On the greens we have sprayed a fungicide to control and prevent disease which is active at this time of year under these damp warm days, if not treated the scares will persist through the winter months so making control essential work. A follow under spray will take place in October to continue our preventative programme. After cutting the enviro-rough coarse weed s like thistles were becoming invasive  which although a good food source for some small birds  if allowed to dominant would inhibit golf ball retrieval, so a selective weed control has been applied.

We have scarified the fairways to open the surface and remove the thatch and then a soluble fertiliser will be applied to feed and harden up the sward for the winter months, a slit tining programme will take place at regular intervals as the weather allows. This has already taken place on the greens.

 Craig scarifying the fairways

slit-tining greens

 

We had burst hydraulic pipe on the 5th vixen fairway while it was being mown, this left some oil burn lines, which will grow out, the pipe was quickly removed and replace with little down time

We are working  on finding and repairing the leak on our irrigation system near the 1st tee heron. and restoring the area back to normal

There are two public footpaths which cross the golf course allowing the general public to walk  through. I recently saw a group of ramblers using one of these paths on the 3rd hawk.

September is a good month to forage and this year has been particularly good for apples of which there are many trees and varieties on the course as well as blackberries. The greenstaff have already had jam and pies from them.

6th vixen

3rd hawk

I recently attended a seminar along with with other staff from across the country at Thorpness golf club in Suffolk who were the 2012 overall winners in the STRI Environmental awards to see and discuss the work they have been doing in this area while maintaining there course

Thorpness discussing the heather management with Bob Taylor STRI ecologist

 

I recently took the photo below on the 6th hawk of a common female Darter dragonfly, we have a variety of species if you look around