My first week in the role has been productive, making progress with jobs such as scarifying the greens twice over, reshaping the fairways and finding the centres of these areas. The cuts have been managed a lot better by lowering the machines to give a closer clean cut. The weather has also been good which has helped the growing season kick in.
Due to work that was previously planned but not completed before my arrival we are approximately one month behind schedule this is partly due to weather conditions and only having two staff members also.
To get back on track with the maintenance schedule and for the benefit of the course I have changed the greenkeeping staffs working times to 5.30am start. The reason being is that this will allow no interruptions for the golfers during play and will keep the bunkers, greens, fairways, tees and aprons maintained before play. I have taken the half day Friday out of the working times this will now be as every other shift a full working day.
From the above changes being made I have already received positive feedback from members and staff from how much improvements are already showing. This gives me the right prompts and is greatly appreciated and will help me to continue to do what’s right for all concerned at the Golf course.
To do lists this month
Green Maintenance
Spike (aeration)
Light top dressing
Feed
Lower the higher cuts
Tees Maintenance
Spiking
Top dress and seed
Aprons Maintenance
Scarify
Top dress
Spike
Overall General Maintenance
Trim sprinkle heads
Trim yard markers on fairways and tees
Strim the dykes
Strim the trees
Strim the posts
Weed kill areas
Edging bunkers
Machinery
Now I have had a chance to look at the machinery and along with Graham Gilson's advice, I feel that the Proflex rough machine will cause long term detrimental wear and tear on the tractor. We recommend that this is sold asap to raise funds for a machine that will be right for what we require.
There are other machines and equipment that we do not need and would suggest also selling these to raise funds and generate money for the correct equipment.
Tees and Re- turfing
In my opinion it is now too late to do this job as this should have been done 2-3 month ago when the tees were built. The reasons are mainly that water is not going to be easily accessible to it and if we suffer a dry spell it will cause the turf to not knit together.
To help resolve this issue we could try and seed them which could possibly work and be more cost effective. We will level them off again, seed and update you with the progress.
Subject to weather conditions we may get these in play this season however this cannot be promised.
I the next few weeks I will however do my best to get the ladies tee on the 18th playable.
Course Walk
It has been discussed with the committee that a full course walk will take place on Sunday 30th April and the aim is to create a plan for the next 3months, 6months, 1 year and 5years.
This will cover all ideas in drainage work, hole development, bunkers, tees, and trees etc. This will all be put into a report for the committee to review and then publish to the members when it is agreed.
