Course Update
The courses have enjoyed the warm start to autumn and continue to play and present well for all the current member/guest events and upcoming club championship rounds. It is fantastic to see four PK Pennant Teams and the Peter Thompson Trophy Team in the final and we wish them well.
Watering requirements have reduced from the normal summer levels but have remained a key task and coincide with the extended stretch of warm dry weather.
Our deliberate focus and goal to delicately position the turf surfaces for the onset of the cooler months remains our key priority. A detailed level of preparation with specific programs implemented and associated product inputs is require to achieve this goal. (These programs can be seen listed below).
Solar Panel Extension
Extension to our solar panel system on the maintenance facility roofline has been completed recently. A government rebate was secured to support the project and lower the cost. This provides a very sound proactive long-term investment that will see a sizeable reduction in power costs with a strong return on investment (ROI) for the club. This also expands on the existing system kindly donated by the Club’s Old Firm. Over 36% of the course machinery is now electrified with plans for future expansion importantly aligning with our sustainability goals and vision. See detail and images below.
Green Collar Treatment Program
We recently recommenced our autumn control program to alleviate warm season grass (couch grass) encroachment into our greens collars.
The program will selectively control/contain the warm season grass without impacting the desired bent grass turf. The program will require three applications 2-3 weeks apart.
Expect to see a strong highlighting of the target plant impact when the program is in the early weeks of implementation. The tips of the target plant will turn “bright white” before it decays. See below photos of the application in progress and a photo from last year of the program effectively working.
Current and Future Maintenance Programs
- Course preparation for Member/Guest events and Club Championship rounds.
- Bunker and wasteland general maintenance and renovation programs (In-progress and ongoing)
- Greens scanning and selective hand-weeding program. (April/May)
- Couch grass encroachment program on green collars. (In-progress)
- Wintergrass (Poa annua) control/prevention program within warm season grass areas. (Programs to continue monthly through to October. (In-progress)
- Warm season grass turf nutrition program on selected areas (Autumn)
- Non desired grass and weed control programs in bunkers, wastelands, roughs, vegetation and creek areas. (In-progress)
- Turf colourant, nutrition and disease prevention programs (April/May/June)
- Pre & Post emergent winter grass control program on the green collars and interface areas. (June/July)
- Non invasive verti-drain (solid tines) renovation of selected fairways/green surrounds/tees (Winter)
- Rough density reduction and mowing line extension program. (In-progress and ongoing)
- Vegetation maintenance programs that include selected slashing, dead/hazardous tree and woody weed removal, blackberry eradication treatment, non indigenous tree suckers and woody weed removal. (In progress and ongoing).
- Annual Drainage Program continuation. Target areas 9N fairway, 2S teeing complex and other selected smaller areas (Dates to be confirmed).
Glenn Stuart
Director of Courses