Greens Report
Greens Report June 2023
We have had a difficult time on the course during May and the early part of June so it is worth reflecting on the circumstances and explaining the reasons for this. The course appeared to be in good shape for the coming season during April but once again the weather conspired to delay the anticipated good condition. Many will say why does this happen every year and I think this view deserves an explanation.
The green treatment was carried out early this year and involved thatch removal rather than the customary hollow tining. Alongside this we started to use Attraxor, which is a growth retardant that also inhibits the growth of Poa Annua grasses and minimises their flowering. Poa flowers when it is under stress and this is caused by the cold climatic conditions which we experience during May. Even though daytime temperatures have been rising we still have cold temperatures at night which have inhibited growth. The Attraxor has reduced the Poa growth resulting in bare areas and uneven surfaces but due to the treatment the flowering is noticeably less this year. It is essential that we break the cycle and replace the Poa with bent grasses which grow at a lower temperature and are essential to a good smooth playing surface. The objective is eventually to change our greens to predominantly bent grasses and over seeding with bents is already underway. This process will take time but we should see a gradual improvement year on year. Some greens have been affected more than others and ironically they will probably be the quickest to improve as it is the removal of the Poa that is causing their poor condition. You may say that this never happened years ago but the fact is that the climate is changing and the conditions in May are now very much different than they were 10 years ago. There is no quick fix but we believe that we have the right plan for the future. Other clubs, such as Mere and Warrington, have been using this treatment for a few years and are now starting to see the benefit, which gives us confidence in our plan.
We have also seen problems due to machinery breakdown resulting in less than satisfactory course maintenance. The machines were sent for service and sharpening in April, which is the normal and correct practice. Due to the age of our machines a service does not prevent problems and we subsequently saw breakdowns when the machinery was brought into full use. These breakdowns could not be predicted and because of the age of our machines we cannot get a full repairing extension to the warranty on them. The answer is clearly to replace the machines and the owners are aware of the importance of this action.
The irrigation system is now in full working order and is being used nightly on all parts of the course. 450 tonnes of water are being distributed on the course each day which puts great demands on our water resources. We are allowed to abstract water from Basford Brook but this has only been possible during the wet periods and has been used to keep the reservoir topped up. Once the brook gets low in dry weather a float switch prevents abstraction of water so we can't use that route when we most need it. If we have a prolonged dry spell it is possible that we will not have enough water to carry out full irrigation and Ash will have to be selective in the areas that he irrigates. The answer is to have another water source and to this effect initial investigations have been done on installing a bore hole to abstract water from under the ground.
Unless we address these 3 issues we will find ourselves in the same position in the early part of every year. This is not meant as a criticism of the owners, who have already invested considerable money in the course, but simply a statement of the facts. I believe that a practical way to address these issues is possible and I hope that we can look forward to improved future conditions in the early part of the year.
The green treatment was carried out early this year and involved thatch removal rather than the customary hollow tining. Alongside this we started to use Attraxor, which is a growth retardant that also inhibits the growth of Poa Annua grasses and minimises their flowering. Poa flowers when it is under stress and this is caused by the cold climatic conditions which we experience during May. Even though daytime temperatures have been rising we still have cold temperatures at night which have inhibited growth. The Attraxor has reduced the Poa growth resulting in bare areas and uneven surfaces but due to the treatment the flowering is noticeably less this year. It is essential that we break the cycle and replace the Poa with bent grasses which grow at a lower temperature and are essential to a good smooth playing surface. The objective is eventually to change our greens to predominantly bent grasses and over seeding with bents is already underway. This process will take time but we should see a gradual improvement year on year. Some greens have been affected more than others and ironically they will probably be the quickest to improve as it is the removal of the Poa that is causing their poor condition. You may say that this never happened years ago but the fact is that the climate is changing and the conditions in May are now very much different than they were 10 years ago. There is no quick fix but we believe that we have the right plan for the future. Other clubs, such as Mere and Warrington, have been using this treatment for a few years and are now starting to see the benefit, which gives us confidence in our plan.
We have also seen problems due to machinery breakdown resulting in less than satisfactory course maintenance. The machines were sent for service and sharpening in April, which is the normal and correct practice. Due to the age of our machines a service does not prevent problems and we subsequently saw breakdowns when the machinery was brought into full use. These breakdowns could not be predicted and because of the age of our machines we cannot get a full repairing extension to the warranty on them. The answer is clearly to replace the machines and the owners are aware of the importance of this action.
The irrigation system is now in full working order and is being used nightly on all parts of the course. 450 tonnes of water are being distributed on the course each day which puts great demands on our water resources. We are allowed to abstract water from Basford Brook but this has only been possible during the wet periods and has been used to keep the reservoir topped up. Once the brook gets low in dry weather a float switch prevents abstraction of water so we can't use that route when we most need it. If we have a prolonged dry spell it is possible that we will not have enough water to carry out full irrigation and Ash will have to be selective in the areas that he irrigates. The answer is to have another water source and to this effect initial investigations have been done on installing a bore hole to abstract water from under the ground.
Unless we address these 3 issues we will find ourselves in the same position in the early part of every year. This is not meant as a criticism of the owners, who have already invested considerable money in the course, but simply a statement of the facts. I believe that a practical way to address these issues is possible and I hope that we can look forward to improved future conditions in the early part of the year.