GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
NEWS LETTER
OCTOBER 2019
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the Golf Course Superintendent’s News Letter sent to you in September, 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 October 2019.
SEPTEMBER COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
New Putting Green
The new putting green is now being maintained to the same mowing frequency and height as the greens of the Indiana golf course. As expected, due to the very high temperatures and mowing traffic damage to the rye grass surround, new turf will need to be introduced around the new green surface to create a new collar.
Annual Golf Course Overseeding Program
The overseeding of the golf course throughout all rye areas has been completed. Additional seeding may be required on areas that have been slow to recover.
Verti Cutting & Sand Topdressing Tees
The tees were verticut and topdressed as per the maintenance schedule.
Driving Range Tee
The driving range tee was verticut, sand topdressed and overseeded as part of the maintenance schedule. The tee is now open to all golfers. The high September temperatures have allowed the Bermuda grass to recover again. We can expect to see the rye grass recently seeded to germinate in October.
1st Tee Landscaping Work
The rock landscaping work around the first tee complex has been completed. Additional clearing of plant material around the tee complexes has also been completed.
Bermuda Grass Encroachment
The second application of a non-selective herbicide was applied to the 2nd green collar, 11th green collar, 15th green surround, 17th green collar and the 18th approach. These areas are now clean of Bermuda grass and will be turfed with new rye grass on Tuesday 8th October.
Hollow/Solid Tining Greens
The greens were verticut, solid tined and sand topdressed on Monday 9th September and the practice area closed on Wednesday 11th September to help complete the aeration process on schedule.
OCTOBER COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Golf Course Maintenance
During the month of October many additional maintenance procedures will be taking place on the Indiana course in preparation for the PGA EuroPro Tour Championships and Stage 2 of the European Tour Qualifying School. These procedures include; – fairway & bunker edging and sand placement, an increase in green speed, desert hardpan rolling, rough mowing height increase, and a reduction in pin placement rotation. The maintenance staff will be working additional hours to achieve the necessary tournament playing conditions. Disruption to play will be kept to an absolute minimum.
18th Green Approach
The approach of the 18th green will be closed for all golf trolleys. The approach needs time to recover and establish after the summer months. The approach is not GUR but restricting additional traffic will improve its recovery rate.
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 provisional hollow coring dates in 2020.
Tuesday 21st April May – TBC November – TBC
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
