Tee construction on Rosemount 6 and 7

Trolley Damage to Greens

I have tried to keep ropes around the main greens down to a minimum this winter because they are a nuisance to both golfers and greenkeepers but this is the result, golf trolleys pulled over them.

Lansdowne primo maxx application

After a couple of years of convincing i have decided to trial a product called Primo Maxx on the Lansdowne greens. It is a turf growth regulator which reduces top growth of the grass plant. By reducing top growth through the day the green speed should be more consistant for golfers at all times of the day. Not only does Primo MAXX inhibit vertical growth, but actually diverts plant growth downward into the root system to produce increased food reserves and lateral stem development. This in turn produces a thicker, healthier sward that better equips your turf to withstand temperature extremes, moisture loss, traffic and wear and tear, and even helps in the management of Poa annua.

Wildlife

A little wagtail has decided to set up camp behind the exhaust on one of our tractors. One egg so far.

Lansdowne irrigation burst

As some of you will have seen we have had to excavate a trench at the rear of the 6th green on Lansdowne. This is due to a burst irrigation pipe caused by roots growing around and into the pipe itself. The ever growing trees around greens and tees are a big issue with our irrigation as tree roots push, bend and crack pipe as well as dislodging the pipe from its joints. This maybe a problem we come across more often as the pvc pipe that was installed over 30 years ago only has a recomended life span of 20 years and is becoming more brittle year after year meaning the pipe has almost no flex left. This is just another problem with having trees too close to greens and tees and the reason some trees have been taken out over the past few years and highlights the importance of planting trees away from irrigation lines.

Wee Course Winter Work

We have now completed phase 2 of our drainage work at the second hole. This work consists of adding pipe work to the base of the left hand bunker. As it is a very low lying area it becomes very wet and the natural water table is just below the surface, so during periods of heavy rain the bunker becomes unplayable. It also has water draining into it from the pipework from the higher ground all around it. To prevent this from happening we have dug out the base and added a gravel channel to a depth of 7 inches below the level of the pipework and 7 inches above it. We then lifted the bunker base to match up with the top level of the gravel and added a woven hessian sheet across the whole surface of the bunker base to prevent the sand from entering the drainage system. We then raised the bunker face and bunker banks to maintain continuity, its now has been re-turfed. We have introduced a surface drain into the edge of the green on the right hand side in order for us to pull out the drain plug during periods of heavy rain to prevent the green gathering water and maintain play.

Winter Tees

We have built a forward winter tee at the 7th hole and introduced a huxley mat into it to be played on during early winter and early spring when we are playing on full greens. We have built a further winter tee with a huxley mat on the top side of the 7th to be used during winter play.

Heather Regeneration

5th and 8th holes on Rosemount 

Cutting out broom between trees and amongst heather to help heather regeneration and keep young trees healthy.

Before

After

ROSEMOUNT 5TH

 

 

 

As you may have noticed the birch tree has been removed on the 5th fairway on the Rosemount Course. After much deliberation from the greens committee and advice from David Douglas it was decided to be removed because of the tree being in an unhealthy state.

On 21/01/15 the tree was cut down, debris cleaned up and the tree root removed.

When the tree was being cut, it was one of the easiest trees to cut up as the stem was hollow inside and rotten which made removal very easy. The decision to remove it was certainly the correct one, not just as a health and safety issue but it definitely was unsafe as every time we have strong winds there is always broken branches and debris lying in the surrounding area of the tree.

The young tree that was planted a few years ago to replace the removed birch is now growing strong and will be the perfect replacement.

Dead deer

Recently our staff have had to remove a dead deer from the course, after inspection it looks like the deer had been bitten several times on its rear and neck by what looks like a dog. The deer had been purposely covered in broken branches, moss and hidden in bushes. Could we ask that if anybody sees dogs chasing deer around the area please report it to a member of staff or the police. We take great pride in the wildlife we have on our courses and will protect it the best we can. This is a serious offence and dog owners must keep their animals under control at all times when exercising them! 

Junior Ryder Cup

And it all kicks off for us here at Blairgowrie GC

New range at carsie

Some pictures of our new practice range with 5 indoor bays, a grass tee which is currently for driver use only and 2 practice bunkers. There are also 4 raised target greens to hit to.

Rosemount Greens

You may have noticed on some of the Rosemount greens, the 9th being more noticeable, that there is patches of grass discoloured. Initial diagnosis suggest that it is called 'Ghost Grass'. We will be monitoring these greens over the next few weeks.

This disorder is mostly commonly observed on maintained and closely mown areas including greens, tees and fairways.

With similarities to some diseases it is worryingly at risk of misdiagnosis, costing time and potentially expensive pesticides, conditioners and fertilisers that ultimately have no effect, or possibly exacerbating the effects.

The disorder is not widely researched in UK turf.

In the UK it is mainly referred to as ‘Ghost Grass’.

In the United States there are two names used, some refer to the disorder as Mad Tiller, however, since around 2005 it is routinely named by experts as Etiolated Tiller Syndrome (ETS).

The cool-season grasses that are readily named as susceptible to ETS are mainly reported as:

Annual Meadowgrass (Poa annua), Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and Smooth-Stalked meadowgrass (Poa pratensis).

Leatherjackets

Over the past few days we have seen signs of leatherjackets on the greens over the courses. They are the larvae of the crane fly and cause damage by chewing at the roots of the grass plant and also chewing the leaf as they come out of the ground at night.

Leatherjacket

Leatherjacket as it emerges from the ground and into its adult form of the crane fly.

Adult crane fly

Spring wildlife

Some spring ducklings are on the way. 

Course maintenance Lansdowne

This week we have been hollow coring the Lansdowne greens with 8mm micro tines. This was done using a toro pro-core followed by the core collector and then a verti-cut to remove any remaing debris from the green.

Coring 17th green

Core collector

Verti-cutting