Hollow coring 6th, 7th & 8th greens.

With milder weather moving in this week it is an ideal time to carry out hollow coring to the 6th, 7th & 8th greens. These three greens have been laying wetter than all the other greens. You can see from the photos the amount of cores removed. Once these were cleared away,scarifying, over seeding and top dressing with sand were carried out. This work will help to dry and firm the surface. Depending on how the greens react to this process will determine if this needs to repeated later this summer.

Greens aeration this week

We have started to spike the greens. This will allow much needed air into the root zone encouraging root development through the Spring. We will follow this up with a light roll to smooth the surface. Once we get some good grass growth we will look to apply a sand topdressing.

Practice chipping green.

This week we have continued construction of the practice green and bunker. It's still soft from the winter rain so progress will be slow!

Maintenance Update April 2013

It’s turning out to be a difficult Spring. I recorded -6 degrees on the 31^st March and the cold spell looks to continue this week with minus temperature each morning. The photo below is of the course just over a week ago then a comparison picture taken today.

As I stated in my last report I will be carrying out scarifying and topdressing to the greens. I have held off doing too much to the greens for the last couple of weeks as the cold weather is putting them under stress. If I did press on with the Spring maintenance I feel the putting surface would take a long time to recover. At present, the surface is good albeit a little bumpy due to high foot fall over Easter. I have checked the long-range forecast and it does look like there could be some improvement in the weather next week (but we will have to wait and see).

The course has dried out well and I have now lifted the trolley restrictions and ride on golf buggies can now be used. The fairways have good grass cover, they just look brown from the frost and wind damage (see second photo). This will mow off once we get the Spring growth. Winter rules will remain for the time being but please check with the Pro shop before playing.

AGM 2013

Drayton Park Golf Club
AGM 2013
Maintenance Report


As you are aware, 2012 has seen an unprecedented amount of rainfall. This has put a lot of strain on the greenkeeping staff when trying to carry out their duties. On occasion it was necessary to close the 6th, 7th and 8th holes. We subsequently dug out a small ditch along the side of the 8th tee, which intercepted the flood water ensuring that we could keep these three holes open. During times of heavy rain the 7th hole was played from a shortened, temporary tee. Most of the flooding in this area is caused by the high level of the river. We have already excavated a new ditch at the back of the 8th tee to intercept the water coming through the bank. I have more work planned for the 7th hole to stop the water coming through the bank. We will also install a storm drain on the 7th fairway in the coming months.
The course has maintained good grass cover throughout the year with only a few areas becoming muddy. It was inevitable that the bunkers would be a major problem. At times it was not possible to maintain them properly so it was necessary to mark them as Ground Under Repair. We have topped up all the bunkers with new sand, as a lot of silt had been washed into them from the surrounding ground thus contaminating the sand.
The greens have remained in good condition albeit a little softer than I would like and ball pitch marking has been more of a problem than usual. The incidence of disease has been low so any scarring is minimal. I will be working to firm the putting surface throughout the Spring by carrying out regular scarifying and topdressing. I will also carry out extra deep tine aeration on the 6th, 7th and 8th greens as these have remained wetter throughout the winter.
Moss levels have increased on some tees and banks. I will be treating this and removing it by scarifying where possible.
Investment in the course and its machinery has continued with the purchase of a new banks mower, new rollers for the greens and an irrigation pump. We have completed the construction of a new green on the Pitch and Putt course and have now started work on the practice pitching green at the side of the Pro Shop. This will be completed in the summer.
Many Thanks

Mark Smith
Head Greenkeeper

Thanks to all the members for their continued support.

Ditch on the 1st fairway & trees on the 12th fairway.

This week we have cut back the brambles growing in the ditch on the 1st. ( see pictures for before and after). The trees on the left of the 12th fairway have had their lower branches removed, this will allow a better view of the green from the corner. (See 3rd picture).

Scarifying the greens.

I started scarifying the greens this morning, Followed this up with the groomers to clean the surface then a final cut with the mower. I hope to carry out scarifying again next week followed by topdressing with sand.