The extreme wet weather has promoted a lot of moss and algae on greens, tees and fairways. The spring weather will be an ideal time to initiate some moss control with the application of sulphate of iron products to kill off the moss spores, following up with some light scarification/ verticutting to remove the dead moss as part of the spring renovations
Mowing operations will have begun in earnest, however the frequency and height of cut will be dependent on the areas being mown and the type of sward composition you have.
Cutting regimes will increase in intensity to keep on top of grass growth and to maintain desired heights of cut. Once temperatures have risen above 8 degrees C, the grass plant will begin to photosynthesise, making use of any available plant nutrients in the soil.
Key Tasks for March
Maintenance
Greenkeepers will be gearing themselves for their spring renovation works and preparing the course for the coming playing season. Hollow coring, solid tine spiking and topdressing will be the order of the day, however you do not want to be smothering the sward with too much topdressing material. Make sure you thoroughly brush and dragmat the material well down into any holes, leaving a clean level surface.
It is time to recommision your watering systems, making sure you have trimmed around all sprinkler heads, removing any grass growth that may affect their operation, also looking out for heads that have sunk and will require re-levelling.
Irrigation: Check and monitor all sprinkler head controls/valves to see that they are working, and check the spray patterns and timing of each and every sprinkler head. Also check any manual systems, hose pipes, sprinklers and pumps. Trim around sprinkler heads to ensure they can operate. Ensure the whole irrigation system is inspected and serviced prior to the new season starting, do not leave it too late to arrange your service requirements.
Ponds, lakes and streams: Inspect all water features on the course, cleaning out any unwanted debris and litter. Check all ditches and brooks, make sure the water is running easily, remove any debris that may affect the flow of the streams, brooks or ditches.
Leaf collection: Continue to clean up tree debris from playing surfaces. It will be necessary to clean up this debris by sweeping or caning the playing surfaces. Daily inspections should be made to check on tree debris during stormy weather. Most golf courses have a range of sweepers and blowers that can be used for leaf and debris collection.
Tee boxes, pegs: All tee boxes, tee pegs and competition markers should be inspected daily, cleaned and moved to new positions as required. Ensure all tee boxes and pegs are cleaned/repainted for the forthcoming summer season. Inspect signs, especially warning signs, remember to check that they are still valid and lawful.
Tree Planting: It is now coming to the end of the tree and shrub planting time (March), particularly for bare root material. Ensure you have prepared the planting pits to accommodate the root ball of the tree and the tree is well staked. Be prepared to water these trees, ground conditions can soon dry out in the spring.
Mowing
Mowing frequencies will vary from daily to twice weekly operations dependant on the growth of the grass and the standards set by the course manager. Mowing heights may vary depending on local conditions, type of course, course expectations, sward type and mower type.
The mowing heights are a guide and will be subject to local weather conditions, but remember not to remove more than 1/3 of total grass height in each cut. The less stress that is placed on the grass at this vital time the better the results further on into the season. Mowing height will depend on type of course and the standard of play required.
- Greens. Mowing height should be maintained at around 3-5mm.
- Tees. Mowing height should be maintained at around 10-15mm.
- Banks. Mowing height should be maintained at 22-30mm
- Fairways. Mowing height should be maintained at around 15-25mm.
Rough, Semi rough grass areas will need to be mown and tidied whilst making sure you keep reducing build up of clippings by cutting little and often with a rotary or flail.
Changing of holes should be carried out regularly, however frequency will be dependant on a number of factors, green size, green construction, tournaments, amount of play and condition of the green. During wet periods it is likely the hole will wear more quickly and is more apparent if the green has thatch problems. The hole will tend to wear quickly and form a depression caused by the placement of the golfers' feet, this is when you may be looking to change the hole positions more than three times per week during wet periods.
Aeration
- Greens. The type of aeration undertaken in March (solid or hollow tine) will be dependant on the condition of the green. However, many greenkeepers usually start the season with some hollow core aeration, followed by topdressing with a compatible 70/30 material, applying between 1-2 tons per green. It is essential to keep the greens aerated to maintain air and gas exchange in the soil profile, thus improving the drainage capabilities of the greens.
- Tees. Aeration of tees will continue with some greenkeepers hollow coring their tees and topdress with some 70/30 compatible material to restore levels.
- Fairways. When the ground conditions are favourable, aerate with solid tines to increase air and gas exchanges in the soil profile. Encouraging deeper rooting of fairway grasses is important with deeper rooted grasses being more likely to overcome stresses.
Bunkers
Inspect, weed and rake bunkers; repair any damage from rabbits or other animals, maintaining the sand up the face of the bunkers to prevent erosion and sand loss. Some golf courses experience flash floods during heavy rain, leaving many bunkers in a poor state (washing out sand from bunker faces). Repair works may be necessary.
Most Greenkeepers tend to follow a traditional spring fertiliser programme which may be applied in either granular or liquid formulations. Some may well have already applied slow release products, something like a 30.8.8, which will activate when soil and air temperatures rise.
An application of a liquid iron fertiliser may be applied to the greens to give them some early season colour and harden them up a bit. Some seaweed meal can also be applied. Take care when applying fertilisers, calibrate your spreaders/sprayers to ensure they are applying the designated rate of product. Also ensure you do not overlap when applying, thus double dosing your sward.
Pest control: Pests scrounging for food can cause a lot of damage on turf surfaces. Foxes have been known to regularly dig up old hole placements, night after night. Moles and rabbits are still very active. Birds feeding on grubs and insect larvae can cause severe surface damage.
Badgers, once active, can cause a lot of damage. They can be very destructive when searching for food. Because badgers are a protected species, it is important you contact the local badger society for advice. They can help you find a solution to your problems. It is common for greenkeepers to set up feeding trails to entice the badger from feeding near or on the greens. This was achieved by laying dog food underneath a piece of wood which, over a period, was gradually moved away from the green.
Inspect and clean machinery after use; service and repair damaged machinery. There is always new machinery coming onto the market, most dealerships will be glad to demonstrate their machinery to you. Take the opportunity to see and try out new bits of kit, especially if you can see it working on your own site. If you cannot afford new, there are many companies which specialise in second hand machinery. The reputable ones will allow you to trial before committing to a purchase.
With spring renovations planned, it is important that the club have secured materials (seed, rootzones and fertilisers) and storing them in safe secure areas.
Pitchcare provide a range of courses suitable for golf courses. In most cases, the courses can be held on site using the club's own equipment and machinery.
Some of the courses available are:
Chainsaws - CS30 and CS31
H&S Refresher Training on Combined Turf Care Equipment; Tractors and Trailers; All Mowers (Ride-on and Pedestrian)
Machinery Courses on ATVs; Tractors: Brushcutters/Strimmers; Mowers (ride-on and Pedestrian)
Pesticide Application (PA courses)
Stem Injection of Invasive Species (Japanese Knotweed etc.)
Basic Trees Survey and Inspection
More details about all the courses can be found here, or you can email Chris Johnson for information.
Amenity areas: Tidy up any flower and shrub borders around the club house and entrance. Spring flowering materials, such as pansies, bellis, polyanthus and wallflowers can still be planted, but don't delay. First impressions are important, the first areas a customer generally sees when entering the site are the beds and borders.
Inspect Course structures: The course, clubhouse, car parks. Check and repair fences, seating, shelters, bridges, litter bins, shoe and ball cleaners, signs and tee boxes.
Weather Stations: It is important to keep daily records of information collected. Keeping a diary of air temperatures, sunlight hours, wind speed and rainfall are essential. This information is a valuable resource for making important management decisions. Remember to service and calibrate your weather station, check with suppliers for any upgrades or services.
Woodland and conservation areas: Strong winds can damage trees on golf courses. Inspect and repair or remove damaged trees and/or limbs. Check deer and rabbit guards on whips and saplings. Make a thorough check of general shrub and tree health and contact your local arboriculturalist if required.
Artificial Tees and Mats / Artificial Grass Systems: Some golf clubs may still be using winter tee mats. It is important to keep them clean and free of debris. Regular sweeping and brushing. Remove any algae and moss from surface. Sand filled systems require regular brushing to maintain manufacturer's recommendations for sand levels and pile heights.
Rubber Tee Mats: Keep clean. Some clubs have portable winter tee mats, best to clean before storing away.
