CAPTAIN’S NEWSLETTER

To all Members:

I trust that you have all enjoyed a Merry Christmas, hopefully, with family and friends both at home and at PRGC. I know that many have taken the opportunity to work off the extra calories consumed and to enjoy the course in the somewhat unusual but very enjoyable recent weather.

With the days already extending there is surely good reason to begin, if not actually planning, at least contemplating the opportunities of a new year and for us that means golf, competition and time spent with like-minded friends.

You know now that there is a full list of competitions on the notice boards and I am sure that you will appreciate the time taken to make sure that you have all the early information that you need to continue to be involved in the activities of our Club. Certainly the participation in recent weeks in the various activities organised by your committee and the Club’s Management has shown that given sufficient time, and some gentle persuasion, the competitive spirit is alive and well. For all who have taken part may I extend my thanks for your positive response and to those who have been, so far, unable to join us please do look at the opportunities to come and find spaces in your busy calendar to support the enthusiasm and commitment that it takes to schedule and organise such a programme.

Our next major event will be The Distinguishables versus The Incorruptibles, March 18^th between the Captain’s Team and the Management Team and there will be much indecent haste in the attempts to induce you to represent one or other of the teams. It would be indelicate of me at this time to promote the many reasons why you might choose the Captain’s Team and so I will leave it to you to recognise the value and prestige of being associated with such an august body.

Throughout the coming season there will be both home and inter-club competitions that need the dedication and commitment of Members that is necessary if we are to raise the flag of PRGC over the winners’ enclosure. Lists asking you to submit your details will be forthcoming but don’t feel that you have to wait to be included; a simple direct approach to any of your Committee Members is all that it takes to earn my undying gratitude.

I am still in the early stages of my year as your Captain and perhaps there is much for me to learn but with the help of your Committee and the goodwill of all that I have the privilege to play alongside I have already had time to see that, for me, this will be a year of achievement and fun: I hope that it will be the same for each and every Member.

I have no other qualification for my role than a determination to represent you in the best way of which I am capable. Tell me what you need; I may not always be able to provide it but I will always welcome the chance to talk with you.

My sincere thanks and best wishes for a Happy New Year

Brian  Fowler

Club Captain: 2016-7

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Please click here to read Sue D'Arcy's January Update

Fusarium Patches - What Are They?

Fusarium is spread by wind, water, and by foot traffic. It is during periods of mild cool wet weather and heavy dews that an outbreak of the disease takes place. Attacks appear during late autumn through the winter.

Golf Greens are susceptible to Fusarium when the soil surface remains wet during prolonged periods of wet cool weather. Infected turf will recover when the plant becomes more active in the spring and is able to produce new healthy leaves restoring its vigour and colour.

The Fusarium fungus resides in the thatch of the green and is always present. You can’t exclude thatch and nor would you want to. Naturally occurring thatch at an appropriate depth and uniformity provides a natural resilience which contributes to the speed and consistency of play. It also acts as a singularly significant ‘recycling bin’ for natural nutrients (including nitrogen), released from decomposing organic matter and returned to the living grass plant tissue through the fibrous root system. So, Fusarium requires constant monitoring and control. It is always there on every golf green waiting to strike! Due to the climatic conditions, Autumn 2016 has seen an aggressive attack across the country.

What are we doing about it?

The cure is a mixture of ongoing preventative activity and chemical action against the disease.

Prevention... is a balance of continuing to remove the dew from the greens at every opportunity and increasing drainage and aeration. This is the right activity but many green keepers regard this as the equivalent of King Canute trying to hold back the waves.

Cure... is the successful application of chemicals which we use every year to manage this disease. It is important to note that the disease is always present, it lives in the thatch of the green. It happens every year, it just needs to be managed carefully. The greens will fully recover during the spring. The greens are being sprayed on Wednesday 4th and 11th of January and we will ensure no disruption to play.

John
Head GreenKeeper

Foot Traffic Causes Substantial Damage To Frozen Frosty Greens

When we have frosty greens we politely ask golfers to use the temporary greens. The reasons are set out below and we thank you for your co-operation.
Golf greens are fragile & require careful, professional management. A green is a collection of millions of individual grass plants that are very delicate. Putting surfaces are cut at a height from 4mm – 8mm depending on the time of year, which places extreme stresses on the plant. This makes them vulnerable to attack from disease, pests, drought & frost.
Where there is a visible frost on the surface the grass plant becomes brittle as it is 90% water & can be easily crushed. As a consequence play in these conditions will cause the plant to die. (Similar to cracking an egg shell. Once its broken it can’t be put back together.)
Similarly even where there is not a visible frost & the top 2 inches of top-soil have thawed, the sub-soil may still be frozen. Play on the frosty greens in such circumstances will cause roots to break causing the plant to die.
Damage may not be immediately evident but within 2 to 3 days the leaves will turn brown & the plant will die. This causes thinning of the grass coverage & weakens the remaining plants. This in turn makes the surface more susceptible to disease & weed ingress. At the start of the new season the greens will take longer to recover & the quality of the putting surfaces will be compromised until mid season.
It is, therefore, essential that golfers do not play to main greens or use the putting green when greenstaff have put temporary greens in play. The greenstaff realise that temporary greens are not popular with the membership but they are a necessary evil.
Once again, thank you for your cooperation.
John Harvey,
Head Greenkeeper