Friday 13th !!!! April 2012

LINKS SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT FOR MARCH 2012

WEATHER

March was an excellent month with record noon temperatures (12.5° average) and very low rainfall of 12.5 mm for the month.  Winds were again light to fresh predominantly westerly.  The last week of the month was abnormally warm and sunny with temperatures near 20° C.

WORK ON THE LINKS

CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

Greens

A spring fertiliser mix containing a 6:0:12 compound fertiliser, seaweed and bone meal was applied to all greens with weaker greens also receiving an application of an organic based 5:2:8 fertiliser.

Due to the warmer weather cutting regimes were more frequent and intense that would be normal for March with the greens also being brushed prior to mowing on 3 occasions to refine coarser growth. Rolling took place on 3 occasions.

A light top dressing was applied in the middle of the month and the monthly conditioner program of wetting agent and organic supplement was commenced.

Approaches & Surrounds

These areas were aerated using ½” cross tines and the approaches received a spring feed.

Weak walk-offs were mini-tined & top dressed, with recycled rubber crumb also being applied to these areas to help improve wear tolerance. These walk-offs were also fed with a nitrogen/seaweed mix.

Fairways

Weak, trafficked and new turf areas were midi-cored & top dressed as well as being aerated with the hydro-ject.

Divot scars remaining from last season were filled with soil & seed prior to the start of the new golfing season.

Tees

Mossy tees received an application if iron sulphate and the 12^th Ladies/Green tee was hollow cored.

All tees were top dressed towards the end of the month.

Roughs

The rough behind the 16^th green and either side of the 18^th fairway received an application of 12:0:9 fertiliser. The Rolawn roughs either side of the 9^th received a similar application before being hollow cored and top dressed.

·        Large areas of Sea Lyme were strimmed and raked up

·        Winter traffic routes were verti-drained

·        The rough over the ditch at the left of the 4^th hole was sprayed with the graminicide “Rescue” to help control agricultural grasses prior to any wild flower seed being sown

Bunkers

Sand was shaped and stone picked.

Newly built bunker faces were hand watered regularly

New turf patches

All newly turfed areas were fed & top dressed and were hand watered regularly.

General Work

The area to become a turf nursery at the left of the 5^th hole had the vegetation removed and used to create a screening mound and to fill in the road which used to run alongside the gorse further back the hole. This area was then levelled off.

Ditches were cleaned and the burn wall at the 10^th, 17^th & 18^th was pointed with cement where required.

Fence repairs were carried out as required, Astroturf edges were tidied up and irrigation sprinklers were trimmed and raised as required.

The 3 remaining fuel tanks at the maintenance facility had protective brick walls built around them.

Bridges

John Imlay officially opened the bridges he donated on the 10^th hole on March 12^th.

Scottish Greenkeeper Conference

Craig Boath, Mark Reynolds, Stephen Sutherland and I attended the Scottish Greenkeeper Conference in Dunfermline where we listened to some excellent presentations including one on the development of the golf ball from John Philp.

BURNSIDE COURSE

Bunker Maintenance

Bunkers were trimmed and faces brushed in the usual manner followed by sand shaping after sand topping up where required. 

Turf Repairs

Some ryegrass patches were “headed out” on the 3^rd green early in the month and rabbit scrapes were plugged as required.  Following the usual preparations, the filled in bunkers on the 7^th and 13^th holes were turfed over. 

Bunker Revetmets

The only bunker revetments carried out in March were the pair on the right approach to the 6^th green. 

Aeration

Aeration work during the month involved star-tining fairways and green walk-offs.  Trafficked areas generally were mini-tined. 

Top Dressing

Greens were top dressed during the month as were re-turfed patches, the re-laid 14^th tees along with the 5^th and 6^th fairways, followed by brushing in. 

Mowing

All playing surfaces were mown as required during the month which amounted to more often than normal in the prevailing fine weather.  Greens were rolled regularly and roughs were brushed while the burn bank was strimmed as required. 

Fertiliser

Greens received a dressing of Ammonium Sulphate and certain weaker greens were treated with the organic fertiliser tX10 in addition.  The new turf on the 13^th fairway along with certain tees and other turf patches were also dressed with an organic based fertiliser (6-4-8).  A lawn sand mixture was applied to all tees. 

Turf Conditioner

The turf wetting agent, Revolution, was applied to greens to commence the summer monthly programme, as per the other courses.  An alternative product ‘Dispatch’ was used on approaches with liquid seaweed and liquid iron added. 

Primo Maxx

The growth retardant,  Primo Maxx was applied to greens as an initial treatment to be carried out 3weekly through the season.

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous jobs carried out during March included driving dune sand to the compost shed, screening sand, processing divot mix, trimming round sprinklers, turfing round bore hole meter chambers, setting up equipment,  filling ground down stumps with compost and seed and hand watering.  Remaining divot scars were filled on all courses in the last week of the month, 

BUDDON LINKS COURSE

Insecticide

A preventative insecticide was sprayed on greens as a precaution against lestherjackets.

Aeration

Verti-drain aeration using 8mm tines continued on greens, approaches and winter tees all followed by rolling.  Green surrounds were mini–tined and top dressed.

Top Dressing

Greens and approaches were top dressed followed by matting in.

Turf Conditioner

The turf wetting agent Revolution was applied to greens as per the other courses and later in the month greens were treated with an iron sulphate dressing.

Bunkers

Bunker maintenance was carried out as usual allied to sand topping up where required.

New Bunker – 14^th Fairway

The new bunker to the left of the 14^th hole was constructed during the month with some low contouring connecting to the existing mound beyond. 

Minor Turf Repairs

Turf repairs were completed on the 1^st tee and a bunker face was repaired on the 16^th fairway. 

Mowing

Greens, approaches, tees and fairways were all mown as required during the month with certain greens rotary brushed prior to cutting.  Greens were rolled regularly.  The ‘Amazone’ flail mower was used to cut rough in the area of the new holes construction. 

Irrigation

New turf areas were watered during the month as were greens when required.  Sprinklers were checked for operation and arcs adjusted as needed. 

Fungicide

Certain greens received a fungicide spray later in the month for fusarium control.

Environmental Work

Young trees were planted in the 6,7,16 triangle behind the 4^th tee on the Burnside Course and behind the 9^th green and alongside the 10^th tees on the Championship Course, all taken from excess within the 2^nd hole plantings on the Burnside. 

The spoil heap to the left of the 6^th hole, Burnside, was shaped in preparation for a May sowing and low growth was  trimmed from the willows on the 5^th hole.  Several stumps were dug out from within the 6,7,16 triangle and ground down stumps to the left of the 9^th hole on the Championship Course were turfed over. 

Trees were removed on the ditch line to the right of the 12^th hole on the Buddon Course within the new holes development.  Similarly gorse wes cut back in the area of the new 12^th fairway.  Arisings from clearances were initially chipped but subsequently were gathered due to the volume of material.  Marram sprigs were planted within the previous sand excavation area in the 18^th carry Buddon, as well as to the right of the fairway bunkers on the 7^th hole and on the new mounds to the left of the 10^th carry on the Championship Course.  Reeds were cleared from the pond behind the 4^th green Buddon and the adjacent “beach” area was cleared of weeds and mossy growth.  Sections of Barry Burn on the 5^th and 17^th holes, Burnside Course were cleared of the usual bottom weed, watercrowfoot which has developed early this year due to the warmer than normal temperatures and low water levels.

John S. Philp

Links Superintendent 

Saturday 31st March 2012

This week has been all about getting the course ready for the opening of the summer season.

Tees top-dressed, brushed in and cut before all the furniture goes back on.

Hydroject work still on-going on winter traffic routes and fairway bumps.

Irrigation ploughed in to the new nursery at the 5th hole.

Fence line strimmed along with the ditches.

Greens sprayed with the start of the monthly wetting agent treatment.

Greens cut ready to go.

Good to see the Fairway and Rough Technicians (F.A.R.T) back!

New flags, cups and boxes are all out.The start of the season is here.

2nd hole

 

Even the ducks are excited about the new season.

3rd hole

2nd green

4th and 14th green

6th green

Monday 26th March 2012

Last week of the winter course this week. The forecast is looking very good temperature wise.

Over the past few weeks we have busy coring, top dressing and getting ready for the new season.

New turf at the 17th fairway midi tined, brushed up and top dressed. The same procedure (with rubber crumb added in) applied to new turf areas, walk off areas and any weak areas.

The Hydroject has been out on walkways and fairway bumps.

A homemade special mix was made up for the greens and approaches and put out.

Irrigation up and running. Sprinklers here and there being raised up.

We have created a new turf nursery area at the 3rd,4th,5th triangle.

This area will be a nursery for fairway turf.

Elsewhere, coastal defences are being improved by Angus Council in a bid to stop further erosion.

http://www.angus.gov.uk/ac/documents/roads/SMP/B-2-7.pdf

Mechanics are busy installing safety barriers around the shed.

The Imlay Bridge at the 10th is opened by John Imlay and former Chairman Gordon Murray.

Friday 16th March 2012

LINKS SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2012

WEATHER

February was a fine month with a predominantly westerly airflow mainly light to fresh and only 8 overnight frosts all in the first 2 weeks of the month. Average noon temperatures were a little up on normal at 7.5 ° C and rainfall was low with a total of only 20mm for the month. Burnside and Buddon Courses were closed on the 5^th, 6^th and 9^th of the month due to ice over frozen ground.

WORK ON THE LINKS

CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

Drainage

The drainage installation at the start of the 7^th fairway was completed early in the month.

Burn Wall Raising – 10^th Approach

The burn wall adjacent to the 11^th tee to fairway walk-way was raised by two kerbs to match the 10^th approach side of the burn. Turfing to the wall was completed following sand infill.

Turf Repairs

 Some “heads” were required on the 3^rd green approach and divot scars were similarly repaired on landing areas at the 1^st, 3^rd and 7^th holes. The section of access road running in front of the 10^th tee was turfed over as was the track in the gorse to the left of the 5^th hole.

Mounding - Left Of 10^th Walkway

Following final sand cover this separation mounding from the 3^rd green Burnside was turfed over with fescue turf.

Aeration

Greens were slit-tined followed by rolling whilst the new turf laid on the 7^th fairway was mini-tined, top-dressed and rolled.

Mowing

Greens were brushed, cut and rolled twice during the month while green approaches and winter greens were mown once. Tees were mown as required and roughs were brushed.

Bunkers

Grow covers were removed from bunker faces during the month and sand topping-up progressed on re-built bunkers. The two bunkers at the 9^th greenside were filled with the trial sand mixtures as agreed.

Top-Dressing

Fairway sand top-up dressing was carried out in the second half of the month with certain fairways receiving an additional dressing.

Hand Watering

The unusually dry weather for February resulted in the need for hand-watering on re-turfed areas generally.

Bridge Repairs

Ditch crossing bridges on the 2^nd, 5^th and 6^th holes were repaired as required.

Turf Conditioner Treatment

Granular wetting agent and seaweed was applied to bunker faces and tops along with repair patches and “heads” as required.

Ditch Bases

Gravel was used as a ditch base covering to suit new levels on the 2^nd, 3^rd and 5^th holes.

Spring Fertiliser

Tees were dressed with a mixture of ammonium sulphate, iron sulphate and seaweed. This lawn sand mix was applied to higher parts on fairways and around the 16^th green. A 4-6-8 organic based fertiliser was used on trafficked tees, bridges, approaches and new turf on the 3^rd and 18^th fairways.

BURNSIDE COURSE

14^th Tee

Turfing was completed at the beginning of the month on this re-modelled teeing area and irrigation control valves and boxes installed accordingly. A line of MP rotator sprinklers were installed on the green walk-off towards the tee at this time.

Aeration

Greens were solid-tined with 8mm pencil tines during the month while verti-drain aeration included certain walkways and fairways using ½ ̎ solid tines.

Bunker Revetments

Bunker revetments during the month included

One on the 2^nd green approach

One at the left hand side 3^rd green

One on the left hand side 4^th fairway

One on the right hand side 12^th fairway

Irrigation

The irrigation installation running to the right of the 17^th green, adjacent to the 17^th green on the Championship Course, was updated with new smaller sprinklers with restricted throw to suit this narrow separation strip of turf. The two remaining bore hole meter chambers were constructed on the 5^th and 17^th holes.

Top-Dressing

All fairways were top-dressed with our own screened dune sand followed by brushing-in as usual.

Mowing

Greens, green surrounds and teeing grounds were cut during the month as well as the new turf on the fairway. Greens were rolled on several occasions.

3rd Green – Rear Right Repair

The flood prone dip to the right rear of this green was raised following silty top-soil removal and suitable sandy replacement. The coarse turf to the base of the adjacent mound was replaced also.

BUDDON LINKS COURSE

Mounding – 5^th Greenside

This mounding was re-shaped before turfing over with fescue turf in the first half of the month.

Turf Repairs

Turf repairs included turfing along the walkway edge of the previous sand extraction area in front of the 18^th tee and the irrigation track on the practice tee where pipework and sprinklers were re-adjusted following the Huxley Tee Turf installation.

Mowing

Greens and winter greens were cut and rolled during the month.

Aeration

The main aeration work during the month was the verti-draining on greens using 8mm pencil tines, followed as usual by rolling. Par 3 walkways were verti-drained also.

Bunker Maintenance

Bunker maintenance involved the usual blowing of faces and general tidying in conjunction with topping-up with a bunker sand mixture from our sand supplier H. King – Kilwinning.

Ditch Work

The main focus during the month along with environmental work in the early part of the month was ditch excavation and associated pipework.

The ditch track was excavated at the 8^th hole running alongside the 8^th green and on to meet the ditch next to the service road at the corner of the practice tee. The first 50 metres or so was piped using 300mm reinforced pipe backfilled and turfed over. The remaining section was left as open ditch and the side walls were turfed over with turf revetments formed where necessary. This work proved to provide a much better outlet to the ditch running alongside the railway than the alternative going under the service road near the gas sub-station.
The ditch behind the practice tee and either side of the gas sub-station was cleared out to appropriate base levels.
The pipe running under the service road at the 12^th green walk off was lowered to suit lowered ditch level and two concrete pipes were installed at the ditch crossing close to the 6^th tees leading into The Championship Course.

ENVIRONMENTAL WORK

Further routine environmental work was carried out in the first 10 days of the month due to the frosty conditions.

Gorse was coppiced on the 1^st, 8^th, 11^th, 12^th and 17^th holes on The Championship Course, the 6^th, 8^th, 12^th and 15^th holes on The Burnside Course and the 6^th, 13^th, 8^th and 11^th holes on The Buddon Course.
Broom was strimmed back on the 14^th hole of the Burnside Course and round the Buddon Course generally.
14 dead trees were removed from the 6/7/16 triangle on The Burnside Course as was the overhanging limb to the rear of the 13^th tee. Blown trees on the 6^th and 11^th holes of The Buddon Course were cut-up and all arisings were chipped at the skip site close to the western boundary.
The spoil heap was tidied up and suitable access road re-established alongside.
The chipping site opposite the 13^th tee on The Buddon Course was cleared and planted-up and this chipping site relocated to the sand storage area near the spoil heap.
Log stacks were placed at the 7^th hole.
All bird boxes were cleaned out early in the month.

John S. Philp

Links Superintendent 

Wednesday 29th February 2012

Not long until the start of the season now.

Been a while since my last post so here is a run down off what we have been up to.

Dangerman Jimmy has been out re designing grass heaps for the new golfing year.

At the 10th, more sand was driven in, the area was shaped, tramped and raked and ready for turf.

Back at the base, the tractor shed was getting a facelift. New panels replacing the faded and bashed(probably Jimmy) ones.

Turf arrived from Inturf.

http://www.inturf.com/testimonials/carnoustie-golf-links.html

Areas turfed at the 11th wall,

and down at the trackway

and mounding at the 10th.

Ditch work is still on-going, digging out the gravel/silt and replacing with fresh gravel.

With the mild winter there was not so much heading out divots on fairways this year.

Landing areas at the 3rd, 5th and 7th were given a quick check.

An old road was removed and returfed at the 5th.

We have two different types of bunker sand trialing at the moment on the 9th approach.

http://www.golf.hughking.co.uk/carnoustie-golf-links

The bunkers on the Championship course are all filled with Tay sand which was dredged from the River Tay near Perth. This proccess was stopped nearly 15 years ago now and we are coming close to using up our remaining stock piles. 

You know its nearly the start of the season when you start shaping bunkers.

All fairways top-dressed using just over 200 tonnes of washed dune sand.

Astroturf matting trimmed up.

Mechanics are busy as usual getting all the units ready for the new season.