Technical
Shrewsbury Golf Club; in the background is the South Shropshire Hills where Church Stretton Golf Course is situated
Shropshire’s golf greens Chris Robets
When it comes to producing good quality putting surfaces, there is no set formula, with each course having differing topography, grass type, soil conditions and playing demands. In this article, Chris Roberts looks at two Shropshire courses that are less than ten miles apart. However, this is where the similarity ends, especially in relation to their greens and how they are managed
112 I PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2015
Compare and contrast ...
I
n May 2007, Chris Roberts Agronomy started work with Shrewsbury Golf Club, a parkland golf course on the outskirts of the county town which has been at its current location since 1972. The club
currently boasts a health active membership and a stable visitor income.
Clients Expectations
The membership at Shrewsbury are extremely proud of their greens and, since 2007, are used to playing on main greens throughout the year. There is an expectation that the greens will be smooth and quick throughout the playing season. The current target greens speed is 10.5 for general play and 11 for any major competitions. Along with greens speed, the membership wish the greens to be relatively receptive in
the summer, yet firm enough to withstand winter play.
The Greens
The greens are soil push up that have been laid on a thin stone carpet. Over the stone carpet are varying depths of topsoil and, in relation to drainage, has little benefit. The soil on which the greens have been built is indigenous clay and drains relatively slowly. Deep within the current soil profile, it is
clear to see numerous applications of peat. This is believed to have been applied shortly after the club relocated to its current site, to help and retain moisture on, what were at the time, non-irrigated greens. Since then, years of topdressing has seen a
rootzone build up of approximately 150mm over the top of the peat and indigenous soil.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140