Huxley Mat Prep Work

We are busy preparing the base for a new Huxley mat which is being installed soon on our Driving Range.

Fairway Aeration and Sanding

This week we have started Aeration and Sanding on our fairways . 19mm thick tines are being used to a depth of 250mm , this will improve water percolation and promote deeper rooting grasses. The Sanding helps to pull the water down and firm the surface up.

Annual Maintenance Work 2017

This year we have hollowcored greens with 13mm tines then overseeded . 

After we hollowcored and overseeded we did an additional overseeding with our Vredo . The seed we used for both operations was BARFescue.

We have had good success this season with 2x overseedings of Johnsons All Bent and plan doing a final pass next week. Bent overseeding is far less disruptive so this will not have any negative effects on the healing of our surfaces after the recent hollowcoring.

Spiking Greens

We have been out spiking greens today , lots of rain recently so this will help pull moisture through the profile .

More Bent Overseeding

Today we have been out overseeding browntop bent into our greens again , with the normal topdressing of sand going on as well : )

Overseeding Browntop Bent

Today we have double spiked the greens and popped some browntop bent into the little holes created , after this a topdressing of sand was applied brushed in then the greens were cut.

 

 

Vertical Cutting of Greens

Today we have been out verti cutting the greens , over the last week we have seen increased levels of Poa Annua seed heads and lots of lumpy lateral growth of Highland Bent . This operation helps to lift and remove both the seed heads and Highland Bent giving us smoother surfaces . This time of year is always the most challenging when managing a traditional mix of grasses on an old links course .

 

 

Demonstration of Spider Mower

Cruden Bay has to be one of the most undulating golf courses on the planet ! This throws up a lot of health and safety risks for mowing bankings around our course . With this in mind we have had a demonstration of a remote controlled Spider Mower which can can safely operate on severe gradients, the machine on the day performed even better than I had hoped !!!!

 

 

Screening Divot Mix

It's a lovely dry day for screening divot mix .

 

May Day Overseeding & Topdresssing

It's been a lovely dry morning for overseeding more fescue into our greens . Wiedermann Terra Float puts lots plant pot holes into the sward , then seed is bradcast and astro dragmatted in . The turf iron is run over the greens then a dressing of sand to Finnish.

 We ideally like to do a couple of overseeding applications throughout spring to keep the Seedbank high moving into early summer, this helps to compete against Poa Annua which naturally seeds in May /June.

 

 

 

Weedkilling on the St Olaf Greens

Today we have applied weedkiller to the St Olaf greens the target weed is Pearlwort , which will require a follow up spray and overseeding to fill in the gaps. The greens won't look great for a while when the chemical starts work but intensive overseeding will help fill and close in the gaps .It is very hard to see the weed in pictures as it's green and blends in with the sward to the untrained eye !!!   

Weedkilling at Daisy Bay !

No frost today ! It's perfect conditions for spraying. No wind ,dull/cloudy and no rain forecast.  

Weedkilling is a constant battle and as with many courses it's the daisy which is the most prominent.

 

Scottish Spring Time

The last few days we have had early morning frosts ,this keeps soil temperatures low and knocks back any early season growth on our greens . The secret is for both Golfers and Greenkeepers to be patient through this period until Mother Nature is ready.

 

Overseeding Greens April 2017

We are popping in some Fescue with our Dyna Seeder Units .

 

Any spoil is pulled into the holes with our astro drag mat .

 

Weed killing and Bunker Maintenance

This week we have been busy weeding,burning and topping up sand levels on our bunkers.

 

We have also been spraying fairways with a Herbicide to control Daisies.

 

Gorse Clearance

  We have been out with our new Rytec Flail Collector cutting some areas of gorse . 

Rolling the 17th Tee

 

The re levelled tee at the 17th is getting a roll on a fine sunny morning.  :  )

Turfing the raised Medal Tee at the 13th

Turf was delivered first thing this morning and Turfing began shortly after to the Tee top and paths.

January Update

@Crudenbaygolf bunker work on the St Olaf and Marram planting on the raised 13th white Tee. #topgreenstaff