The West Kilbride Golf Club

Firstly, the winter programme this year is progressing well. This month the Greenstaff have built the new bunker on the 5th fairway, rebuilt the 9th and 10th right hand greenside bunkers. We have started cutting the turf out from the dip on the 5th fairway for the position of the two new fairway bunkers. This turf will be used for re-turfing the rough around the 5th fairway bunker. I hope to have the ground prepared in the dip and ready for building the new bunkers for the start of the new year.

A slight change will be made to the winter programme as the 11th fairway bunker on the right-hand side of the fairway needs the face re-built as the turf has now come away. This will be done instead of the 1st greenside bunker.

All fairways have now been Verti-drained except the 5th. This will be done after all the works have been completed in this area.

All tees have been cut and sprayed with sulphate of iron. This is to help promote colour, harden the plant and help control the onset of moss over the winter months when grass growth is reduced.

General maintenance is being carried out daily including a lot of divoting on the tees due to heavy play.

There was a partial blockage in the drain to the right-hand side of the 13th fairway this has now been cleared. The inspection chambers have been checked, pipe rodded and the outlet has now been cleared. The remaining outlets will be cleared again before the Christmas holidays.

During periods of frost, several areas of brambles on the gorse lines for example at the 2nd and 6th have been cut back. This will continue throughout the winter as required. The gorse at the front of the 15th blue tee has now been topped.

All greens have been sprayed with sulphate of iron and have now been vert-drained. This is carried out to allow cold air into the roots, increase filtration rates during periods of wet weather and help break up compaction through the soil profile to a depth of 250mm.The greens were then hand cut using a pedestrian mower, this reduces weight and compaction on the greens and the heavier roller on the mower helps smooth out the surface and maintains a reasonable putting surface.

Finally, we have been unsuccessful so far in recruiting a qualified greenkeeper to fill the vacant position. Having spoken to several course managers and people in the trade, unfortunately it seems to be a problem throughout the greenkeeping industry.

Richard Fulton.
Course Manager.