18th surround

We have been busy during the last few weeks working on improving the area around the 18th green.  Previously, the whins had encroached to such a degree that a ball missing the green by only a few yards would often end up lost or unplayable.  An area of whins were dug out, the area landscaped, marram transplanted and turf laid.  There are now new interesting run-off areas giving the golfer several options should they miss the green.

 

Hard at it!



Through the back



Prepped and ready for turf.





The high winds of last week created a few problems for us.  Several round bales from the neighbouring farmland found their way down to the right hand side of the 12th hole.

New hazards at 12th





Rubber Matting On The 10th Pathway

At Cruden Bay we have done a lot of work in the last 3 winters to improve the pathways /walkways on our course changing them from gravel to grass, astroturf or rubber matting .

Heavy rain caused health and saftey issues with ruts and wash outs regularly requiring valuble labour time to repair.

The gradient was lowered on the first stage of the path.

The pathway was preped turfed and matted.The grass grows through the holes in the mat creating a firm anti slip  surface to walk on.

After several months this will look like a grass pathway.

Revetting Bunkers

This week we have made a start at refacing/renewing the three greenside bunkers at the 17th Billin` Wallie !

                     

Rubber Matting

We have recently installed rubber matting on the exit of Hamish`s Bridge.

This area gets very heavily worn and needs returfing at the end of every season, by installing rubber matting this year we will not have to returf it again saving time and labour costs!

The grass will grow through the matting and once it thickens up you wont be able to see the mat.

St Olaf Greens Maintenance

Today we have started to scarify the St Olaf Greens were going about 13mm deep and taking out a lot off organic matter .After this has been removed we are overseeding and topdressing them by hand .

Maintenance Week

We have had the main course shut from Monday to Thursday to crack on with our Autumn Greens renovations this included  15mm Solid Tining + Overseeding  then Disc Seeding with the Charterhouse 804 and lastly Topdressing .
      All greens approaches were either solid tined and overseeded or Hollow cored and Overseeded depending on thach levels .
     Fairway Overseeding continued throughout the week .
Several wet spots around the course will be drilled and filled to aid drainage with a Post Hole Auger Loaned Very Kindly By Royal Dornoch Thanks Eoin.

Overseeding Fairways

Weather this morning was perfect for seeding fairways no dew first thing and no rain forecast till late afternoon.

               

A Great Strike !

The two pictures below were taken before cutting in the morning and show very well what a great strike we have achieved from the latest Overseeding.

Overseeding Fescue.

Today we are overseeding the big course greens with Fescue .

                                          
 The John Deere Aerocore is used to make thousands of small plant pots at about 2 inch square spacings and about 1 inch deep.

                                   
 We then use a broadcast spreader to apply the seed and a light dose of poultry manure.

                                 

 This is then astro drag matted  into the holes ,after this a turf iron is used to consilodate the surface then topdressing is fired on and astro drag matted in.

The  final clean up involves a cut with the triple mower and a vibro roll in behind.                                                        

Rescue

Four weeks to the day we sprayed the chemical called Rescue(Pinoxaden) on the big course greens this was done too clean out primarily Rye grass on several greens but also some yorkshire fog and scruffy Highland Bent.

                                          1st Green 2.5 weeks after spraying .

                                     2nd Green 3 weeks after spraying.
Overseeding has been intensified on all the weaker areas for the last three weeks to get these infested areas filled in /closed up with finer grasses ASAP.                                                                                                                

Ragwort Weather !

Today it has rained constantly ,so ive taken the opportunity to put a light Granular Feed on the Greens 8-0-0 .

The rest of the Team have been picking Ragwort "Stinking Willie". In Scotland its called this because its said to have spread in the path of William Duke of Cumberland`s Culloden Campaign.

                                      Michael & Jimmy hauling it out ! 

Dyna Seeder Units

Last week we had Demonstration of the Dyna Seeder Units these are the Mk 2 Model and are a vast improvement on the Mk 1 for Fescue Overseeding !

In Action on the 7th Green .

Deputy Paul Marshall  In Test Mode!

Challenge Cup Week

This is our 4 Day Open Event with 140 entrants battling it out, the best golfer will win The Challenge Cup 1st played for in 1901.

I will try to upload a few pictures through out the week off us setting the course up.

Kenny Raking The Greenside Bunker on the 14th

Jimmy Cutting The 15th Green Blin` Dunt

Paul Changing The 9th Hole Hawklaw

The Greenstaff Divoting The 12th Fairway Finnyfal

The View Down The 13th Fairway  Bents

Jim Ironing The 17th Green