Greens
Greens have now returned to their normal spring mowing heights and well recovered from the winter coring renovations. We look forward to presenting greens with our desired firm ball response when the warmer and drier weather presents consistently.
Our annual Couch Grass Encroachment Program and treatment work has unfortunately been paused for this coming season due to no product availability and ceased manufacture of the only current registered industry product. Working closely with both national and international professors we will commence trial work using several old chemistries recommended for this purpose by our industry leading expertise. Subject to the success of the trial work we will expand the work for 2022 year or alternatively create new program solutions.
Tree Damage Clean-up Program
Our tree damage clean-up for the recent extreme wind event continues. The program is expected to take an additional 4 weeks to complete. The tasks required to complete the clean-up can be seen below.
An insurance claim has been investigated and subsequently being lodged to assist with the financial impact of the clean-up. Insurance assessors have visited site to inspect the damage and as we understand support the claim.
- Full fallen debris clean-up
- Arborist climber to removed hanging branches
- Stump grinding and area restoration
- Logwood removal/transportation to debris site
- Tub grinding of timber in debris site
- Boundary fencing repairs
Course Audit Update
Two Projects remain to complete in the 2021/2022 Course Audit Improvement Program. 1 – Drainage pit installation on the 1 South Tee Carry. 2 – Installation of the permanent synthetic strip system on the lower range tee. (Note – A new synthetic material and system to the market is currently under review). Projected Project time April/May 2022.
OCM will soon meet with our CAG (Course Advisory Group) in early December to work through the findings and status from the 3rd Quarter course audit review.
The key objective of this meeting is to review the current year projects and audit progress, discuss and seek the club’s input on the priority projects and likely budget projection for the 2022/2023 budget period.
The outcomes from this meeting will then provide an agreed direction and allow us time to have all the Audit Program areas identified, designed, planned, costed and ready for presentation/inspection to this group again in mid-January
OCM have also been requested to review the impact on holes from the recent tree loss. E.G – LHS 2 South, LHS 3 South, Rear 5 North, RHS 10 South etc. This will be included in the audit review and discussions.
Capital equipment Replacement Program
An early presentation of required equipment items for the budget year 2022/2023 will soon be proposed. The current climate demands early planning and subsequent ordering ,with most items required having more than a 12-month delivery timeline post order.
A challenge we face this coming period will be on our fairway mower fleet that have been due for replacement. Our current manufacturer Jacobsen has paused or possibly ceased production of our ideal 7 Cylinder Mowing Units. A different approach is therefore being investigated and considered immediately for the 2022 year and beyond – It is likely to be proposed that our 4 current fairway mowing units be refurbished to maintain our efficiencies and low running costs, without the high replacement cost. This would increase their lifespan for a further 3-4 years. We will submit a specific build request for PK with the hope Jacobsen will recommence reproduction in the future. This strategy will likely incur a cost of approximately 150K as opposed to a 600K replacement cost. That will likely be captured as an Operational Cost as opposed to a Capital Cost.
Our 11 year replacement program projection will have to be remodelled when operations return to normal and some future certainty presents.
Staff
Our course team has been operating on reduced numbers over recent months due to some staff loss in winter and covid vaccination policy impacts. Replacement staff have been secured for the summer and the last individual impacted by the vaccination policy to return in late November.
Our industry has very high staff labour shortage at the present time, and we will all face many challenges to secure suitably skilled labour in 2022. Our current strategy will reinvest with young apprentices to home grow highly skilled tradespersons, together with the use of older experienced operators.
Rainfall
We have now received 90mm (3.5 inches) of rain during the month of November, on top of 144mm (5.6 inches) for October. This being the most recorded for these two months since the two courses have opened.
Important upcoming events
On the completion of the Club Championships, our team will then shift focus to two important upcoming events – The Victorian Amateur and the newly created Sandbelt Invitational. We are all excited for these events and they are sure to be a great success.
Upcoming Spring Programs
Our important course spring programs have been progressing slower than anticipated due to the extreme weather conditions. We anticipate that when the more consistent warm and drier weather presents, the programs will be completed and the course presentation levels will elevate.
- Winter Grass (Poa annua) spring treatment program on fairways (October/November).
- Fertiliser application on warm season couch grass areas of green surrounds, tees and fairways (October/November).
- Bunker and Wasteland Maintenance (Ongoing).
- Creek and Water Body Maintenance/Weed control. (Ongoing).
- Turf pest, weed and disease prevention programs. (Ongoing)
Glenn Stuart,
Director of Courses