COURSE REPORT March 2009:

WEATHER:     20mm rain. 

The regular falls in February dried up in March with very little moisture falling from the sky. Results from NZSTI report mean more regular and vigorous renovations need to be carried out on greens to reduce the organic matter that has built up over previous years. This was the cause of the collapsing areas on most greens over summer. Also she commented on the obvious irregularities with irrigation coverage on tees and greens but recognizes the lack of funds to undertake such works. A course redevelopment plan needs to be put in place to help work towards these goals.

A special thanks to all the volunteers who came and helped during renovations, great effort, thank you gentlemen.

COMPLETED WORK:

q       Course grooming. The Fairways were cut weekly and greens daily. Tees are mown weekly and rough fortnightly.

q       Greens. All greens were scarified with 3mm wide blades to a depth of 50mm.

q       Seeded all greens with Troy Browntop @ 60gm/m2.

q       Fertilised greens with Andersons Turf Starter @ 2.2kg/100m2.     

q       Sprayed Fungicide as a preventative for Fusarium.

q       Sprayed Aquaturf as a monthly wetting agent program.

q       Sprayed Diazinon for Grub control.

q       Verticut @ 2mm

q       Dusted greens weekly after renovations.

q       Machinery. Replace steering cable on Greensmower.

q       Landscape. Volunteers have started clearing around trees on mounds at #3 and 8.

q       Other. Leveled sunken area on #16 Blue tee.

q       Water meter report for 3 months ending March submitted.

q       Continued to spray Blackberry.

APRIL AGENDA:

q       Course. Core tees and selected rough areas.

q       Dredge creeks to clear of all weed.

Herbicide application to fairways, tees and roughs where necessary.