Golf
When we punched 30,000 holes in the 14th green, 12-13 inches deep to improve drainage, fourteen members chipped in to help fill every one individually with dried sand
Four year old Paddy. Will he continue the dynasty at Bransford?
of many a greenkeeper’s working life. “Plenty have lost their job trying to provide the perfect putting surface,” Graham notes. “Expectations are so high now and members are growing more knowledgeable as they have more access to information.” “We need to provide a surface, members and visitors want a smooth green. Poa and bent mixes predominate in the sandy soil and it would be lovely to have rye and fescues too but, given our time constraints, I believe we have reached a serviceable result.” “Many greenkeepers strive for perfection
in greens and it causes a load of hassle for them. Correct maintenance procedures will encourage better grasses.” I’m a little surprised by this seemingly
laissez faire stance - then Graham plays his trump card. “My partner was a greenkeeper here before she gave birth to Paddy, so I speak to her about green issues - she’s very helpful.” Members can come in pretty handy too,
he says. “The community of members we have here is really nice - mixed age ranges and no status issue. They are local people living within a twenty mile catchment.” Graham keeps them fully informed about
his intentions on course, as well as attending monthly committee meetings to update club
management on the course maintenance programme. “Their attitude is markedly different to some private members clubs. Hotel members are more accepting and these are the best set of members I have ever known. They are complimentary and speak in a constructive manner. I make it clear that if they want to know anything all they have to do is ask me.” That policy paid dividends recently,
Graham recalls. “When we punched 20,000 to 30,000 holes in the 14th green, 12-13 inches deep to improve drainage, fourteen members chipped in to help fill every one individually with dried sand. We finished that green in a day, thanks to their help; half the time if only us had worked on it.” The process formed part of the continuing
programme of improving greens drainage. In the last three years, the team has completed fourteen of the eighteen greens. “Another will be done this winter,” Graham says. “The issue is that they suffered from poor
construction; either we could have drained them, dug them up and relaid them or undertaken in-house deep aeration, so chose the last option.” Like his father before him, Graham is
already preparing his four-year-old son Paddy - Treat Your Turf
echneat PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 I 37
”
What’s in the shed? John Deere 2500A greens mowers x 3
John Deere 220 pedestrian greens mowers x 2 John Deere 7400 rotary triple mower John Deere 1600 WAM John Deere ProGator John Deere HD200 sprayer Tycrop Propass topdresser John Deere 3720 tractors x 2 Charterhouse Verti-Drain Stihl brushcutters x 3 Makita backpack blower TruTurf greens iron Flemming fertiliser spreader Makita EA500P chainsaw Sisis fairway slitter
for the joys of golf. “It was playing the game with my dad that got me into it, so I hope Paddy will follow suit.” If he also follows dad into greenkeeping, the Bransford dynasty will be established.
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