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.