Golf


Signature 10th hole with gun emplacement centre of picture


and climates,” he argues. “Personally, I’d like to use just fescues and bents throughout the course, but some of the mixtures have other species in, and this just goes to show that you can’t always have what you want. You have to look at the alternatives available. The mixtures have been a success and we’ve now got full grass cover. You have to be open-minded.” The rewards for changing the maintenance regimes, in terms of raising mowing heights and committing to a reseeding programme, has paid dividends in terms of producing a better, more playable golf course. Alick’s maintenance regime is tailored to meet the demands of the course and fit in with the resources he has available. “Only having three staff generally dictates what


we can achieve,” he says, “so, time is focused on greens, tees and the general presentation of the course.” “We cut the greens at 4mm in the summer, raising them to 6mm in the winter, using the John Deere 2500B triple. Tees are kept between 8- 10mm, as are the collars. Both are cut with the John Deere 2500A, although we do also use the 260C pedestrian mower on the collars.” “Surrounds are kept at 10- 12mm using our John Deere 2653A; fairways are cut at 14mm with the John Deere 3235C, and the semi-rough 50mm with the 3245C.” “Aeration work varies from verti-draining greens and tees to the usual slit, hollow, solid-tining and also star and pencil tining on greens. We use the Imants Shockwave on our fairways.”


Our greens range from being very wet to very dry, hence using the different mixtures


Rob Leitch on the 2500A with the beach, sea and wind farm as a backdrop


APRIL/MAY 2012 PC 13


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