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Portsmouth Golf Course
February 2021
First and foremost we hope this course report finds you well, and that you and your families are keeping safe.. As this lockdown continues and the golf course remains closed, members of the greenkeeping team have been retained to ensure the upkeep of the course continues. The safety and welfare of the team has been our number one priority as we now look to approach potentially the later stages of lockdown 3.0. This month’s blog from our Head Greenkeeper features:
- Tree & scrub management
- Spring maintenance on greens
- Investment into new machinery
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Tree & scrub management
One of our main projects has been to remove scrub and improve the appearance of certain areas of the course. We have removed all the scrub from the right-hand side tree line on hole 2, exposing the full splendour of the beech trees and enabling the wild flowers to flourish. This will also allow an easier recovery shot from the area from any wayward tee shots. We have also cleared areas of scrub area behind the 4th green, in front of the 6th men’s tee and the right-hand side of the 9th ladies’ tee all along the ditch line. The 9th ditch line to the right of the hole as you play it, has also been cleared and is flowing to its full capacity which is vital as our winters seem to be getting wetter and wetter by the year.
Spring Maintenance
Greens have been slit tinned 3 times since lock down which keeps the surface clear of excessive rainwater helping root development, allowing a gas exchange and promoting growth. We have also had a soil sample taken from our greens recently which will be sent off for analysis. From this we will receive a report which forms part of our maintenance program and ensures our putting surfaces are getting the correct maintenance at the correct time.
Forming part of our spring maintenance, contractors will be in March time to deep tine and deep scarify all of our greens. This vital process alleviates compaction and rips out unwanted thatch and moss from the surfaces. We will follow up the contractors work by overseeding bare areas and top dressing the greens brushing in for the spring recovery.
Repairs to the irrigation system are ongoing. The split pipe on the 9th fairway is priority as is the gate valve to the 8th tee and 10th green. All work will be complete before the system is primed by Easter.
Teeing areas have benefited from the period of rest since moving onto winter mats. All areas in need received a heavy dressing of soil and seed to encourage recovery after the busy 2020 season. These areas look alot better in preparation for when we reopen and conditions allow.
All other areas of the course are being mowed to maintain integrity of the turf. We blow leaves and clear debris especially on the heavy tree lined holes such as 17 and 18 which enables us to keep the shape on these holes in particular. Just like previous lockdown periods we will carry out essential maintenance inline with industry guidelines. Before we reopen we will also attend to our bunkers ensuring they are all edged and will either add or move sand to improve appearance and playability.
Investment into new machinery
This year we have invested in a new Articulator Deck which mounts onto our tractor and keeps our longer grass areas tidy and in shape. This will be a great addition to our fleet and accompanies our new greens mower that we received late last summer. We are also looking to introduce eight new electric buggies. The new buggies will be more economical and increase our fleet to 12 in total. These may not be available for when we reopen but will be phased in shortly after. We are also looking to invest in additional machinery which we will have some news on very soon. Exciting times with lots going on !
As always, thanks for taking time to read our latest report. Rest assured we are working hard behind the scenes to make sure the course is ready for reopening. We look forward to seeing you all soon, stay safe.
This project is just part of Glendale Golf’s commitment to providing an even better experience for our community of golfers. Find out more about how you can Reconnect Through Golf in 2021:
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