WINTER OF 2023/24

As you can see its been a while since my last blog post, I'm sure i will start to write again as the members need informing of all things turf and golf.

So firstly I have to mention the weather...Wow!. We've had a lot of course closures for lengthy periods and a short course most of the autumn/winter but we are not alone in this scenario and every clay based course has been in the same boat, pardon the pun!, and even the sandy courses have closed from time to time which is unheard of really.

The problem was not just the rainfall totals in Autumn itself, but the rainfall totals that started mid summer and has been relentless since. The issue is not just the amount from the sky, but the amount lost from evapotransporation (ETs). Mid summer you can lose between 3- 6mm water per day from ETs, the reason why in Julys 100+mm rainfall there was not many issues at all and still needed the irrigation on the greens some nights. 

In say December when the sun is much lower, the day length is shorter and the nights are longer (you can have 2mm rainfall equivalent from dew alone), and you also have the lower temperatures, this equates to less ETs. 2023 December total ETs for the month was 6.3mm lost but we gained 111mm, In July we lost 83.4mm but gained 106mm. you can see where the problem comes in the winter months.

  

Anyway enough about the rainfall for now its all we are hearing about in the news with floods and river levels etc.

One positive that does come from winter is frosts and we don't get too many these days so when a hard frost does come, and we've had one period for a couple of days so far this winter, it allows for the machines to get out and the trolleys to come out too. this is inspite of how wet it is underneath and how wet it will become once we see a thaw. the course can transform from a wet field with no definition, to a course that now looks like a golf course.

Onto what we've been up this out of season and I'm just talking golf here not the rest of our commitment to the complex and to machinery repairs & maintenance etc. I'm sure you don't believe that we have coffee and card schools all winter like some would have you believe haha! 

On initial planning of the the 23/24 winter program we based it off last previous years problems. Those problems being temporary greens in play all winter because a select few greens, 5,7,9 and 17 was so wet they was unplayable and 18th apron was so wet we couldn't get to the green,.so the plan was agreed to set about drainage in a phased way starting with 7th and 17th doing the same processes as the 10th green which in all fairness saved that green from a total 15-20k rebuild so a roaring success.

In hind sight and a crystal ball in hand knowing the weather that was to hit us soon after putting spade to floor on those projects we would have turned our attention else where and that will be the case I believe for the 24/25 winter program. We had also planned for more swales to take water to with our shock-wave machine but the land has been too wet to drive, dig swales and remove spoil run after run. But now and then as in the case of the cutting in frost, we can get our shock-wave out on the most troubled areas and help them drain the best we can without primary drains.

The greens we started was 7th and 17th. the 17th went really well an all turf was replaced back in its rightful place and its knitting in great as we speak. Its had a few rolls and the height of cut brought down steady and I've no issues with that green at all atm if the crows keep away....more on that issue shortly.

However the 7th green didn't go as well as the rains came heavy and we was delayed in finishing while the turf lay there collecting disease because we couldn't spray it etc. Not that I'm worried about that as it comes back fast once the growing season is here and there is no panic from me in that regards. What happened after was the stuff of nightmares for a golf member and a green-keeper......crows!!.

We came in one morning and the crows were pecking and turning the turf over and it looked like man made vandalism but its was simply 3-10 crows having a pecking party which they are starting to do to many greens at Phoenix. the rest of the greens we can just sand the holes and wait for recovery from the upcoming growing season, but the turf damage was so severe, that wasn't an option.

  

We have now gone onto plan B and remedial action was required. The turf from the chipping green has been removed to re-turf the drain lines again and we have placed covers over the drains and purchased animal/bird scarer that emits a few frequency's that annoy the pests. We've trialled this on a green that was getting pecked and the results are a minimum 50-70% drop in activity so we call that a result. As a safeguard we have covered the turf in a mesh so the birds cant peck the turf and we hope this green is in play for the start of the season if all things go as planned.

The right of the green that is bare from the main drain installation, has been rotavated and seeded and we are waiting on the warmer soil temperatures and the growing season, and that will fill in quite fast once we get germination of the seed. Now its a matter of just waiting for the rooting of the new turf on the green and some turf maintenance procedures like topdressing and rolling to establish the new turf to marry with the existing green, again the growing season and soil temperatures are our friend here!

Photo above shows the vast amount we needed to remove because of damage 

Back to weather for this one DOH!. We have currently recorded our 10th storm of the autumn/winter period which is crazy. Winds of that nature battering a land with old unsuitable tree can only mean one thing...lots of debris and loss of trees.

We have never known an autumn/winter where we have been constantly battling to remove debris and most of time we cant because we cant drive to where the debris is. In these situations piling them up and waiting for better land suitability is the only option, but the trouble with this year is the next storms role in and blow your piled up debris and make more from the trees. Very tough but we can and always will only do what we can do!.

We also lost a few trees here and there in the storms on 9th, 11th and a big one on 13th that was leaning anyway plus the left of 16th. All the trees were removed in-house but the debris in some spots like 13th are still unable to be removed due to the ground conditions being untouchable and we was lucky to have a hard frost to remove the main tree.... roll on spring!. The large stump is still in the floor and we cant remove it with any equipment we have so a contractor or hire of equipment may be necessary once ground condition allow at a later date.   

Our next projects should weather allow is to remove some trees that stop us shock-waving water away to our designated areas like swales and ditches. we have a few listed and enough to keep us going to the growing season if the weather allows us to do this work, but certainly the growing and golf season is around the corner and ET rates will raise to dry the course any how as the temperatures rise and the day length increases. Pray for a dryer spring and summer than 2023 everyone please!

Id like to personally thank every member for their patience this last few months. You can't alter the weather or the ground you are on and we are certainly not alone round these parts, but its frustrating for everyone involved from staff to management and to members.

Any questions please find me and I'm happy to help fill in any blanks, or alternatively email Mike Harrison as we are in regular contact and he is your first port of call.

Thanks and I look forward to the 2024 season!