The team built a new path system to the first tee


rootzone dressings that have been applied over the years. It’s a vigorous programme of aeration and dressings. The greens get vertidrained twice between October and December, using 13mm diameter, 300mm depth tines at 50mm spacings, followed straight after with the verticut units and sarrel rollers to help restore levels. Every six weeks, throughout the winter months, soluble iron is applied.”


“During the first week in February the


greens are again vertidrained, using 19mm diameter tines to a depth of 300mm but at 100mm spacings, again followed by verticutting and sorrel rolling.”


“In the first week of March, without fail, I begin the spring renovations. I like to start early, hollow coring the greens with 13mm tines and topdressing with a fen dress 90/10 dressing at a rate of two


A tulip tree is maturing nicely


tonnes per green, which is followed by a dose of turf hardener.” “A month later another tonne of


topdressing is applied and dragmatted in. This continues throughout the year on a monthly basis, giving firm, smooth free draining greens.” “Some preventative fungicide applications are made when required. There has been no nematode damage to date, and I reckon it is the ‘robust’ cultural practices that are the reason why.” In April, a 6:1:12 Guardian NPK fertiliser is applied to help kick start the greens, with further applications of 12:0:9 NPK in May. “The greens are cut daily at a height of 2.5mm in the summer months and 4mm in winter. We use the Toro Triple greensmowers, which are always kept sharp and accurate. A prism gauge is used to check the actual cutting height. I


don’t believe in using turf irons to gain speed, because I believe this impacts on the greens unnecessarily. We’ll change the hole positions four or five times a week.” Tees are kept at 12mm and hand mown twice a week, they get vertidrained, topdressed and fertilised once a year, and are regularly divoted. Fairways are cut at 15mm all year


round and vertidrained twice during the winter months, aprons are kept at 9mm, whilst the rough is mown at 60mm. “This short grass policy across the course is set up for the members, who do not want to lose their ball or be hindered by slow play. My ethos is to produce the course the members want.” Howard has built up a great


relationship with the greens committee and works with them to improve the quality of the course. As he rightly points


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