GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2021
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the Golf Course Superintendent’s Newsletter sent to you in March, 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, 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 April 2021.
MARCH COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
Cleaning of Desert & Tee Areas
Works to clean and renovate the area around the 1st tee complex and outer desert areas leading up to the fairway have begun. The olive trees have been pruned, plants and cactus areas have been replenished with gravel and cleaning of the dry creeks has been undertaken. Clearing of the canes and removal of many years of sediment from the base of the river on the 18th hole that runs down the left side of the fairway has also begun, with the far side bank also being restored to its original beauty.
Topdressing of Greens
Now that temperatures have begun to rise, resulting in significant growth of the greens grass, we initiated our topdressing program. This programme of greens maintenance will be completed on average two times a month. Topdressing greens is an important cultural maintenance practice that prevents the greens from accumulating thatch. Thach, or the accumulation of dead grass and organic material can cause the greens to become soft and spongy and lead to health issues for the greens.
Verti-drain Fairways and Roughs
Verti-draining is the process of aerating the soil with extra long tines that can penetrate the soil up to 25cm ensuring proper drainage, helping moisture reach a deeper soil profile that will promote root growth and the alleviation of soil compaction. This month holes 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, & 17 have been vert-drained and a soil wetting agent has been added to help maintain the moisture levels for a longer time period so as to assist in the reduction of water usage.
Overseeding of Tall Fescue in the Roughs
The greens surrounds of holes 3, 12, 9 and 5 have been overseeded with tall fescue.
APRIL COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Cleaning of Desert & Tee Areas
Designated areas of the desert, tee and green complexes will continue to be cleaned of old plant material and undesired vegetation, and if needed new planting will be added.
Verti-drain of Fairways and Roughs
The verti-draining of holes 1, 2, 5, 6, 16 and 18 is scheduled to be completed.
Overseeding of the Roughs with Tall Fescue
To complete the conversion of the roughs to tall fescue, an additional light over-seeding in areas identified as requiring it will be completed before the heavy topdressing. This will help with germination by protecting the newly formed plant and maintaining the proper moisture content needed to ensure proper establishment.
2021 Greens Hollow Coring
As reported in previous newsletters, on the 28th and 29th of April we will be hollow coring the greens. Rather than the conventional aerification, a verti-drain process will be completed. Very similar to the conventional hollow coring, verti-draining will allow for a deeper penetration to help with the drainage and reduce the deep black layer issues that are common on greens with ages of 20 plus years. The result to the playing surface is the same as conventional aerification and the greens should recover in the same time frame, approximately one-week. At the same time, several other cultural maintenance practices will be undertaken to take advantage of the holes left by the aerification. The process and materials used to complete these works is as follows;
- Double verti-cut to remove any excess organic material
- Verti-drain
- Application of calcium sulphate (gypsum) to help flush any excess salts from the soil profile
- Application of organic fertilizers
- Heavy topdressing to fill in aerification holes and smooth out the putting surface
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 more, by visiting either our official website www.desertspringsresort.es or by contacting the resort 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,
Zachary LaPorte
Golf Course Superintendent
