GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT’S
NEWS LETTER
MARCH 2014
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the ‘The Golf Course Superintendent’s News Letter’ sent to you in January, which was designed to keep you up to date with all of the important maintenance procedures which were scheduled to take place on The Indiana Course in February, we are pleased to be able to give you an update on the works carried out and to inform you of the schedule of works which shall take place in March 2014.
FEBRUARY COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
Verti Draining Fairways
Verti-draining has commenced on the double fairway of hole 1 and 18.
Bunker Renovation and Edging
The maintenance teams have completed edging the bunkers on holes 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17
Driving Range
Renovation work to the driving range roof has been completed as per the schedule
MARCH COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Bunker Renovation and Edging
The maintenance teams will be edging the remaining fairway bunkers on holes 3 and 13. This will continue to enhance and define the aesthetic appearance of the golf course. Any bunker being worked on will be deemed “Ground Under Repair”.
Driving Range Grass Tee
The Grass Driving Range Tee will be closed after 10th March for maintenance. This will involve the overseeding and topdressing of the entire tee surface. This is the optimum time of the year to establish new seed, which will improve the recovery rate of the playing surface.
As previously advised:
“Inevitably, it must be noted that the period of time that the grass practice area can be fully open for use corresponds directly to its surface area, volume of golfing traffic and the consequent recovery time required by the turf grass thereafter.
Therefore, the artificial practice surfaces will be used, from time to time, to alleviate stress from routine play to allow for turfgrass recovery”.
Crab Grass Control
The Fairways will be sprayed with a pre-emergence herbicide, which will prevent the germination of the crab grass seed during the warm spring months. The efficiency and performance of the herbicide is greatly improved with late afternoon spraying, followed by night time irrigation. This will virtually eliminate the germination of the weed seed and prevent the product being walked onto the greens of the Indiana Course. Therefore the golf course will be closed after 3pm on selected days to enable all the fairways and rough to be sprayed.
The Club House Golf Reception staff will have any playing restrictions displayed accordingly. As always, disruption to play will be keep to an absolute minimum.
Verti Draining Fairways
The remaining programme of verti-draining (aerification) the fairways will continue into March. This particular aspect of course maintenance is both extremely necessary and time consuming, so we ask you to please bear with us until its completion. Disruption to play, as always, will be kept to an absolute minimum.
2014 Greens Hollow Coring Dates
In the knowledge that all Property Owners and Members need to have as much notice as possible concerning particular aspects of the golf course maintenance schedule that may temporarily effect the playing conditions of the greens surface, thus enabling them to plan particular holidays accordingly, please see below the hollow coring dates for 2014.
Monday 28th April
Monday 10th November
In Addition the Putting Green, Chipping Green and Driving Range Facility will be closed for hollow coring on first Wednesday respectively until 3pm.
This particular program is an essential part of golf course maintenance. This practice creates the required environment for strong vigorous roots to grow, the very essence of golf course maintenance.
You will be able to keep up to date with the full tournament and social calendar, format and any additions, information of how to enter, and much, much more by visiting either our official website www.almanzora.com or by contacting the golf reception at Desert Springs.
We and the staff at Desert Springs are looking forward to seeing you on The Indiana course in the near future.
Kind regards, Kind regards,
Martin Brännström Anthony Brooks
Golf Operations Manager Golf Course Superintendent
