Course Update – 24 April 2026

Course Update

The courses are presenting very well as we move into the cooler months and with more stable weather conditions. The course team remains focused on delivering consistently high-quality playing surfaces for members and their guests, supporting pennant rounds and the ongoing Club Championships.

As we transition further into autumn, attention continues in delicately positioning the courses to withstand the cooler winter period challenges. This includes the commencement of our annual vegetation planting program, with approximately 10,000–15,000 native trees, shrubs, heathland plants, and grasses scheduled for installation. These plants are now beginning to arrive and will be installed when soil moisture levels are optimal to ensure the highest possible establishment success.

Work is also nearing completion on the final stage of the security fencing upgrade along Skye Road. This project will finalise key high-risk boundary fencing areas and further strengthen the overall security of the site.

Bunker & Wasteland Weatherproofing  

Work has continued on other selected bunkers that form part of a broader strategic initiative to weatherproof the courses while enhancing overall playing conditions. The images below capture the next group of bunkers recently completed. 

Recent Work Program Areas 

  • 18S Fairway Bunker LHS – Entry and exit improvement. Wall and floor contouring.

  • 8S Greenside Bunker LHS – Entry and exit improvement. New divide for erosion control and prevention. 

  • 6N Greenside Bunkers (Front and RHS) – Sand addition with native material for improved face compaction. Entry and exit improvement.

  • 15S Fairway Bunker LHS –  Subsurface cloth coverage, sand redistribution, wall and floor contouring.

  • 2N Greenside Bunker (2) RHS – Sand addition with native material for improved face compaction. Entry and exit improvement. Erosion control.

Further bunkers are scheduled for prioritised improvement works in the coming weeks, these include Short game area bunkers. 

18 South improved entry point and wall and floor contouring
New divide complete on 8 South. Improved entry
6N raised floor height
15 South improved contouring
2 North improved face and contours
18 South with improved entry point

Vegetation 

Autumn provides ideal conditions for us to begin our seasonal planting and transplanting program. This year, we will install up to 15,000 plants, including native trees, shrubs, grasses and heathland species. These are grown from seed collected within the course’s indigenous areas, helping preserve local plant progeny, maintain the unique character of our landscape, and create valuable habitat for wildlife.

Across autumn, winter and spring, our horticultural team will continue important vegetation management work, including slashing, regenerative burning and targeted weed control. These programs play a key role in maintaining both the playability and environmental health of the course and surrounding vegetation zones.

Our 2026 Vegetation Spring Walk for members will be held in late September. The exact dates will be advised in the upcoming member updates. We look forward to showcasing some of the important and exciting developments within the course’s vegetation areas and sharing insights into their importance.

13 North tee carry before
13 North tee carry after
15 North tee carry recently slashed

 

Current and Future Maintenance Programs

  • Course Presentation: Consistent preparation and presentation of the course throughout the golfing season for member and guest events and Club Championships rounds.

  • Bunkers & Wastelands: Ongoing general maintenance, weed control and renovation programs, including enhanced weather-proofing works scheduled for April – June.

  • Greens Management: Regular greens scanning, selective hand-weeding, Pre-and post-emergent winter grass control programs on green collars and interface areas and fungal disease prevention and suppression programs (February–May).

  • Winter Turf Preparation: Turf area preparation for the cooler months, incorporating nutrition, fungal disease/insect prevention & suppression, supportive colourant application programs along with low surface impact vertidrain renovation on the south course fairways (March–June).

  • Weed & Undesirable Grass Control: Ongoing control programs across bunkers, wastelands, roughs, vegetation zones and creek areas.

  • Rough Management: Rough density reduction and mowing line extension program (ongoing).

  • Winter Grass Control: Pre and post-emergent winter grass control programs on green collars and interface areas (May – July).

  • Couch Grass Encroachment: Warm-season couch grass control and prevention within green collars, comprising three targeted treatments (March – May).

  • Fairway Disease Management: Curative and preventative fairway disease treatment programs (February – April).

  • Vegetation Management: Comprehensive vegetation programs including selective slashing, ecological regenerative burns, removal of dead or hazardous trees, non-indigenous tree suckers and woody weeds (northern boundary fence line), and autumn tree, shrub and heathland planting and transplanting. Boundary clearing and screen planting programs continue through autumn and winter (ongoing).

  • Annual Drainage Program: Follow-up sand top-dressing within existing drainage lines to fine-tune and level fairway surfaces on holes 9N and 17N (February–March). New drainage installations scheduled for winter 2026 on holes 2S, 9N, 17N, 10N and selected smaller areas.

  • Clubhouse Gardens: Southern-side clubhouse garden hedge replacement and expansion (winter).

  • Turf Nursery: Bentgrass turf nursery replacement program (spring).

  • Infrastructure: Boundary fencing replacement along Skye Road (March–April)

Glenn Stuart
Director of Courses