Course Work, Renovations & Closures

Key Dates

• 8th hole closed Monday 24 to Friday 28 August
  • 19th hole in play Monday 24 to Friday 28 August
• Course closed Sunday 6 to Tuesday 8 September

8^th Hole Work & Closure

Next week will see the 8^th Hole closed for maintenance from Monday through to Friday afternoon with the 19^th Hole brought into play whilst works are been carried out. With the Spring growing season just around the corner, now will be the best chance to finish off works that were started earlier in the winter before other course maintenance takes priority.

The change of turf on the Tee surround will continue with the cool seasons turf at the front of the Tee replaced with Couch which will link in with the 9^th Green surround.  This turf will be maintained at a close mowing height, giving the area a cleaner, tighter appearance.  The vegetation between the 8^th Tee and 9^th Green will be thinned out and tidied up with some additional plantings taking place.

Tree work will be carried out with the Casuarina and Melaleuca at the front of the Tee having lower branches pruned as well as the Tamarisk short of the Green having some dangerous, lower limbs removed.

The two water hazards will continue to have their edges cleaned out as well as finalising the tidy up of the retaining wall in front of the Tee.

The access track to the fairway will receive some attention, with additional quartz sand laid extending the path right through to the front yellow Tee.

Course Renovations

Our spring renovations take place from Sunday the 6^th September through Tuesday 8^th. Commencing Sunday afternoon, Greens will Hollow Tine Cored and cleaned off by that evening.  Following coring, the Greens will be top dressed with sand and then solid tine aerated, after which they will have the sand topdressing brushed into the aeration holes.  As with the last two Greens renovations conducted, it is aimed to have the Greens back to normal cutting heights within a week of works being carried out.

While the course is closed for Greens renovations, works will also be carried out on Fairways.  This will see these surfaces lightly Groomed twice and then have their height of cut lowered from 10mm to our growing season height of 8mm.  This work is aimed to remove weakened Poa annua, remove surface organic matter as well as to stimulate the Couch from its winter dormancy.  Later in the week, fairways will receive a fertilizer and wetting agent application to promote a quick response from activities carried out.

It is programmed, as with the previous two fairway renovations, to undertake a heavier summer renovation to our Couch surfaces in early December.  This will involve more intense thatch removal and coring, more details about this work closer to the date.

Tim Warren
Course Superintendent