The Mendip Golf Club
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Course Blog
Monday 17th March
As we approach the official start of spring, we are just a few days away from welcoming the season.
The greenkeepers have been busy these past two weeks with lots of work to do. Fortunately, most days have been on the dry side, with only occasional wet spells and damp days, but nothing significant enough to delay their work.
The Greens Team were able to complete all the valve connections of the irrigation system as part of the 5-year plan as well as a major works on the tees. They used hollow tines on both the summer and winter tees to a depth of about 3 inches, followed by top dressing and rootzone - More top dressing scheduled for the near future.
The greens were vertidrained to a depth of 8 inches using needle tines, which helps moisture move through the soil profile and aids in root development. After vertidraining, the greens were rolled and cut by hand. There then followed more deep aeration, with them being vertidrained again, this time with 18mm tines to a depth of 5 inches. The larger holes created by this process allows the surface to remain open longer, facilitating gas exchange. The team then applied 30 tonnes of sand, which has been dragged and brushed into the profile enhancing gas exchange and improving water flow through the soil. This work was completed on Thursday, all in time for the senior's individual singles competition.
The science behind the reverse top-dressing strategy is essential to complete when the weather permits.
Also, Leonardite and zeolite were applied to the back 9 greens to assist with nutrient retention, and another application will be applied to the front 9 greens. Along with this a liquid feed was applied.
The team have begun brushing the fairways to remove debris and divots now that moisture levels in the ground have finally gone down. Most of the ropes and halfmoon rings have been removed. Some tidying has occurred around the pond on hole 15. The walkways and aprons have also been vertidrained to aid recovery.
The ball washers have been drained and refilled. Donated trees have been planted between the 14th green and the 15th tee. The bank behind the 3rd green has been tidied in preparation for the arrival of the spring flowers.
Lastly, on behalf of the greenkeeping team, they would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as players (and staff) navigate the challenges of accessing the course due to the weather. Please remain patient and trust this process; once the temperatures improve, the maintenance work will become less noticeable, but it will greatly contribute to creating better and healthier playing surfaces for everyone.
Thank you all again for understanding all the frustrations within golf & green keeping.
Thank you
Enjoy the course
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