GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
NEWS LETTER
MARCH 2020
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the Golf Course Superintendent’s News Letter sent to you in February, 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 March 2020.
FEBRUARY COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
14th Hole Landscaping
The golf course maintenance teams have been working on clearing and tidying the landscape areas of the 14th hole. The area behind the green complex is almost complete. The cleaning of the overgrown areas will both improve the aesthetics of the hole and help to reduce the amount of rabbits that have caused damage to the playing surfaces.
Verti Draining Fairways
The programme of verti draining the fairways has been completed on holes, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13.
Scarifying Tees
The scarifying and sand topdressing of the Professional Tees has been completed.
Bunker Face Renovation.
The bunker renovation programme will commence in March when new turf has been purchased.
Fairway Sand Topdressing
All the Indiana course fairways have been topdressed with a sand and soil amendment mix to improve the quality of the root zone both from a drainage and growing environment perspective. The par 3’s are scheduled to be topdressed in March.
11th Professional Tees Bridge.
The 11th Professional tee access bridge and steps have been rebuilt making them safe again. Over the coming months all bridges and steps will be assessed, and new railway sleepers installed where needed.
MARCH COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Bunker Face Renovation
Many of the bunker faces/slopes on the golf course need to be renovated to improve grass density. Over time sand is deposited on the bunker faces from windy weather conditions and bunker shots. This continuous topdressing of sand creates a deep sand profile where grass cannot thrive during the summer months due to the accelerated drainage rate within the sand profile. The excess sand will be removed, the bunker faces reshaped back to the original soil profile and turfed. The work will continue through to May before the summer heat prevents successful turf establishment.
7th and 14th Hole Landscaping
The golf maintenance teams will continue to clear and prune the overgrown landscaping areas of the 14th hole. The teams will also be clearing all dry plant material along the 7th fairway to reduce the density of planting.
Verti Draining Fairways
The aeration of the fairways by verti-draining will continue. This particular aspect of golf course maintenance is both extremely necessary and time consuming, so we ask you to please bear with us until it’s completion. Disruption to play, as always, will be kept to an absolute minimum.
Fairway Sand topdressing
The par 3’s approaches and some green surrounds will be topdressed with a sand and soil amendment mix to improve the quality of the root zone both from a drainage and growing environment perspective. Weak areas will be overseeded.
2020 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 2020.
Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd April
Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd June
Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th September
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 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,
Malcolm Lacey Anthony Brooks
Golf Operations Manager Golf Course Superintendent
