grow sheets to give them a helping hand during the winter and to hide any shoulders!!!