TECHNICAL


Paul Gater, First Assistant and spraying specialist at Caldy Golf Club, has won the prestigious title of Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year, presented at the glittering BTME Awards ceremony in January


Caldy's Team sprayer has been purpose designed for turf application


P


Buffer zones around water features help to protect natrural resources


aul Gater’s route into turf management started as a junior member at Auchterarder Golf Club in Perthshire, Scotland. “The club gave me an


opportunity to work on the course for a short time, which I enjoyed, and it took off from there,” he reported.


Having attended Elwood College in Cupar,


Fife, he started at Caldy Golf Club, on the Wirral peninsular near Liverpool, in 1994. Now, as First Assistant to course manager, Carl Crocher, as well as carrying out all greenkeeping duties, Paul’s main responsibilities involve applying chemicals and fertilisers, including ensuring accurate stocks and records are kept. For spraying he holds a PA 1/2 & 6, along with his National Certificate in greenkeeping; NVQ 3 and 4; chainsaw certificate; First Aid level 3; excavator licence and welding certification. The club’s primary sprayer is a Team sprayer purpose built for turf application, with a 600 litre capacity tank. He also has a walk over EvenSprey Pro 50 litre tank, initially brought for a newly constructed greens project, but adding flexibility for winter applications.


“In the summer months, I can be out spraying weekly,” he reported. “We apply Primo Maxx to greens once every two weeks, and monthly to the tees and surrounds. We also use compost teas monthly on the greens, tees and surrounds. In the winter months, spraying depends on the weather and what needs doing.” The club has developed a robust Integrated Turf Management programme to ensure applications are better targeted and only used where justified to maintain turf quality.


With fungicide treatments, for example,


Paul says the strategy is to apply as soon as disease is seen to control any outbreak. “Get the timing wrong and it can have devastating effects that can last through to the spring,” he added. For weed control, Paul highlighted they now focus treatments on holes alongside the cliff tops first, as the wind tends to blow seeds across the course and this approach reduces potential weed spread. This action has reduced the overall area treated each year, and the amount of herbicide used. “Having the odd weed here and there is


okay, if it’s not interfering with play. We tend to leave it until we reach a threshold, before


PC February/March 2020 125


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