Tag Archive for: Course

COVID-19 advice for course maintenance

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COVID-19 advice for course maintenance: What is classed as ‘essential maintenance’ during the Covid-19 outbreak? The R&A and BIGGA have had their say.

How much maintenance does a golf course really need during the coronavirus pandemic?

After the Government put new curbs on personal movement as the outbreak intensified, greenkeeping teams were advised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport they could still attend work for “security and essential maintenance purposes”.

That led the body that represents greenkeepers, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association, to urgently seek clarification on what ‘essential’ actually meant. Now the R&A, in conjunction with BIGGA, have given their view. Here is the statement in full…

Essential Maintenance Statement for Golf Courses during COVID-19 Outbreak

The following industry statement sets out a reduced, essential maintenance regime for greenkeeping that protects workers, jobs and secures golfing facilities for the physical and mental wellbeing of millions of golfers who will resume play when social distancing rules are ended. The UK’s £2bn GVA golf industry is only sustainable if greenkeepers continue to work, safely and securely.

Our industry statement outlines those treatments considered essential for the safe maintenance a golf course during the current government restrictions. It is accepted that golf courses exist in many different forms, on many different soil types and in differing landscapes and that this guidance may require adaptation.

Working practices

The primary consideration must be the health and wellbeing of greenkeeping staff. All golf facilities should implement stringent measures to ensure staff members are not at risk. The amount of time that greenkeeping staff are at work should be kept to a minimum and be tailored to fit with the agreed essential maintenance programme.

Measures should include but are not limited to:

  • Focus on hygiene and social distancing
  • Ensure staff members work separately
  • Allocate individual machinery to one worker only
  • If multiple staff on site, then stagger working hours and break times
  • Limit or prohibit use of communal areas
  • Regularly disinfect any surface that is contacted e.g. door handles, fuel pumps, communal machinery
  • Ensure there is a robust lone working policy

Mowing

Greens should be mown according to the rate of growth to a maximum of three times per week. Dew removal should be considered on non-mowing days as required to prevent disease spread.

Tees and green surrounds should be mown according to the rate of growth to a maximum of once per week.

Fairways should be mown according to the rate of growth to a maximum of once per week.

Managed roughs and grass paths should be mown according to need to a maximum of once every two weeks (fortnightly). Only roughs considered to be in direct play should be mown allowing for naturalisation to areas largely out of play.

The height of cut adopted for all these areas is site specific but the elevation of the cutting height on fine turf areas is advised to minimise unnecessary stress on the turf. The aim of the above operations is to maintain uniformity, density, texture and health to allow surfaces to be quickly brought back to an appropriate playing standard once play resumes.

Irrigation and Nutrition

Irrigation and nutrition should be carried out as necessary but with the objectives of keeping the turf alive, maintaining a full sward and preventing turf thinning. Avoid excesses of either input which will only serve to promote unnecessary growth and necessitate more maintenance.

Machinery and Equipment Maintenance

This should be carried out as required to ensure that essential equipment is kept safe and operational.

Operations such as maintaining bunkers, penalty areas, wider practice facilities (other than greens and tees), aeration, top dressing and spraying are not considered essential at this time. However, it is conceivable that occasional spraying to control an acute pest, weed or disease problem may be considered essential at times and in some circumstances.

Updates

Given the fluidity of the current situation there may be a requirement to update and re-issue this guidance in respect of future government advice.

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Greenkeepers keen to maintain course

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Greenkeepers keen to maintain course: Parkview Golf Club’s green-keeping team has completed a five-day project to mow about three kilometres of the verges along the golf course perimeter.

The project, at an estimated cost of R15 000 is part of the club’s embracing programme to secure the environmental integrity of the course, according to club director, James Searson.

“We are proud to contribute to the enhancement of Parkview, Greenside and Emmarentia where we can,” he said, “and work hard to ensure that the club is kept in top condition not just for golfers’ enjoyment but to add value to the surrounding neighbourhood.”

Searson said the club employs a cleaner whose sole task is to continually remove litter, especially plastic, from the ‘sluit’ through the course, to prevent as much as possible of the litter fouling the watercourse downstream. The process removes tonnes of rubbish each year.

To assist municipal engineers to combat the erosion of the sides of the sluit, the club has opened the property to them and their contractors to set up a site office to store their equipment and gain easier access to affected areas. To limit water usage on the course, the club draws non-potable ‘grey’ water (unfit for human use) directly from the Braamfontein Spruit in terms of its riparian rites, pumps into a dam and then filters and sprays it onto the course. To combat invasive polyphagous shot-hole-borer (PSHB) that has infected some trees and threatens many trees throughout South Africa, the club has engaged an arborist to assist it to control the pest through spraying.

Searson added, “Because we see our club as an integral part of the local community, we offer residents walking and social memberships and welcome casual visitors to a round of golf or a drink or meal on our ever-popular balcony.”

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MM the key to course improvements

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MM the key to course improvements: Visitors to the Limagrain UK stand (162), located in the Blue Zone at BTME 2020, can expect a range of market leading products that can significantly improve both the quality and aesthetics of a golf course.

For 2020 there will be two new exciting MM mixtures which will offer turf managers new grass seed solutions for golf and general sports turf.

MM the key to course improvements

As the demand and pressure placed on the modern-day greenkeeper to produce a consistent playing surface continually grows, seed quality, purity and vigour are the essential ingredients for a first-class golf course and Limagrain’s MM range of seed mixture provides exactly these.

For over 30 years, greenkeepers and course managers have been enjoying the benefits by choosing the MM brand and the high-quality varieties used in MM mixtures. All varieties are thoroughly tested at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) – ensuring that the finished product will meet your requirements for play, appearance and maintenance.

For golf greens MM9 – a three-way Browntop bent mixture continues to be a leading mixture for renovations and species exchange. For links style courses and sustainable golf, MM8 offers a great option – a three-way fescue mix with excellent disease resistance, drought tolerance and minimal fertiliser requirements gives course managers a fine, dense sward. MM8 contains varieties such as Nikky and Aporina which have proved to be successful in coastal conditions.

If you are looking for a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, then the 100% ryegrass MM50 should be considered. It is capable of rapid establishment and fast recovery from divot scarring plus high wear tolerance and has extremely fine appearance

For links style golf where damage and wear are lower, MM12 or MM13, are both well suited to this challenging environment as they are drought tolerant and have low maintenance requirements.

Visitors to the stand can also find out how Limagrain’s Wildflower and Colour Splash mixtures have been benefiting countless golf courses throughout the UK and beyond. The mixtures are ideal for those wanting to bring a splash of colour to their golf course as well as attracting some fantastic wildlife.

With a wide range of mixtures available, both the Wildflower and Colour Splash mixtures are extremely easy to sow and the resulting flowers are vigorous plants which are more than capable of competing with weeds. Their vigour is equally matched by robustness; resisting long periods of drought. They are also fast flowering and cost effective.

Limagrain’s amenity seed specialists will all be on hand at BTME to discuss the products in more detail and will also be available to offer their expertise on any queries you may have.

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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ICL on course for BTME

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ICL on course for BTME: ICL is preparing for a busy BTME 2020 when the show takes place at the Harrogate Convention Centre on 21-23 January.

Located in the Purple Zone, the ICL Stand (426) will be a hub of insightful and practical advice where attendees can network and grab a coffee from the ICL barista team.

ICL on course for BTME

ICL will be using BTME as a platform to launch the company’s new 2020/21 Product Guide which features the complete range of ICL and Syngenta products with advice on how to get the best results, including recommended period of use, directions for use and application rates.

Visitors to stand can pick up a copy of the new ProSelect grass seed brochure in which they can learn about the new and improved mixtures that are ideal for golf courses, sports fields, turf growers and landscape contractors. The updated range contains highly ranked STRI varieties which have been developed through an extensive breeding selection.

BTME 2020 will also provide an opportunity for attendees to discover some very exciting new rewards included in ICL’s hugely popular loyalty scheme – Turf Rewards.

ICL has been a long-term supporter of BIGGA’s Continue to Learn education programme and the company will be playing a significant role in the 2020 edition.

Five greenkeepers will embark on the ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship 2020 and will receive three nights’ hotel accommodation and 15 hours of training and personal development at the world-leading education programme.

ICL will also be hosting a number of seminars within the programme:

Integrated Pest Management

Glenn Kirby, Technical Manager UK and Ireland, Syngenta and Henry Bechelet, Technical Sales Manager, UK and Ireland, ICL will be will providing a brief review of the latest IPM trial work looking at cultural, fertility and chemical control. It will look at how this information can help shape our turf management programmes now and, in the future, to ensure disease pressure is managed.

Tuesday 21 January, 13.30 – 16.30

Light and Shade

For this seminar, Glenn will be joined by Dr Andy Owen, International Technical Manager, ICL, as they both look at the latest research into how turfgrass utilises light and will explore techniques for managing the challenges suboptimal light conditions can create.

Wednesday 22 January, 11.15 – 12.00

Summary of Five Years Successful Trial Work Managing Microdochium Nivale on Turf Grass

Both Henry and Andy will be summarising five years of successful trial work in which a range of IPM methods have been developed to help course managers understand the approaches to Microdochium management. In particular, they will be focusing on the final season of work which was completed on a Poa annua based surface, where a range of approaches (including non-fungicidal) provided excellent disease control throughout a high-pressure disease season.

Wednesday 22 January, 13.45 – 14.30

And if you want to catch up with the PhD project on seaweeds and plant parasitic nematodes that ICL are sponsoring at Royal Holloway Dr Alan Gange and Tamsim Williams are presenting on Tuesday 21st January, The Potential and Varied Benefits of Soil Microbial Management Presented by Dr Alan Gange, Professor of Microbial Ecology and Tamsin Williams, PhD Research Student, Royal Holloway, University of London the seminar will provide a brief review of the topic of soil microbiology and the experiments that have been used to investigate the interactions of certain microbes and seaweed products (‘biostimulants’) with biotic problems, such as Microdochium nivale and root‑feeding nematodes.

Tuesday 21 January, 10.15 ‑ 11.15

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Golf Research Enterprise Driving Knowledge In Course Management

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Golf Research Enterprise Driving Knowledge In Course Management: Golf course managers and greenkeepers have the unique opportunity to determine the direction of an innovative new research programme led by STRI and supported by BIGGA.

The Golf Research Enterprise (GREEN) is aimed at identifying and finding solutions to the problems facing golf course professionals now and in the future.

Golf Research Enterprise Driving Knowledge In Course Management

Crucially the decision as to what GREEN has to research is down to you – the people who manage golf turf. What do you think are the most difficult aspects of golf course management, where a focused investigation could determine best management practices?

The challenges of golf turf management are varied; they could be UK wide or may be very localised. What keeps you awake at night? What turf issue do you Google most? These are the issues GREEN would like to identify, investigate and disseminate the resulting knowledge for the good of the golfing industry.

How GREEN works

Tell us your burning issues on your golf course by logging into and completing a short questionnaire survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GRenterprise. We will collate all the responses and prioritise those of greatest concern. The priority list will be presented and discussed at BTME 2020.

Next steps

Once priority topics are established, GREEN will develop a research programme to investigate priority issues with trials work commencing at STRI’s research facility in Bingley in 2020.

Depending on the nature of the research programme instigated, you may have the opportunity to be part of the GREEN research programme by completing parts of the research objective on your golf course under the guidance of STRI. Therefore, we would be grateful if you would indicate your willingness to be part of any trials work on your returned questionnaire.

The results

The results from the research programme will be updated periodically in seminars at BTME and STRI Research Days, online and via social media as well as through articles in Greenkeeper International and STRI’s Bulletin.

STRI and BIGGA are both committed to working closely with this initiative to assist in successful delivery and dissemination of results.

Dr Ruth Mann, head of global research at STRI, said: “The Golf Research Enterprise will give all golf turf managers the opportunity to influence decisions on where research should be focused to create solutions to the everyday problems on the golf course. I’m looking forward to discovering how we can address these challenges and further enhance golf course management.”

BIGGA chief executive officer, Jim Croxton, said: “What makes the Golf Research Enterprise different from those initiatives that have come before it is that greenkeepers are being placed at the very heart of the project. BIGGA members have the opportunity to help shape the direction of the research and they will also be able to play an active role in any trials and practical studies that arise.

“In such a rapidly changing industry, it’s vitally important that there’s clarity in the advice being given to our members. If we are to meet the ever-rising challenges of golf course management, we need to have answers to the questions that are being asked and so this initiative from the STRI is very welcome.

“STRI are making a significant investment and we are delighted to be working alongside them. We urge everyone in the turf industry to get involved in this initiative”.

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