Pitch marks!!

Please fix your pitch marks, as well as all the issues that go along with an unfixed pitch mark, the lack of golfing etiquette shown is horrendous!!

Big greens Spring renovations

Brilliant effort by the guys today to get the spring greens renovation done in one day.  The greens where cut, top dressed, solid tined, double brushed, rolled and fed.  This frees up the rest of the week to work on the bunkers and get them back in play.

Finished surface after work.

Wee greens renovations

Today we tried out a new way of solid tining & top dressing greens.  We tried out the new process of how we do things   on the wee greens before we carry out the same work to the big greens on Monday 21st March.  Generally in years gone by we would have top dressed after tining but this year we will swap the processes about.  This means we will dress first then tine after, this will stop wheel rutting from the top dresser as the surface tension will be 100% and not be disturbed already.  This also ensure that the holes are open and clean as the weight of the top dresser can close the holes that it runs over.  The wee greens then had a double brush and a feed behind.  This seemed to work well and I'm confident to use the same method on the big greens this coming Monday. 

Fairways bunkers at 2&11

The fairway bunkers on the 2nd have now been refilled with fresh sand.  As you will remember these bunkers were contaminated with quite a bit of debris and the sand quality wasn't the best.  We  removed the sand, reshaped the base and then lined with upside down turf to help prevent new contamination.  

The fairway bunkers on the 11th have now been emptied and the bases reshaped, weather permitting we will line the bases with upside down turf next week.

My American Adventure.....

Recently I was lucky enough to be selected for a delegation to represent Bigga at the GIS (golf industry show) in San Diego.  This was generously sponsored by Bernhards the world leaders in grinding technology.  There were 10 candidates picked from all over Britain and I was lucky enough to be the only Scottish golf course represented.  I can safely say it has been the highlight of my greenkeeping career.

Day 1, we were lucky enough to play golf at Encinitas ranch golf course, this was a lovely course in the hills on the outskirts of  San Diego, shame about my golf though.......   

Day 2&3, we had 2 days of seminars.  Day 2 "advanced stress management strategies for cool season turfgrasses" this was led by one of the world leading turf physiologists Bingru Huang from Rutgers university and by Course superintendent from Echo lake Chris Carson.  Day 3 "gadgets and gizmos - how to best use measurement technology" this was presented by Douglas Karcher and Michael Richardson both from the university of Arkansas.  Both these seminars were very informative, they gave so many ideas that I can use to improve my golf course.  This also gave me an insight into the industry in the states and battles they have to keep the grass alive and presentable!

Day 4&5, we spent these days at the GIS trade show, this is quite simply massive!!!  We split into groups and took turns to man the Bigga stand.  It was tremendous to see so many existing and new products, also it was a great opportunity to meet and speak to other turf professionals. 

Day 6&7, the final two days where spent on golf course visits.  Day 6 we visited Virginia country club and Lomas Santa Fe, both of these courses where magnificent and the course superintendents gave up there time to tour us around.  Day 7 we visted Torrie pines which had just hosted the farmers that had over 600'000 spectators during the tournament.  This was quite simply stunning, both the courses and scenery!!  The course super gave up his time and gave us a guided tour, it's unbelievable to think he is only 31 years old!!

This trip was an amazing experience that I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to go on.  I feel very luck to have spent time with the other delegates,  they are a top bunch of guys that I'm lucky enough to call friends now.  We ranged in age, golf course type and  budgets but I learned so much from the guys and hope they took something from my experience as well.  As you can imagine I've got hundreds of photos from the trip, if anybody ever fancied me boaring them I will them a personal slide show lol

What the golfers don't see....

With the weather being quite wet this week and soaking the ground we have concentrated on some "shed" jobs to ensure we are ready for the coming season.  We have been putting our cutting units through the grinders and getting the markers/tee posts ready for the forth coming season.

Tree limbing

I've got a fair bit knocked out with the chainsaw this week, next time your out on the golf course you will notice the trees have been limbed on 2,3,6,7,8,13,14,16 & 18. This promotes vertical growth and makes it easier to maintain around and play shots from/through.