2019 – September Thurs 26th – Coring Greens & Fri 27th – Working Bee
Coring, Picking-up & Top Dressing
Greg, Scott, Terry & Freebie; The day began at 7.30am with the boys from Turf Conditioning Services unloading in a heavy mist. The long hollow verti-drain tynes were put on and the coring began. With Terry loading the sand into the top dresser Freebie took charge of that area for the first eight greens. The cores came out well and showed our deep coring (2018/19) had left clear layers of sand on the greens and that the roots were generally down 50 – 70mm below the surface. Our greens’ program, (thanks Hugh and Rod) is certainly working.
A spot of mist about as we begin the September 2019 coring.
Scott, pass me the scalpel, this needs careful work.
Greg clears cores on the 15th
Smudging, Seeding & Fertilising
Ron, Bruce & Hugh. This mob did their usual great job wandering along behind the top dresser and attending to each green. The sand was a little wet so the 1st smudge was more of a smear. Hugh and Bruce weighed and measured the seed and fertiliser and, with the help of “Seed & Fertiliser Assistance Tool 42B” (patent pending), were soon busy on the greens. After lunch, when the sun had had a chance to do a spot of drying, Ron went round again and the sand dropped into the corer holes far better. Not to be left out Freebie and Bruce did a 3rd smudge at about 3.30pm and after their run there was far more sand in the core holes than on top of the greens.
Hugh waited for the extension to the 3rd to be completed before he seeded and fertilised it as well.
Ron begins smudging
3rd Green Extension
Tony, Scottie, Keith, Kev & Freebie. The big one for our 2nd 2019 working bee. Plenty of preparation work made this job a great deal easier. On Wednesday the extension was marked out and a drain dug across the lowest part of the existing green, the new area of green was framed up and soil from the spoon drain was placed outside the frame, this was topped with lengths of turf cut from the extension. The drain went all the way under the extension to a pit well away from the green. Two metres of screenings arrived on Thursday and we soon found that pushing it around took a lot of energy, time and will power but, after an hour’s work, we were ready for the sand. Luckily Greg was still waiting for the last few greens to be top dressed so he happily trucked six loads of sand up to the new green. Some was levelled off on the Thursday with the remainder pushed into place on the Friday. Andrew Clement, with tractor, arrived to do a spot of earth moving and he graciously carted up another metre or so of sand before heading off to attend to the spoon drain on the 6th..
After a couple of sprinklers were moved and following, much pushing, raking and smudging, the extension looked pretty good so the frame was taken out and the edges levelled to match the lengths of turf. The roller was brought into action and the result was excellent.
Not much later Hugh arrived to seed and fertilise and Scottie set about fencing the new area off as GUR. A great two and a half days work
The drain begins, once carefully replaced the blocks of turf provided the level for the new sand.
Drain almost finished, cut through the green and under the extension
3rd green levelled, frame removed and ready for rolling
The roller smoothes out the bumps
Green and surrounds finished, everyone very happy
Hugh finishes the job with some seed and fertiliser
Spoon Drain 6th/13th
Tony, Freebie, Scott, Bruce & Andrew. A few lengths of 100mm storm water pipe, some glue, a spot of trenching and some concrete cutting and the overflow pipe from the dam was safely in the large underground drain that runs E/W across Romsey Park. Two covers from this drain were missing so 18mm of fibre-cement sheeting, with a strengthening wooden frame, was used. Come Fri and Andrew set about carting soil and smoothing it into place. Did a the usual amazing job before heading off to a wedding later in the afternoon.
The underground drain had to be cleared
The 100mm pipe cut in and underground drain sealed
Andrew sets about filling and smoothing the spoon drain
Spoon drain looking pretty good, top soil was added, now just a spot of raking work still to be done.
Spoon Drain – 3rd Fairway
Terry. For many years the 3rd has been the wettest green on the course. After much discussion it was decided that, with the fall from the old track to the back of the green, we could cut a spoon drain in to divert water into the bottom dam or down behind the green and then on to behind the 4th tee. A gentle spoon drain will soon grass over and the fairway mower will have no problems. A laser level is a wondrous thing, add a great little tractor and a rotary hoe; the drain was dug. The wonderful top soil was pushed up and then moved around the 3rd green extension and to top off the spoon drain the 6th.
Terry works carefully but soon gets the job done
Cores to fill Low Spots
Chris & Lis; With Tony finding low areas or wet spots Greg dropped the cores and Chris and Lis worked hard to level them into place. The roller finished the job smoothing the cores in. In a few weeks these low areas will be beautiful, level green spots on the fairways.
Chris, ready to head off and level those cores
Food & Drink
Loraine, Elaine, Wendy & Kath. A very understated performance but one full of merit. Great job you four, everyone was well fed and watered on both days.
Elaine feeding the multitudes on Friday
The Thursday team, what a bunch of wackers.
Painting the Tee Signs and Distance & Hazard Markers and Spot Spraying
Wendy, Connie, Darlene, Roger & Kath. This job required a steady hand and a good eye. Plenty of lying down and getting at eye level with the tee signs and walking around the hazards or up the fairways stopping and cleaning and painting the 200m, 150m & 100m markers
Lis has a break from levelling cores to chat with Darlene & Roger
Wendy and Connie cleaned & painted the distance markers and spot sprayed
Kath finishing off the hazard markers
Tee Markers
Bruce & Lorraine; The tee marker pavers were repainted and replace. A job with little kudos but one that had to be done well. Thanks you two. Sorry, no pics
Garden behind the 1st
Tony. Work began in the previous week and the final lengths or “reo” were driven in late on the 27th. Seven native, flowering bushes were planted along the drain behind the 1st. The plants had protective covers placed around them and the whole area was heavily mulched. The mulched area was framed up to hold the mulch in place and to protect the plants from mowers induced injury or ….. death
Plants almost in. Colours, from the outside in, are pink, red, yellow & pink
Mulch in place
Framing up
The (virtually) finished garden
Scarifying
Bruce, Freebie & Ron. with all those cores around the place it was the perfect opportunity to scarify them into some of the most “ordinary” areas behind the 7th and 15th greens. Freebie had to do a spot of repairs to the scarifier but, while this slowed the boys down, it never got close to stopping them. Another job well done by this hard working group. (Combined age of about 215yrs)
Scarifying and seeding the back of the 15th
Levelling the “Clean Fill” on Nth of the 3rd
Terry. A few months ago we were offered a few truckload of “clean fill” from the sides of Park Lane. Turned out to be not exactly what we were looking for but still quite useful to level the area under the pine trees and make it easier and safer to mow. A spot of rain will finish off the levelling and then the grass will grow.
