Golf
What’s in the shed? 3 x John Deere 2500 greens mowers 1 x John Deere 2653 triple mower 1 x John Deere 3245C fairway mower 1 x John Deere 3235 fairway mower 1 x Lastec Articulator 1 x Kubota F3680 out front flail 4 x Toro 1000 Greensmasters 2 x John Deere 260 pedestrian greens mowers 1 x Wiedenmann Super 500 Flail Collector 1 x Kubota Tractor (Loader) 1 x John Deere Tractor 1 x Iseki Tractor 1 x John Deere Gator HPX 2 x John Deere Pro Gator 1 x John Deere HD200 sprayer 1 x Hardi sprayer 2 x Knapsack sprayers 1 x John Deere Aercore 1 x Wiedenmann XF Terra Spike 1 x Sisis Multi Slit 1 x Dakota 410 topdresser 1 x AFT 45 Trencher and Gravel Cart 1 x Toro 1200 Turf Iron 2 x Bernhard Express Dual 400 grinders
A consistent HOC is key over the actual specific choice of height and essential to the success of any programme. This allows the plant to build up an understanding of its growing environment - don’t chop and change. Think of it this way - compare John Daly and Adam Scott. They can both perform on their day, but Scott, the more dedicated professional, performs consistently week after week. He manages his daily intakes and pushes himself hard. His body becomes ultra-efficient, vastly out performing Daly. Don’t be silly I hear you say, but think about it - it makes sense.
During the summer months, both plants and biology require more oxygen, so give them what they want - air and lots of it! During a cold winter and bad weather, as long as conditions are not saturated and hydraulic conductivities compromised, leave them alone.
Progress
We take for granted that our bio stimulants (seaweeds) arrive neatly in a 20 litre container ready to work their magic. Fifty years ago, many courses sourced the seaweed from local shores, washing, and
lying on putting surfaces, leaving nature to do its job. Does this mean they were doing anything different to us? Not at all - we use what we have available based around traditional proven practices. Over a century ago, teams of skilled
tradesmen braved the elements raise-forking greens, with very similar results of subsurface fracturing to modern day verti- draining. Technology, time scaling and task efficiency have evolved this cultural practice into something that meets modern expectations. With today’s focus on scientific detail,
proven mythology and sustainability, it would be naïve to rule out the most proactive elite businesses reverting back to this minimum impact, centuries-old approach.
Natural Selection
Time after time I hear the management plans of small clubs aiming for the introduction of a mono species into perfectly acceptable surfaces. Where budgets allow, such selection can be justified producing first class surfaces well suited to their surroundings but, for 99% of us, do we need to go to such extremes and can we work
16 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015
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