Sunshine at last

Last weekend provided a few challenges for us with 130mm of rain falling between Friday and Tuesday. The course was back in play on Wednesday and the rest of the week has been spent getting the rapidly growing tees, fairways, greens and rough mown for the weekends events. The course is looking great now that the sun has come out and we wish all those playing in Sundays shootout lots of luck.

Working Bee

Thank you to all of the members who turned up for todays working bee on the Palms golf course. Around 25 men and ladies showed up with many weeds pulled, thousands of plants planted and many metres of mulch spread along the new 18th hole of the Palms. We will be organising another working bee for next Tuesday morning so please contact Barry Ridden if you would like to get involved.

Drainage lines on 17th fairway

The drainage lines on the 17th fairway have been temporarily marked as ground under repair to allow them to be top dressed. They should be back in play within a couple of weeks.

PALMS CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED

Wednesday marked an exciting day with the construction of the Palms golf course being completed. The 6th and 8th greens along with the 9th tees have now been grassed marking the end of the construction phase of the project. This leaves us four months to grow-in the golf course and have it ready for play in early April. The weather forecast for the coming months is warm and wet which will be ideal for us to establish the turf on the course.

Pictured: The 8th green on the Palms course

Greens transition

As you will see from the attached photograph the warmer weather is causing the bermudagrass on the greens to start to come to life and the wintergrass to start to struggle. This is a process which we refer to as transition and will see the bermudagrass continue to thrive through the summer months until we overseed again in Autumn.

Ben Crane - On Working Out

This weeks winner on the PGA Tour talks about his workout routine..........hilarious!

Palms Construction Update - Holes 6 and 9 complete

After a prolonged spell of wet weather Ross Watson's construction team were able to grass holes 6 and 9 of the Palms last week. This leaves only holes 7 and 8 to be completed. The 6th green will be grassed with the 8th green due to their close proximity. Weather permitting construction of the Palms will be complete within 2 weeks.

Cart path edging

A trial was carried out to install cart path edging to areas that receive excessive wear. The area chosen was around the 3rd green and looks great. We will be looking to start installing more edging around greens and tees to prevent wear and tear from golf cart traffic.

Rain and Wind

Over 120mm of rain has fallen on the golf courses over the weekend with further heavy rain forecast until Thursday. So far damage has been minimal with our major concerns being for the new holes on the Palms golf course. Thankfully renovations of the Pines golf course are completed and we can now turn our attention to cleaning up the mess once the wild weather subsides

Pictured: 15th fairway

Palms Construction Update - Hole 5 complete

Grassing of the new 5th hole of the Palms was completed yesterday leaving only holes 6 - 9 left for completion. This 175m par 3 over water is bound to serve as a great challenge to all who play it. The remaining few holes are due to be finished within the next 3 weeks.

Renovations - Laser levelling of Tees

During renovations we will be carrying out laser levelling of the tees. Over the years due to wear, settlement and top dressing some of the tees on the Pines course have become rather uneven. We have employed a contractor to come in this week to screed sand over the tees using a laser level which determines the high and low points and corrects them accordingly. As a result there will be a thick layer of sand in some areas of the tees which will disappear within a couple of weeks as the grass grows through. Once fully recovered members will be able to enjoy a much better set of level tees.

Renovations - Fairway scarification & aeration

During renovations all fairways will be scarified twice to remove the thatch and dead organic matter which builds up over the year. Our fairway mowers are fitted with special dethatching reels which are a series of vertical blades which rip the thatch out of the ground ready for collection and disposal. After scarification has taken place all fairways will be slit tined before an application of slow release fertiliser is made to all fairways and roughs. In conjunction with the showers that are predicted over the next couple of weeks the fairways will be looking fantastic for summer.

Renovations - Hollow tining

The single most important process which will be carried out during renovations is the hollow tining of the greens. This involves mechanically removing 8mm plugs from the greens then replacing them with sand, calcium, magnesium and organic matter. This helps remove large amounts of thatch and allows us to introduce large amounts of much needed nutrients to the soil profiles of our greens. The greens are also scarified twice prior to hollow tining to remove additional thatch. This will help us maintain healthy greens throughout the warm summer by improving the surface drainage and gaseous exchange in the greens.

Amenities Block

The amenities block on the 12th hole received an upgrade this week with the old hedges removed, irrigation system installed and new native plants put in. We look forward to seeing these gardens mature giving a fresh new look to the area.

4th hole of the Palms

The 4th hole of the new Palms was officially completed today with grassing taking place and the irrigation system being commissioned. This is the first of the back 6 holes to be completed with the remainder set to come on line in the coming weeks.

Golf Australia Magazine

Brendan James, Editor of Golf Australia magazine visited the club today to take some photographs for an article that he is writing on golf courses on the Gold Coast. Brendan spent time on both the Pines and Palms courses and was impressed with the changes that have been made since his last visit in 2007. The article will appear in the November issue of Golf Australia.

Palms renovations

Although the course is yet to open we have begun turf renovations on the fully established holes on the Palms. The fairways and tees on holes 1- 3, 10, 17 and 18 shall all be scarified and aerated to reduce thatch levels and promote healthy turf growth. The greens shall all be hollow tined and top dressed with soil amendments also being added.

Greens Aeration

The greens are being aerated on the Pines golf course today using 8mm solid tines. This helps to improve the surface drainage of the greens, promotes root growth and relieves compaction. All greens shall be rolled afterwards so there should be little or no disruption to the playing surfaces.

Palms Grow In

Grow in of the new Palms golf course is going very well. We now have 12 holes under maintenance with about 8 of these holes now fully established. Herbicide applications have been made to all established fairways over the past couple of weeks and recent fertiliser applications to the greens have them looking in excellent condition. Construction of the back 6 holes is nearing completion with grassing due to commence within the next couple of weeks.

Pictured: The new 10th green on the Palms

Smarty Reflectors

We will be installing Smarty Reflectors to the top of all flag poles on the Pines golf course today. These devices make it easier for golfers using range finders to locate the flagstick. They are designed to give more accurate readings in less time hopefully speeding up play for everyone. For more information on Smarty Reflectors click here.

Root Pruning

We have a stump grinder on site this week to carry out some root pruning adjacent to the cart paths on the Pines golf course. This work will prevent further damage to the cart paths and remove any roots which are starting to venture into in play areas. All treated areas will be marked as ground under repair until fully recovered.

Kangaroo Management

During this week the Ecological Services Unit of Wildlife Warriors and Endeavour Veterinary Ecology will be conducting kangaroo reproductive management operations on the Pines and the Palms golf courses. This will ensure that the kangaroo population that lives in Sanctuary Cove remains at sustainable levels. Around 44 female kangaroos will be darted and a hormone implant will be inserted under their skin. This implant will suppress reproduction in the female kangaroos for 3 - 5 years. Kangaroos recovering from the effects of the sedative may be uncoordinated and easily frightened so please stay well away from any kangaroo that appears to be recovering from anasthaesia. Sanctuary Cove wildlife officer Wendy Nelson will be assisting the Unit while they are on site.

Course Furniture

We are currently carrying out some work to better present the new course furniture on the Pines. This includes laying pavers and removing the mulch which was previously in place.

Norfolk Pines

Maintenance work is being carried out this week on the Norfolk and Cook Island Pines on the Pines golf course. Trimming of excess lateral shoots is being carried out to promote healthy upright growth. This will help to keep these magnificent trees in their peak condition.

Follow us on Facebook

You can now follow the Sanctuary Cove Golf Course Maintenance Blog on Facebook by clicking here. If you are already on facebook simply add us as a friend or sign up and you will receive updates when new posts are made on the blog. You can also add comments and questions via facebook or directly onto the blog.

Palms Construction Update

Progress is continuing with construction of the Palms. The wet weather last week caused little delay and earthworks and irrigation installation are continuing on holes 4 - 9. The landscaping of these holes is also well under way with gardens being installed on holes 4 and 5. The grow-in of holes 1-3 and 10 - 18 has also ticked along nicely over winter with the holes planted in May continuing to establish throughout the cold weather. Once spring is fully upon us we expect the turf to fill in very quickly on these holes. Landscaping of these holes is nearing completion with a number of small jobs including levelling of sprinklers and drainage pits keeping our staff busy. Pictured:The view of the 12th green looking back from the 13th tee.

Fertilising fairways, tees and green surrounds

All fairways tees and green surrounds on the Pines golf course will be fertilised this week to promote some much needed growth as the weather begins to warm up. This will help with the recovery of divots and add some additional colour to the course.

Drainage work

Drainage work has been carried out this week on holes 5,6 and 11. This much needed work will improve the quality of turf on the fairways and hopefully reduce the requirement for course closures after wet weather. All drainage lines should be treated as ground under repair until further notice.

And then it rained!

In the last couple of days we have received approximately 75mm of rain and counting causing the closure of the course on Wednesday and the cancellation of the Ladies competition on Thursday. The forecast is for further rain into the weekend. Clean up has already begun with bunkers being pumped and drainage pits being cleared. One can only be thankful that the rain held out until after the Pro am was finished.

Legends Pro-am

The inaugural Legends Pro am took place on Tuesday with over 250 players tackling the Pines golf course. The course set up included double cutting and double rolling the greens which produced some slick surfaces for the tournament. Thank you to all the greenstaff who put in long days and extra effort to get the course in great condition.

The 18th green under lights for the Legends Shootout

Up Coming Drainage Works

We have scheduled to comence major drainage work on holes 5, 11 and 17, this drainage work will be carried out the week after the pro am on Monday 2nd of August. We hope to complete all three holes that week, so the hole that we are working on will be closed and a practise hole will be allocated in its place.

The current drainage in these areas have been there since the very start of the Pines, and over a long period of time these drainage lines have been blocked from surrounding tree roots and soil, and as a result the replacement of drainage is required.

Acelepryn

Acelepryn is a new insecticide which we have been using at Sanctuary Cove for the past 12 months. It is unique in that it is the first insecticide in the market which has no poisons schedule and does not require the operator to wear protective clothing. It is both safer for our staff and members and far safer for our wildlife whilst still effectively controlling a wide range of turf pests on our golf courses. Watch the attached video which further explains the benefits of Acelepryn and includes some fantastic footage of the Pines golf course.

The 150th Open Championship

Next week i am lucky enough to be part of a select delegation of Australian Superintendents who will be attending the 150th Open Championship at The Old Course, St. Andrews. During our visit we will spend time inside the ropes with Golf Course Manager Gordon Mckie to learn about how the course has been prepared for the Open. Other golf courses that i will be visiting include Sunningdale, Wentworth, The Berkshire, Lundin Links and Machrihanish Dunes. Look out for my blogs from the Open next week.

Greens - height of cut

The height of cut on the greens was lowered to 2.75mm today to smooth out the surfaces a little and control some of the excess growth which we are noticing in the wintergrass. The number of unrepaired pitch marks is still a concern and it would be greatly appreciated if all players could repair their own pitch mark plus one other each time they walk onto a green.

Staff Training

We were visited by Craig Johnston from Toro Australia yesterday who carried out some in-depth training on our new fleet of Toro equipment. The training included watching a number of instructional videos, group discussions and demonstrations before all staff members had to sit an exam to prove their competency.

Palms Golf Course- Bunkers

The new bunkers on the Palms golf course are Ross Watson's latest signature look and will definately give the course a different and unique appearance. The bunker surrounds are turfed with Plateau grass which is very dense and slow growing. As a result the look will be natural and will not need a very high level of maintanance. In addition, native grasses have been planted stratigically around the bunkers to enhance the aesthetics of the course while also adding an higher degree of difficulty.

Meet the Team

Mitch Meizer

Mitch has been part of the team here at Sanctuary Cove for just under 3 years and is very enthusiastic about his work. Mitch can turn his hand to just about any job and recently has taken charge of our bunker sand replacement on the Pines. Currently studying his Certificate 4 in Horticulture (Turf), he hopes to make greenkeeping his career. When not at work Mitch can be found on just about any golf course in the region playing the game he loves.

Pine Tree Removal

Removal of the Pine trees adjacent to the 3rd tees on the Pines is continuing today. These trees are being selectively removed to reduce the significant shade issues that we have on this tee complex. This will allow us to maintain the tees to a far better standard.

Palms Construction Update

Construction of the new Palms golf course is moving ahead on schedule. With holes 1-3 and 10-18 now complete, work has commenced on the back 6 holes which will become holes 4 through 9 of the new course. Earthworks are now complete on holes 3 and 4 with irrigation installation due to start on Tuesday.

Pictured is the view from the new 4th tees of the Palms

Reed Removal

A number of members have contacted me with concerns regarding the removal of reeds around the Pines golf course. Please be assured that we take great interest in the wildlife on the golf courses and are committed to their long term sustainable management. We recently had a visit from the wildlife officer from Gold Coast City Council who commented that the variety of reed (Cumbungi) in our lakes was non-native and was seriously threatening the water quality of our lake systems. This reed can grow in up to 2 metres of water and is extremely aggressive. This causes sediment to be trapped in the reeds, shallowing the lakes which in turn raises the water temperature. This has serious consequences in that we are at risk of algal blooms forming in the lake systems which can become toxic and be extrememly harmful to our wildlife. This did occur in one of our lakes last summer and some birds were injured as a result. To ensure that there is no re-occurrence the wildlife officer suggested that we systematically remove the Cumbungi and replace it with native reeds such as Isolipsis which can be seen adjacent to the 13th green and all through the lake between the 18th hole and the new clubhouse. This reed is non-invasive and will stabilise the lake edges to prevent erosion. Our long term plan is to continue to plant these reeds throughout both golf courses. The wildlife officer, who frequently visits the golf courses, noted that the birdlife on the golf courses seemed to be thriving and that populations were high. In the past 2 years we have seen Jabiru's and a Brolga make the golf courses home which is a great indication that we have a healthy ecosystem. The new Palms golf course includes a number of wetland areas and we are already seeing a large number of Swans and Pelicans making the lakes home.

Fescues

We are currently trialling a range of fescues in some of the new landscape areas on the Palms golf course. These can be seen on the back of the new 10th green on the drive to the village. These will reduce maintenance and add to the natural look of the new Palms.

Wear areas on the golf course.

We are now well into the cooler months and as a result turf growth has decreased dramatically. As turf growth drops the more vulnerable it gets and therefore more susceptible it is to damage from carts. These areas will take a lot longer to repair than if it occurred during the summer months. There are a few things we can all do to minimise the damage and to present the course in its best possible condition.

- Limit the amount of traffic on the golf course by using only one golf buggy per two players.

- Follow cart direction signs.

- Use cart paths as much as possible and observe the 90 degree rule.

Thanks for you co-operation in helping us maintain the golf course to the standard that we all expect.

Golf Queensland Course Rating

The Golf Queensland Course Rating team visited Sanctuary Cove on Monday to rate the Pines course for the new USGA handicap system which is being introduced to Australian golf clubs over the next 2 years. The team measured all holes and took into consideration things like the width of fairways, position of hazards and course conditions in calculating the rating for the golf course. The new course ratings should be available within 4 weeks with the slope rating not being released until 2012 when all other courses have been rated.

Welcome

Welcome to the Golf Course Maintenance Department at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club. Here you will find regularly updated information on the Pines and Palms golf courses. Please feel free to add any questions or comments.

Regards

Robin Doodson
Golf Course Manager