Course Update
Following what had been a very dry winter and spring to date, Melbourne’s weather has delivered its normal unpredictability. We have seen the wettest recorded November at PK for 10+ years. The 5th wettest month recorded at PK for 10+ years also. The courses have very pleasingly absorbed the rainfall well and the turf and new native planting areas have enjoyed the extra moisture. The new and existing drainage systems continue to work well and are able to remove excess water from the soil profile as we continue to increase the coverage across the property. Proactive programs and a focus on prevention and control of non-desired weed and grass germination that results from the high moisture levels have been activated as a consequence.
The Course Team has continued with a heavy focus on the detailed maintenance tasks across the property. Some of the more recent detailed works include:
- Greens surface refinement post the renovation program – Poa scanning and removal, light weekly sand dusting and growth regulation programs to fine the leaf blade to increase the green speed and produce a smooth ball roll with a firm ball response.
- Drainage program work refinement via soil topdressing, holes 9N & 17N.
- Ongoing selected bunker and wasteland renovations (edge and walk-in trimming, weed control and prevention, wall and floor contouring, sand addition and redistribution, face compaction and exposed cloth management).
- Fairway sprinkler raising with selected distance marker replacements installed.
- Irrigation isolation valve replacement.
- Selective weed control and prevention with a focus on Winter Grass (Poa annua) control.
- Fixture maintenance, copper cap cleaning and restoration on tee and directional signs.
- Clubhouse garden hedge replacement in three selected areas.
Delay in spray programming – The strong wind and now rain events throughout the past month/s continue to challenge and interrupt our desired maintenance tasks, particularly our spraying programs that targets weed and undesirable plant and grass species in the fine turf and deeper rough areas. These programs are in progress, albeit a bit stop and start with the weather, with good progress and catch up being made. Details of these, and our other programs, can be seen below in the “Current and Future Maintenance Programs” section.
Rough Density Management – Our annual density reduction and weed control programs in the primary and secondary rough lines have commenced, one of two application have been undertaken, albeit later than normal due to the excessive recent winds/rain also. The same high level of success achieved in recent years is again our goal and expectation. Extension of mowing lines in high play areas will once again form part of our rough management programs. See some examples in the below images:
Rainfall
Albeit a very wet November on record, rainfall collection for the year to date continues to track well below the 10 year average as seen on the below chart. 525mm (20.6 inches) has been recorded year to date in 2025. This is 78mm (3 inches) less than the corresponding period last year in 2024.
Sand Top-dressing of Driving Range Tee and Drainage work areas
As part of our Annual Drainage Program, a heavy sand top-dressing program was recently undertaken to fine tune the fairway surface post the recent drainage installation on the 9N & 17N holes. Further soil top-dressing will be required within the actual drain lines in the coming week/s to fully complete the work.
The driving range tee soil top-dressing program was once again undertaken. This process results in the filling of all existing divot areas, turf grass stimulation and to level the surface prior to the reintroduction to full turf use in December.
Driving Range Tee – Return to Turf
The full turf surface use will recommence from Tuesday 2 December. The mats on the top tier will be removed. The playing areas within the rope system will again be rotated weekly from the forward to back positions to manage full use of the tee and turf. The maximum distance for play from the forward position is 210 metres. The annual management system of the tee provides members with six months use on a turf surface (December – May) and six months use on a synthetic surface (June – November) annually.
Upcoming South Course Fairway Renovations
An aggressive fairway scarifying program on the South Course fairways and selected green surrounds & tees that link in with the fairways will be undertaken on December 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th & 19th. The front entry and turf zones along the driveway will also be included in the program and undertaken in the week prior. The course will be closed on those days for the task to be performed. Contractors will assist the Course Team with the scarifying program.
The key objective of this program is to remove and reduce the organic matter in the grass canopy and top part of the soil profile. The outcome will result in an improved growing environment and turf health that will enable a higher level of presentation and playability of the turf.
An aggressive mowing program at low heights will accompany this program post the scarifying to deliver the key objective. The debris accumulated will be stockpiled off the playing surface of each fairway and be removed in the week/s post the program’s completion.
The expected recovery period is 4-6 weeks.
The video below is from our successful renovation of the North Course last year.
Current and Future Maintenance Programs
- Consistent course golfing season preparation and presentation for Member/Guest events.
- Bunker/wasteland general maintenance, weed control and renovation programs (In-progress and ongoing).
- Greens scanning and selective hand-weeding program (November/December).
- Fairway Scarifying Program on South Course (Week commencing December 15), with the Front Entry/Driveway Areas to commence the week prior.
- Turfgrass growth regulation programs. (Full summer period).
- Non-desired grass and weed control programs in bunkers, wastelands, roughs, vegetation and creek areas. (In-progress and ongoing).
- Rough density reduction and mowing line extension program. (In-progress and ongoing).
- Pre & Post emergent winter grass control program on green collars and interface areas. (November/December).
- Warm season couch grass encroachment control and prevention in green collars (Summer Program with 2 Treatments in December).
- Warm season grass nutritional program. (November/December).
- Fairway disease preventative treatment program commencement. (November/December)
- Vegetation maintenance programs that include selected slashing, ecological regenerative burns (e.g – 6N/10N), dead/hazardous tree removal, non indigenous tree suckers and woody weed removal (e.g. LHS 4N, RHS 16S, LHS 7N & 18N, Northern boundary fence line areas). (In progress and ongoing).
- Annual Drainage Program – A follow-up sand top-dressing program with-in the drainage lines to finetune and level the fairway surface on holes 9N & 17N. (December).
- Clubhouse garden hedge replacement consolidation in 3 selected areas.
- Northern car park perimeter planting extension to include area adjacent new buggy storage facility. (December).
Glenn Stuart
Director of Courses