Work continues in lockdown both on and off the course
We have had many members asking how the course is doing during lockdown and if there can be any changes expected when they come back, so we thought we’d give a little update on what we’ve been up to in the last month, both on an off the course.
Greenkeeping Update
All but two greenkeepers have unfortunately been temporarily furloughed due to the third COVID-19 lockdown, but that doesn’t mean work has stopped! The course is enjoying a well earned rest after a very busy year, and in the meantime Mark has been using time wisely to give a little aeration to the greens, and apply a couple of applications of fertiliser and bio-stimulants to try and help those greens which have suffered badly from disease.
Greens 6, 8, 9 and 11, which had suffered badly from hits of Fusarium Patch have started to recover nicely, proof that the bio-stimulants Rocastem and T-Thatch, which we have begun using this year, are very effective.
The two problem greens right now are 1 & 2, which suffered from a bout of Anthracnose in November. The disease has stopped spreading but has left many small scars which are slowly healing. Once we start the spring renovations and ground temperature increases these should heal relatively quickly.
The rest of the course has enjoyed the rest, particularly the muddy areas of the paths from the wet weather we had in December, and also tees, where the wear is concentrated.
While we have had this wet weather Mark has been round the course unblocking some drains and marking areas for new drain installations which we will be tackling next autumn/winter. We also plan to hire a deep slitter/spiker next winter to aerate some of the wet areas which have become compacted over the years.
Please be aware that greens renovations will be going ahead soon and this may clash with the reopening of the golf course after the lockdown, this is something we cannot control and will try to minimise disruption as much as possible - we ask that all of our members please be sympathetic as this is for the good of our greens, and thank you for your patience.
Machinery Servicing and Repairs
Winter time is a great time to get ahead with machinery maintenance, and with the lockdown too this has meant that the greenkeepers could give the mowers a good going over, including servicing, greasing, height checking and thorough cleaning. The machines are all ready to go for another season at Burstwick!
New Machinery Purchases
Whilst the economic situation that lockdown has left the club with is not ideal, we have still been looking to purchase a scarifier for the greens as this is absolute priority for getting their health back to where it should be, by severely reducing thatch and getting oxygen into the rootzone. We have been scouring the market for a Sisis TM1000 and last week sourced one from a dealer in Wales, which we have taken delicery of this week (see below) and hope to deep scarify the greens in the next few weeks. This will greatly help the root system in our greens over the coming months and years, meaning much less disease and rouge grasses for truer surfaces!
We were also hoping to have purchased a new compact tractor and topdressing machine by now however we are still in the market for these so watch this space!
The Quadrop water treatment system for our course irrigation is going ahead and being installed shortly, which will help the course by balancing the micronutrients and bicarbonates in the water, specifically aiding the health of the greens. We have received 400 litres of the quadrop liquid and are waiting on the dosing system which should be installed in the next few weeks.
MD Academy Second Trackman Golf Studio
Excellent progress has continued on the new studio despite many challenges during lockdown, and we have also begun installing an integrated glass door between the two studios for holding parties of 8-10 players using two trackmans at once. New flooring is currently going down along with some bespoke side padding, and once the door is installed we will be ready to rock!
Planning for an exciting year
The golf course might not be open but there is still plenty to do at the club and we have been busy working on:
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Working towards the golf club being awarded England Golf’s SafeGolf Accreditation for safe junior golf
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Planning various events for the year and getting 2021-22 fixtures ready
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Migrating to Club V1 for all things membership, competitions and handicapping
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Taking delivery of 2021 equipment and apparel from TaylorMade, Ping, Callaway, Footjoy and Under Armour and arranging the pro shop for the coming season
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Planning and prioritising future improvements to the club in every area