Woodbury Park - Course Report / Newsletter July / August 2023

General

Rainfall total for the month of July was 115mm . The courses have certainly got there colour back now with the wet July.

Unfortunately with the very warm, humid, wet conditions we have experienced the last few weeks a number of turf diseases have appeared on the courses. We currently have a small amount of fusarium patch on the greens. The disease is in its early stages and is currently just a small discolouration of the annual meadow grass (Poa Annua). I am not concerned about it as the greens are healthy and it will likely grow out as quick as it came in, so there is no need to waste money on a fungicide at this time.

During a number of the heavy rain storms we had in July we noticed some of the ditches were not flowing as well as they should be. So we have had the digger on the courses clearing any blocked ditches and clearing out near pipes, this will help us as we move closer to the Autumn. We have also removed a couple of goat willow trees from the ditch on the 12th that was backing the water up. A number of small dead trees have also been removed around the site from the 1st, 9th ,11th , and 12th .

Greens maintenance is scheduled on The Oaks Course on Monday 14th August (front 9) and Tuesday 15th August (back 9) with Wednesday 16th our contingency day in case of machinery or weather issues. The Acorns Course greens maintenance is booked for Monday 21st August with Tuesday 22nd being our contingency day.

Greens maintenance is slightly later this year due to our very busy early August golf fixture list which includes The Club Championships, the PGA West Region Championships and the Devon Palairet Finals Day.

Greens maintenance will consist of:

Vertical draining (12mm tine, 10" deep) to relieve compaction, aid drainage and help the exchange of gasses.

Double scarified for the removal of thatch / organic matter.

Debris blown away after scarifying.

Solid tined (16mm, 2" deep) to create a shallower hole where we want the new sand to be.

Rolled / ironed.

Top dressed with the aim of 60 tonnes of sand on The Oaks Course.

Brush / drag mat to work the sand into the holes / surface.

Granular fertiliser application for plant health and quicker recovery.

Completed Work for July

Greens received a liquid / soluble fertiliser.

Tees and Approaches received a soluble fertiliser and a plant growth regulator (PGR).

A number of "˜low' sprinkler heads have been raised / levelled.

All bunker edges have been strimmed, edges and tidied.

Ditches have been cleared of debris.

A number of small dead trees have been removed.

Continued with finding fairway drainage on The Acorns Course.

Repaired an irrigation leak on the 1st green of The Acorns Course.

Bunker drains cleaned and replaced on The Acorn's bunkers 6th and 8th.

Contaminated sand removed from the front right bunker on The Oaks Course 17th to help with drainage.

Planned Work for August

Preparation work for Club Championships, PGA West Championships and Devon Palairet Finals Day.

Greens to receive a granular application of fertiliser following greens maintenance.

Greens to be verti-drained.

Greens to be double scarified.

Greens to be top-dressed.

All sprinkler heads to be trimmed.

Pond clearance on selected ponds across the site.

Andy George - Golf Course Manager

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