Golf Course Manager – Kenny Harper
The Golf course is beginning to look like a golf course again. We are still experiencing some overnight frost at times but also some lovely days with some nice temperatures for this time of year. All surfaces have received various applications of fertilisers and soil improvers to help wake them up from the winter. Grasses are now growing which is what we want to see this time of year.
Greenkeepers need growth to work with to improve surfaces. The greens have come through the winter well with lots of healthy looking grasses. There are areas of fairways etc that are still showing the damage of thinning from the drought last summer. We will be overseeding these areas to help them recover and monitoring them throughout the season.
Green staff have recently added around forty new trees around the golf course. I have plans to look at our tree plantations and possibly new shrub beds around the golf course to add a bit more colour to improve the presentation and aesthetic feel of the course. New machinery is still arriving to help the greenkeepers maintain and improve. One machine to look out for is the sprayer. It is a top of the range sprayer fitted with GPS controlled nozzles. These nozzles stop overspray and waste of chemicals. Obviously good for accurate applications and the environment. We are studying all automower options which are becoming the norm on many golf courses. Our large feature trees can cause signal problems for the automower, but this is improving therefore they may become an option for MH in the future. We will only consider them if they improve the golf experience for members and guests.
I would like to encourage members, throughout the season, to help look after the golf course. Repairing pitch marks is important and we are already seeing some signs of them not being managed by golfers. There is nothing green keepers can do to repair this type of damage. We all want smooth greens to play on, and pitch marks are by far the biggest cause of bumpy greens.
That’s the end of the lecture let’s get on and play golf and hope the weather stays nice for all to enjoy.
Kenny
How to Properly Repair a Ball Mark | USGA Rules of Golf
Steps to Properly Fix a Pitch Mark:
• Use the Right Tool: Utilize a divot repair tool to gently work the edges. (Divot Repair Tool available to purchase in the Pro Shop)
• Pull, Don’t Lift: Insert the tool just outside the back and sides of the mark and pull the surrounding turf toward the centre.
• Avoid Root Damage: Do not lift or pry the centre of the pitch mark up, as this destroys the grass roots and creates a brown, slow-healing spot.
• Finish with a Putter: Once the turf is pulled together, tap the spot gently with your putter to flatten the surface
