Merry Christmas!

A busy week in the lead up to the Christmas period with greens and fairways receiving applications of fertiliser. Greens, tees and fairways have also received an application of wetting agent to help with water infiltration over the coming weeks. Bunkers have been edged and most areas of the course have been cut in preparation for the short Christmas week.

The men's 15th tee is now open for play, along with the new concrete path down to the tee and  the anniversary path leading up to the 16th tee. The new concrete path alongside the 11th tee will be opened for use once we have landscaped along both sides of the path.There are still a number of smaller jobs that need to be completed before all of the project work is complete but we can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who takes the time to read the blog updates a Merry Christmas from all of the course staff, and if you are finding these course updates informative and the photos interesting please tell your friends and playing partners.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Major Project Work Almost Complete

A number of people have asked me recently about why there has been an abscence of blog posts over the past two months. The simple answer is that as well as all of the regular course maintenance tasks, we have also been exceptionally busy with all of the additional project work going on around the course and I have found it very hard to justify spending time in front of the computer to carry out the numerous administration tasks needed in my role as Course Superintendent. Having said that, now that the project work is almost complete my aim is get back in the swing of again producing regular blog posts.

	October 2012	October 2011	average
Rainfall	27.5 mm	33.5 mm	62.5 mm
Year to Date	812 mm	759.5 mm	765 mm
No. of rain days	4	7	-
Average Temp.	22.6°C	21.4°C	-
Average Humidity	64.8%	65.6%	-

	November 2012	November 2011	average
Rainfall	13.5 mm	21 mm	38 mm
Year to Date	825.5 mm	780.5 mm	803 mm
No. of rain days	4	7	-
Average Temp.	26.3°C	27.1°C	-
Average Humidity	60.2%	58.3%	-

As can be seen from how quickly the course has dried out and from the data above, the past two months have been exceptionally dry. This year's total spring rainfall has only been 86.5mm, compared to our average of 192mm. this has meant that this has been our 6th driest spring since we started keeping records in 1970, a period of 42 years.

As I have already mentioned, as well as trying to balance all of the jobs needed for the general maintenance of the course, the main emphasis for the course staff over the past two months has been focused on major projects and working with contractors to complete the various works and numerous additional tasks needed to complete the works around the course. I would also like to take this opportunity thank all of the volunteers who have helped throughout the duration of the works.

                                    

 Irrigation installation - 15th fairway

Below is a list of tasks that were completed during the irrigation installation, re-building of the tee and re-shaping of the approach on the 15th hole -

• @1300m² of sod was harvested from the 15^th approach prior to the re-shaping work and re-laid on -
• 6^th tee (625m²)
• 5^th mounds (315m²)
• 15^th pumpshed mound (360m²)
• @1100m² of sod was harvested from the practice fairway and re-laid on –
• 15^th tee (420m²)
• 15^th dam bank mounds (400m²)
• 15^th pulley path end (180m²)
• 9^th path end (100m²)
• Install drainage lines to 15^th approach (x3)
• 2000m² of imported sod was laid on the re-shaped 15^th approach.
• 6^th tee enlarged and re-levelled (including retaining wall edge and irrigation upgrade).
• 15^th tee rebuilt (including retaining wall edge).
• Re-shape and sod path ends on 9^th and 15^th holes
• Mound soil alongside new concrete path from 9^th tee in preparation for sodding

 Drainage installation to the 15th approach

 Looking back from the 15th green at the 15th earthworks

Laying the sod on the 15th approach

 Looking back at the finished article from the green