October Green Keeper Update

Having reviewed the update for last month its clear that now with lower temperatures and some rain the course is beginning to improve and is getting good grass growth in many areas. We have seen very little rain and fluctuating temperatures with cold dewy mornings and warmer day times which is prime conditions for fungal disease. Luckily there are no signs at this point of any disease but it is sure to come at some point.

We took the opportunity in late September to over-seed the main bare areas on the fairways and bunker surrounds, it will be early enough to get a flush of growth before soil temperatures change and germination stops. We also have vertidrained tees and greens this week in order to help drainage and also to help root growth. We will be verti-draining the fairways in October in order to help drainage for when we finally receive consistent rain.

In September we got back to cutting the fairways which is essential to stimulate the grass into growing so that we have good coverage before frosts check the grass growth.

The greens are visibly going into autumn and the poa annua grass is starting to loose its colour and there is a clear difference between the Poa and the greener fines and bents. At this time of year we raise the height of the cut on the greens by 1mm and in October we will be cutting every other day as growth will be sporadic. Today the first morning temperatures were 4c which is a degree or so off frost as some of the greens in the lower parts of the course will be a lot cooler.

By the time of the next update we should be fully clearing leaves across the course and hopefully we will have seen more rain to naturally help the course.