GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
NEWS LETTER
JANUARY 2021
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the Golf Course Superintendent’s News Letter sent to you in December, 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 January 2021.
DECEMBER COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
Cleaning of Desert & Tee Areas
The dry river beds on hole 13 have been cleaned. The desert areas on the left-hand side of the fairway and the beach waste area short of the green and to the right-hand side have been passed over and cleaned of any undesired vegetation. The desert and garden areas within the golf academy have been significantly cleaned and cleared of dead plant material and unwanted vegetation. All trees have been pruned and cleaned providing a clear view of the entire facility.
Topdressing of the Fairways, Roughs, Approaches and Collars
The topdressing of these areas will be performed continuously and as needed throughout the winter months when time permits. During December we started topdressing the collars where needed and seeded with A-4 bentgrass to establish a more consistent stand of bentgrass collars.
Elimination of unwanted grasses from fairways and roughs
All roughs on green surrounds have been treated to eliminate any unwanted grass species. As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, this process will take time to accomplish our final objective of having a pure stand in the roughs and fairways. We have started to see the desired results with several species of unwanted grasses dying off slowly, allowing for a smooth transition to our desired grass species.
Fertilizer application entire course
The entire course has been fertilized with a very well-balanced fertilizer to ensure a healthy plant going into the winter months so when spring arrives the grass will be at its very best.
JANUARY COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Cleaning of Desert & Tee Areas
Designated areas of the desert and tee complexes will be cleaned of old plant material and if needed new planting will be added.
Topdressing of the Fairways, Roughs, Approaches and Collars
As stated in December’s newsletter, we will be topdressing the fairways, roughs, approaches and collars to provide a healthier stand of grass. This is a very time-consuming process and will take time to accomplish. We will be starting with the weakest areas and moving through the course until all areas are finished.
This will accomplish several goals.
- Smooth the playing surface by filling in any small holes or gaps in the grass
- Create a better soil profile for the grass to grow
- Help with drainage to maintain the firmness of the surface and be able to easily flush the salts from the soil profile
Elimination of unwanted grasses from Fairways and Roughs
As stated in the previous months newsletter, we have started the process of eliminating the unwanted grass species in the fairways and roughs. Throughout December we applied the second treatment and are starting to see great results. This process will be repeated every month until we have achieved our goal of a pure stand in both the fairways and the roughs.
2021 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 affect the playing conditions of the green’s surface, thus enabling them to plan particular holidays accordingly, please see below the hollow coring dates in 2021.
- Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th of April
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
