The courses have enjoyed the recent mild winter and early warmth of spring in 2023 that we haven’t experienced for many years. This has been reflective in the early season green-up of the warm season grass areas together with the display of striking flowering plants in the native heathland areas within our secondary roughs.
The drainage systems installed in the damp course areas (e.g., 1N, 1S, 4S, 5N, 5S, 6S, 10N, 13N, 14S and wasteland areas 4S, 7S) during autumn 2023 have performed very well. New additional areas will be prioritised for the autumn of 2024 and communicated to members.
The expert weather meteorologists and forecasters have predicted a return to the hot and dry summer cycles, and a clear focus is on preparing the turf surfaces to withstand those pressures. We are well placed for this position and the subsequent climate challenge if it arises with our strong water capture and systems. All water supply in the dam and tanks are at 100% capacity.
Turf purity programs are a key priority with some having already commenced their implementation. These will remain ongoing in the coming months. The intent is to reduce and manage non desirable plant and weed species throughout the property.
Green Renovation Program
The greens are recovering well and within the 4 – 6 week timeline expected and communicated. Green mowing heights have now returned to regular spring levels. The key benefit in undertaking the green renovations in the same period is our members & guests will now importantly have a sustained level of presentation and playability without maintenance disturbance for the next 10 months.
Spring Vegetation Course Walk
The annual Spring Vegetation Course Walk was undertaken on Tuesday 10 October. Approximately 50 members were in attendance. The walk was hosted by our Course Leadership Team, Vegetation Team Members and our Vegetation Consultant. The members were all very engaged and enthusiastic to learn more about our vegetation. The objective of the walk was to provide members with interesting factual information on the unique flora and fauna that exist on our site, together with the various management programs, techniques and principles we undertake at PK.
Below is a handbook document that was supplied to members for their information that correlated to the subject matter discussed and plants that were in flower display on the walk.
Bunkers
The restoration work on many course bunkers over the recent 6 months has settled in and is performing extremely well. The key focus was centered around where entry/exit points required addition and or restoration, along with additions of sand, a control strategy for sand loss through erosion which saw selected bunkers divided, and native sand added to faces for increased firmness to reduce the incidents of plugged balls. This work has had a successful outcome and will remain ongoing with the bulk of restorative work being performed between autumn and spring each year.
Turf Nursery Re-establishment (Bent, Fescue, Couch)
The Bentgrass turf (1000m2) has been re-established via a seeding method on our nursery site. This turf type is prepared and managed for small area replacement requirements as well as for insurance purposes against vandalism or unforeseen circumstances. It is importantly replaced every 2-3 years to ensure it’s a true representation of a course green proper should it be required.
The fine fescue that is used around the clubhouse lawns, bunker tongues and in course roughs will also be re-established. This turf is more regularly required and used widespread throughout the course year-round.
There is also a requirement this season for the re-establishment of the Winter Green Couch Grass at our nursey site. Our current replacement stock for this turf type comes via the Dingley site. Turf sprigs will be harvested from a small section of a course area and planted during the summer. This will importantly enable our specific native turf type to be grown and managed as a true representative of our native turf species onsite.
Autumn Greens Program – Re-seeding of the Golf Shop putting green is proposed for autumn 2024. This green requires re-seeding remembering that it was the only green sodded in as a temporary green for the members during the transition from the marquee to the clubhouse. The re-seeding importantly fulfills our intention to have this green play, perform and react to the same management input as all those on the course proper. The timing for this project is during mid-March 2024.
Turf Harvesting Dingley
Our turf harvesting program at the Dingley site will recommence from 23 October. Up to 10 hectares is likely to be available this growing season for harvest in the period between November 2023 and April 2024.
Boundary Tree and Fence Request
A request from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) for the removal of a potentially hazardous pine tree along our northern boundary together with a fencing replacement on our northern boundary has been received. There are four properties that are adjacent the turf nursery site and are under the control of the DFFH. The request is for a shared cost arrangement for both the tree removal and fencing replacement. The tree has been programmed in for removal on Monday 23 October and the fencing replacement remains under investigation collectively. Quotes for fencing replacement are being sought, and costs can be absorbed with in the current operating budget.
Range Tee Turf Usage Returns 1 December
A full turf use surface will once again be in place from 1 December. 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.
Ballam Park Preschool Project
It has been very pleasing that our PK Community Foundation was able to recently support a local community project at the Ballam Park Preschool. Selected members of the Course Team participated with enthusiasm to achieve an excellent result.
Rainfall Chart
Rainfall recordings for the 2023 year are tracking well below the 8/9 year averages across most months. 522mm of rain has been recorded to date in 2023 in what is shaping to be one of the drier years in recent times.
Glenn Stuart
Director of Courses