Turf aerator for golf club

A turf aerator has been bought after a demonstration was given to members of the Everglades board and golf committee recently.

A fertiliser spreader was also purchased.

The nursery green in front of the half-way house is being prepared for sowing.

Various strains of "green" grasses are to be planted to determine which is the most suitable for the Everglades environment.

The extension to the 13th green is complete and the green surface is back in play.

The newly-turfed surrounds will be classified as "compulsory GUR" (green under repair) until the turf takes root.

It will then be reclassified as "GUR" before being brought back into play.

A similar procedure will apply to the newly-turfed mound which has been formed between the second fairway and the eighth green.

The chronic problem with bunker drainage is currently being addressed.

A relocatable barrier system is to be trialled on the worn section of turf at the end of the pathway from the ninth tee.

The aim is to attempt to minimise wear and tear of the turf in this area by varying the movement of motorised buggies.

As a temporary measure, the area surrounding the three large trees at the rear of the seventh green is to be marked as GUR.

Work currently being done on the reshaping of the 11th fairway was approved by the golf committee on the recommendation of the "Out Of Bounds" sub committee.

On completion, the 11th fairway will have a bow in the middle with the rough being extended to a distance of 20 metres from the boundary fence.

The large gum tree at the 220 metre mark on the left of the current 11th fairway will be within the new alignment.

The mounds which have been formed to the left of the fairway between the tee and the 170 metre mark are being reformed so that they are connected and flow into the flat fairway similar to the shaping of the mound at the rear of the eighth green.

A fairway bunker will be constructed on the right hand side of the fairway from the 170 metre mark to the 220 metre mark.

Low mounding and dense tree planting, similar to that recently completed on the right hand side of the first fairway will be carried out on the right hand side of the fairway from the 240 metre mark to a point just short of the current fairway bunker in front of the green.

The four small trees short of the large gum on the left hand side of the fairway will be replaced with faster growing trees on an alignment some metres further right to accommodate the bow in the fairway.

Meanwhile, players are asked to carry a sand bucket to fill divots and repair pitch marks.

John Henry, July 31