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MARCH 2024

It is hard to believe we are in Autumn already with green renovations about to start, this Summer Season has absolutely flown by, though there were times it felt it was never going to end !! Temperatures are still summer highs, but there is that chill to the air of a morning.   My apologies for not completing the February edition, more irrigation dramas, on course work demands, and a slight internet then computer issues rounded it off to conspire against my best intentions. We faced our fair share of challenges this summer irrigation season but I am very pleased with the course coming out of summer, my thanks to the staff, volunteers and Directors support over the past few months to assist in continuing to produce quality surfaces despite the challenges faced. It is a team effort so thank you team.   As I have alluded to, our irrigation issues haven’t ended with the back 9 bore pump motor, no sooner were we recovered from the lack of irrigation in the early stages of summer prior Chr

January 2024

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On behalf the Course Staff we hope all our members enjoyed their festive season and wish everyone a healthy and fantastic New Year.  As many members are aware the ongoing saga of the submersible pumps dominated the past 4 to 5 weeks, a simple replacement turned into a logistical nightmare. With the older pump no longer manufactured, the original quoted like for like flow rate replacement being to large a dimension for our bore, and, unusually, very difficult sourcing a pump that both matches our duty requirements ( flow rates and pressure ) and actually fits in our bore hole.   Interestingly through all this I was given some very old documents from 1970’s which made mention of limited pump size availability for our bore hole... Go figure.  These delays in sourcing a compatible pump led to some serious concerns with the pressure being applied to our other pump, turf health deteriorating, and with the Xmas /New Year shut down fast approaching, I made the decision to have the

December 2023

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The last time I left off we were about to commence Fairway Scarifying for the first time in many years and doing so in house with demo equipment for the first time. I am please to advised on the whole, the program and demo equipment was a resounding success.  We managed to complete all 18 holes within 4 days, with all outcomes exceeding expectations and to add to the success without any major interruption to competition play and only slight inconveniences to social play which were managed exceptionally by the golf shop staff.   Due to the success I recommended to the board to proceed with the purchase of the Scarifier unit of which was accepted. The Board should be acknowledged for their support and commitment to providing the necessary equipment to meet player expectation of standards.  The addition of the equipment will no doubt take the fairway grooming to a new level, less thatch better water penetration, healthier turf and promotion of new growth all leadin

November 2023

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Welcome to another instalment of the Course Maintenance Blog, I will try and slow down the typing, because we have been going at a cracking pace on the course over the past 6 weeks that would leave the Cup hopefuls in our wake.   The Finish line is in sight for a number of projects undertaken over the last month and looking forward to holding back the reigns( ok no more cup puns) to give time to consolidate the previous work performed.  My thanks to Ben for his tireless efforts, with a great many extra hours worked, my staff who have also worked extra hours and of course both of our major works could not have been completed without the wonderful help of our ever present volunteers. This should never go unnoticed, coming from a metro golf course background, where volunteers were scarce to say the least; I am forever appreciative for the help these members give. Forget the profit and loss sheet for a moment or the condition of the course/ facilities, the true strength of a NFP club l

October Spring Greens Renovations Update

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For the first time in 4 years we had a clear run through our Spring Greens Renovation period with the weather, after the past 4 years of rain interruptions I was starting to think I was cursed and as today is Voice referendum day, I think it appropriate to thank Wuluwaid and Bunbulama for turning off the taps this time round ! Please let that be the end of rain affected renovations.   Thanks to my fantastic staff who tirelessly put in some very long hours and hard work over the closure period we not only managed to successfully complete the full greens renovation program of verti cutting, coring and sanding, we also completed all Green Approaches to the same program and Tees renovation which were dethatched using a pedestrian verti mower over some 1 Ha of tee area, along with coring and sanding. This outstanding result with the amount of work required could not be completed without the course closure, the help of our wonderful volunteers cleaning up cores and of cours

October 23 Renovation Month !!

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  The past 4 weeks have been busy to say the least, a pattern of which will only get busier as we head through Spring renovation period and Summer, as mentioned last month we are looking forward to a spring that is looking like a normal one this year.   Retic maintenance commenced this past 4 weeks with a considerable number of issues to attend, both as preventative maintenance and some remedial works as well, all this between course preparations for major events we have or are about to host, the Ladies 4s championships, Mens 4s championships and Mixed 4s Championships, we have hosted the Drummond 54 hole classic and of course to wrap the month the Capel 3000. All of these events require extra maintenance from the obvious grooming with the 1%ers attended to, and not so obvious nutritional, pest and turf stress programs kicking into gear through to behind the scenes work such cutting heights and sharpening of cylinders to meet the expectation for conditions of these events. Its not

September 2023

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 Thank you to all our members who supported this years Greenkeepers Revenge Day, a full field, and a packed clubhouse afterwards still scratching their heads how on earth they survived !!     A   fantastic fun day had by all, especially the apprentices!!     Played in good spirit, we hope to have reinforced the importance of course care in a fun way, and even if you took just one course care tip away to implement in future rounds, then everyone will benefit. Congratulations to all the days winners, none more so than Keith and Judy Simmons for being announced joint winners of the “2023 Pitch Forker”   award for outstanding course care through the year, proving that strong couples not only play together, they fork together!  We look forward to seeing everyone back out on the course trying to beat the obstacles set by your friendly Greenkeeper next year !   With the Greenkeepers Revenge run and won, the Roos mating,   Peppi trees flowering , the Capel 3000