The weather has certainly been more pleasant and bearable in March than in February.
The Grounds staff have been working tirelessly to prepare the course for the Australian Junior Championship [AJC] which commences on the 8th of April 2024. This is a perfect opportunity to highlight our course to the Australian elite and ensure other high-profile clubs sit up and take notice of GGC. Additional work has been completed with details below:
Bunkers – All bunkers on the course have now been levelled and those fairway bunkers with flat tops have had the flat tops removed. We intend to level all bunkers on an annual basis to ensure our bunkers are in good condition all year round. Once again, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Paul Cooper for his efforts in this regard.
Two new rakes that have a brush at the end of the rake have been purchased and have been placed in the 8th bunker. I would be interested to know how members view these rakes. Are they an improvement on the current rakes we use?
I was provided with a photo of an unraked bunker on Saturday the 16th of March in which a member’s ball lodged in the footprint. This occurred on the LH greenside bunker on the 6th hole. Refer photo following. This is an appalling example of a member’s lack of care or thought about their fellow members. I am not sure why our members do not take pride in our course & endeavour to leave the course in a better condition than when they arrive to play. Is it a lack of “Education, lack of care, or do they believe that someone else will repair my divots etc”. Greens intend to explore other ways/options to tackle this issue.
Trees – Branches continued to fall during March & have been chipped by the volunteers.
Volunteers & E/B’s – These two groups have commenced picking up small branches and sticks between all fairways to beautify the course prior to the AJC. To date, we have completed holes 1 – 12. Many thanks to all the participants. Half a dozen bare areas on the mounds on the LHS of the 18th fairway have had Kikuyu runners planted and yellow sand utilised to level these areas. They are currently GUR.
Irrigation – We experienced two mainline breaks during March on the 9th & 15th They were both due to corroded steel pipe fittings which had been in the ground for over 30 years. The one on the 15th left a large gaping hole in the ground. Refer photo below.
9th & 18th lake – We shall commence filling the lake approximately one week before the AJC and continue to top it up until after the Gosnells Open.
15th Lake – The ground staff have mowed this area and removed all reeds fallen branches etc.
Water allowance – I am pleased to advise that despite a warmer than usual summer we were under our annual water allowance, just. Our Water allowance reset as of the 28th of Feb annually.
General maintenance – The following was completed by Grounds in March:
- Tee boxes sprayed for Kikuyu and summer grass.
- Weekly dusting on all greens.
- Areas around trees continued to be sprayed together with regular Bunker spraying.
- Spot spraying of nutgrass & spotted spurge continues around the course.
- Top dressing & fertilising bare areas on fairways.
Greens and the Ground staff wish all members a happy Easter.
