Course Update
The courses continue to play and present well, albeit the turf areas across the courses have now entered their low growth and recovery phase and with impact from the eight recent frost events. The Course Team are heavily focused on the detailed maintenance tasks across the property that are not able to be undertaken in the busy golf periods. This period provides great opportunity to implement programs and tasks that continue to advance many aspects of the courses.
Some of the more recent detailed works include:
- Turf replacement on the surround of the 1S putting green and on selected high wear areas.
- Ongoing selected bunker and wasteland renovations (Wall and floor contouring, face compaction and vertical lip stabilisation using our local dark native sand).
- Wasteland renovation (Tree root removal 8S and 13S)
- Driving range and perimeter maintenance
- Turf nursery preparation for future turf establishment
- Course furniture preventative maintenance
- Selective weed control and prevention with a focus on Winter Grass (Poa annua) control
The broader tasks and programs can also be seen listed below in the current and future maintenance programs section.
Course protection and management of delicate high traffic areas throughout winter will again be managed by ropes and signage where required.
Vegetation Planting Areas
Our vegetation transplanting/planting season is now underway a bit later than normal due to the dryer ground conditions. Moist ground conditions are desired and important to ensure high plant establishment and survival rates are achieved. In excess of 10,000 native trees, shrubs, heathland plants and grasses have been delivered, and planting has begun with 1,700 plants already installed.
Work commenced on all pre-prepared areas recently for this season’s transplanting/support planting program. Similar to last season, the excavator has stripped the existing ground, and transplanted rich native onsite soil material has been used to cap the areas. Support plants will be planted into these zones commencing in July to complete the program in all areas.
Driving Range Tee
The normal annual management system of the driving range tee provides members with six months use on a turf surface (December – May) and six months use on a synthetic surface (June – November) annually.
As a result of the warm autumn and subsequent extended turf recovery, an extra four weeks of turf usage was extended in June on the top tier of the range tee this year whilst the synthetic mats were used on the lower tier. This setup will remain in place for an additional four weeks during July. Full use of the synthetic mats will be in use from Monday 28 July.
Detail Work Program – Fescue Turf Replacement 1st South Putting Green Surround
Stage 1 works have successfully been completed this week. Replacement of the old fescue turf around the 1st South putting green surround together with the trial use of a synthetic turf strip underneath the balcony/deck overhang section was installed.
The new turf was laid back to its original height matching in with the path and green surface levels, similar to what was achieved around the putting greens near the Golf Shop and pool last winter. This will result in that touch of class and perfection presentation to the green surrounds that is desired.
The synthetic turf will enable an improved appearance year-round under the balcony/deck overhang where the environment (low sun, air and water access) is not conducive to growing natural turf, but is a practical, near natural looking solution to resolving the turf decline that we are challenged with at present. This importantly remains aligned with the clubhouse architect’s vision of a grass shadow line stretching through under the decking.
A stage 2 program will see the replacement of the fescue turf on the northern side of the clubhouse and also include the synthetic strip underneath the balcony. This stage will begin on the week of 28 July and is expected to be completed by Wednesday 6 August.
Rainfall
Rainfall for the year to date continues to track well below the the 10 year average as seen on the below chart. 216mm (8.5 inches) has been recorded year to date in 2025. This is 104mm (4 inches) less than the corresponding period last year in 2024.
Current and Future Maintenance Programs
- Course preparation for Member/Guest events.
- Bunker/wasteland general maintenance and renovation programs (In-progress and ongoing).
- Greens scanning and selective hand-weeding program (July & August).
- Greens needle-tyne renovation to assist water movement off and through the surface (July & August).
- Wintergrass (Poa annua) control/prevention program within warm season grass areas. (Programs to continue monthly through to October. (In-progress and to intensify during July).
- Oversowing via the hydro-seeding method of the creek banks on 10 South with fescue. (Late July).
- Non-desired grass and weed control programs in bunkers, wastelands, roughs, vegetation and creek areas. (In-progress and ongoing).
- Pre & Post emergent winter grass control program on the green collars and interface areas. (July/August).
- Course furniture maintenance and non-slip treatment of timber sleeper areas (May/June/July).
- Fescue turf replacement in selective areas – 1S creek bed, 1S PG Surrounds, Clubhouse Precinct, Range tee and other high traffic wear areas (Autumn/Winter – in progress).
- Non invasive verti-drain (solid tines) renovation of selected fairways/green surrounds/tees (winter/spring).
- Rough density reduction and mowing line extension program. (In-progress and ongoing).
- Vegetation maintenance programs that include selected slashing, ecological regenerative burns, dead/hazardous tree removal, blackberry eradication treatment, non indigenous tree suckers and woody weed removal (e.g. RHS 7S & 16S, LHS 7N & 18N). (In progress and ongoing).
- Annual Drainage Program continuation. Target areas 9N fairway, 2S teeing complex and other selected smaller areas (dates to be confirmed but likely in late winter/early spring).
Glenn Stuart
Director of Courses