Golf
Water comes into play on the 13th and 14th “ The 9th green 34 I PC APRIL/MAY 2016
1st fairway with gorse much in evidence
We find these blogs really useful to inform the membership about the work we are doing at any given time. For example, the bunker renovations we carried out through the winter, our reasons for aeration and even about the training courses and events that the greenkeeping team have attended
hazard to contend with and, just when you think you are ‘almost there’, the course provides two par 5s and a long par 4 to finish with. Perhaps this is why one is greeted so warmly in the clubhouse; out of sympathy! In recent years, the club has hosted the
Scottish Ladies Championship, the Scottish Boys Championship and the Senior Home Internationals and, whilst it has better known golfing neighbours, it more than holds its own on Scotland’s Highlands route. Indeed, it is ranked 9th in the highland’s best courses and 51st in the country overall. Richard took over the reins at the club
whilst Derek worked towards his retirement at the end of March. He had been at the club for forty-nine years; a quite staggering commitment to one club. Mind you, at fifteen years service, Richard is a relative newcomer as his team includes Michael Mcinnes (42 years service), Graeme Robbins (38 Years) and Brian Tait (28 years), so he won’t be short of experience to draw on in his new role. Having progressed through the ranks,
taking SVQ levels 2 and 3 in Sportsturf and an HNC in Golf Course Management at Elmwood College on the way, Richard is well qualified for his new role. Additionally, he
has Pa1, Pa2 and Pa6 spraying certificates, first aid and automatic irrigation level 3. The 18-hole, 6765 yards, par 72 course sits on a sandy loam soil close to the Moray Firth coastline. The greens are built out of the local soil. It is a mixture of links, heathland and parkland and, for this inexperienced links golfer, far too much gorse! That said, it was the perfect stepping stone between the inland beauty of the Boat and the true links of Spey Bay; you should have seen me at the latter - I was lucky to come fourth! Presentation is paramount and Richard
confirms that all his team are fully conversant with all day to day course maintenance requirements. “Our cutting regimes are fairly standard,”
says Richard. “We keep the greens at 3.5mm in the summer, cutting every day. We also run the Tru-Turf iron over them three times a week. Tees are cut at 7mm twice a week and fairways once a week at 10mm. We pencil tine the greens every three weeks using the ProCore, topdress on a weekly basis in summer and overseed twice a year. We operate sustainable maintenance techniques and aim to keep fertiliser usage to a minimum.” This particular region of north-east
Looking across the 1st tee from the clubhouse
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