The auther of the article, John Nicolson is the person the club employed to oversea the planting schemes next to the car park and the 15th hole.
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Tree work
It's that time again for us to continue with our tree and woodland management programme. I know this is unpopular with some of the members, so I have posted an article from Pitchcare magazine in November. This explains in great detail why we remove trees at Hopwood.
The auther of the article, John Nicolson is the person the club employed to oversea the planting schemes next to the car park and the 15th hole.
The auther of the article, John Nicolson is the person the club employed to oversea the planting schemes next to the car park and the 15th hole.
Friday, 6 December 2013
Pitchmarks
At this time of year the surface of the greens can soften due to rainfall and lower temperatures. Added to this, the lower temperatures result in little or no growth to aid recovery from any damage.
This is why it is even more important to repair any pitchmarks you make on the greens.
The picture below shows a fresh pitchmark and 2 unrepaired marks. It could well be April before they recover.
This is why it is even more important to repair any pitchmarks you make on the greens.
The picture below shows a fresh pitchmark and 2 unrepaired marks. It could well be April before they recover.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Sunday, 1 December 2013
November 2013
It's been a busy month on the course. Our plans to drain the 12th & 14th greens have been put on hold due to the wet weather in October. There's no point in making a mess and the quality of the work suffering due to wet soil conditions.
We have plans to do some remedial drainage work on some of the greens in the next few weeks, but more about that next month.
Trollies.
It has become apparent over the last few years that members trollies are getting heavier and bigger. During the winter months this creates many problems with traffic management and wear on the golf course. With golf being a 365 days a year sport, many heavily trafficked areas require a rest to help them recover. This is the reason we attempt to control movement around the course using white lines. Unfortunately, human nature always tends to take the shortest route.
Worn area due to trolley traffic at the back of the 15th green.
Next week, we will putting out ropes to shepard golfers away from these areas. We know they are unpopular (they get in our way too), but they are a necessary evil on an inland North West golf course.
We are not the only clubs who use them as the below pic from Royal Liverpool last week shows.
We have plans to do some remedial drainage work on some of the greens in the next few weeks, but more about that next month.
Trollies.
It has become apparent over the last few years that members trollies are getting heavier and bigger. During the winter months this creates many problems with traffic management and wear on the golf course. With golf being a 365 days a year sport, many heavily trafficked areas require a rest to help them recover. This is the reason we attempt to control movement around the course using white lines. Unfortunately, human nature always tends to take the shortest route.
Next week, we will putting out ropes to shepard golfers away from these areas. We know they are unpopular (they get in our way too), but they are a necessary evil on an inland North West golf course.
We are not the only clubs who use them as the below pic from Royal Liverpool last week shows.
Another issue with trollies, are the smooth wheels which in wet ground conditions spin and smear the surface damaging the turfs natural drainage. Many clubs have now introduced a winter wheel policy and it is the club's intention to implement this for next winter.
More information about this change will be posted on the club's notice boards throughout next year and Brian in the Pro's shop will be providing many options for trolley users.
Self Seeded trees.
Due to the size of the site at Hopwood, the self seeded Birch and Oak trees can quickly get out of hand and before you know it large areas have become copiced. This year we have had a chance to dig out over 7,500 plants varying in size from 1 - 6ft high. The time spent doing this will have a major impact on the course in future years. We have to do a lot of work in this area just to stand still. The photo below shows the dip in front of the 5th tee's where we removed over 50 young trees.
Winter mats.
From Monday the 2nd December winter mats will be in use on the fairways. The 1st, 5th, 7th, 10th & 11th fairways must be played with a mat from the fairway. The remaining holes will be marked with white lines. Shots inside these areas must be played from a mat. This should help our fairways stand up to winter play and preserve the turf for next spring.
Friday, 18 October 2013
16th Green drainage work.
The 16th green has suffered for many years with drainage issues, despite being set on a slope, the green suffers from large amounts of run-off water moving across the surface of the green. Many attempts have been made to solve the problems, including installing a series of drains around the back and side of the green.
This week we have installed a new piped drainage system into the green which we have connected into all the surrounding drain channels.
We surveyed the green before we started to make sure the main drain was placed in the lowest part of the green. Something which had never been done before.
This week we have installed a new piped drainage system into the green which we have connected into all the surrounding drain channels.
We surveyed the green before we started to make sure the main drain was placed in the lowest part of the green. Something which had never been done before.
We installed over 125 m of 80mm diameter perforated pipe in trenches 250mm wide and 750mm deep.
Weather depending, we intend to carry out work on the 12th & 14th greens.
Drainage issues.
Long standing members may remember the drainage work which was carried out on the 5th, 8th, 11th & 16th greens back in 2001.
The work was carried out by a contractor using a system called "Turfdry". The system involved inserting "ribbon" drains into multiple narrow channels at a depth of 400mm. The "ribbon" drains measure 150mm x 25mm. The photos below show the material and the drains exposed in a trench.
The problem with the system is the drainage channels are so narrow they quickly become contaminated with fine particles and the water never manages to reach the "ribbon" drains.
When we exposed these drains this week, out of a total of 20 lines only 3 had water in them.
The work was carried out by a contractor using a system called "Turfdry". The system involved inserting "ribbon" drains into multiple narrow channels at a depth of 400mm. The "ribbon" drains measure 150mm x 25mm. The photos below show the material and the drains exposed in a trench.
The problem with the system is the drainage channels are so narrow they quickly become contaminated with fine particles and the water never manages to reach the "ribbon" drains.
When we exposed these drains this week, out of a total of 20 lines only 3 had water in them.
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Autumn renovation work.
It's that time of year when we carry out the essential renovation work on the greens.
Many of our members despair when we start this, but I will run through the reasons why it is so essential.
1. Golf is the only sport played on turf that does not have a closed playing season. All other sports:- Football, Tennis, Bowls, Cricket etc have a large window of opportunity to carry out the essential work that is needed following a seasons play.
2. Compaction, thinning out of the surfaces, thatch build up and sickly Annual meadow grass can all be dealt with during this renovation work.
3. Ideally, this work is carried out in the height of the growing season (August) to speed up recovery, but due to fixtures and the levels of summer play the work is pushed into September.
4. We need warmth in the soil to aid seed germination and help the recovery process.
We start by solid tining the greens to a depth of 300mm with 12mm diameter tines. In the past we have used larger tines, but these have proved too disruptive for the time of year.
We then deep scarify the greens with 3mm wide blades using a pedestrian Graden machine to a depth of 20mm. The debris is blow off the surface and removed. This leaves the grooves open to receive the seed (Bent & Fescue) which is then covered with pure sand dressing.
The dressing is then dragged and brushed into the surface to smooth and bury the seed to protect it during germination.
We then roll the greens repeatedly to again smooth and restore the surfaces.
It is then up to mother nature and the weather to do their stuff.
I know this work is disruptive but the greens have improved year on year following this programme of improvements. Without this, thatch and compaction would build up and disease and Annual meadow grass would become real issues on the greens.
Many of our members despair when we start this, but I will run through the reasons why it is so essential.
1. Golf is the only sport played on turf that does not have a closed playing season. All other sports:- Football, Tennis, Bowls, Cricket etc have a large window of opportunity to carry out the essential work that is needed following a seasons play.
2. Compaction, thinning out of the surfaces, thatch build up and sickly Annual meadow grass can all be dealt with during this renovation work.
3. Ideally, this work is carried out in the height of the growing season (August) to speed up recovery, but due to fixtures and the levels of summer play the work is pushed into September.
4. We need warmth in the soil to aid seed germination and help the recovery process.
We start by solid tining the greens to a depth of 300mm with 12mm diameter tines. In the past we have used larger tines, but these have proved too disruptive for the time of year.
We then deep scarify the greens with 3mm wide blades using a pedestrian Graden machine to a depth of 20mm. The debris is blow off the surface and removed. This leaves the grooves open to receive the seed (Bent & Fescue) which is then covered with pure sand dressing.
The dressing is then dragged and brushed into the surface to smooth and bury the seed to protect it during germination.
We then roll the greens repeatedly to again smooth and restore the surfaces.
It is then up to mother nature and the weather to do their stuff.
I know this work is disruptive but the greens have improved year on year following this programme of improvements. Without this, thatch and compaction would build up and disease and Annual meadow grass would become real issues on the greens.
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