GOLF


Fairway renovations begin on the Serapong Course


to stretch longer and longer. This is a particular problem for us as our golf course is the collection basin for the rainwater that fills our lake system, which is what we use for irrigation. We have no other means of recharging our lake system other than using Mother Nature and rain. Therefore, as the drought seasons become more prevalent and stretch longer, we have become vulnerable to low water conditions from time to time.


Do you take regular soil samples to ascertain what work is required?


We take soil samples on a regular basis, usually about every six to eight weeks and have done this process for nearly ten years. It’s amazing to see how we have continued


to use this data and information to build healthier soils. You know they say, you’re a soil manager before you’re a turf manager, and if you manage great soils, you’ll have healthy turf.


How do you interact with your club members?


First, I try to make myself available to club members and, on the floor, to discuss, share and talk about any of their questions, needs and desires. I believe being hands-on is the key to great communications. I also believe social media, email correspondence and other media mechanisms are critical to keeping the general membership educated and up to speed.


Are you working on any special projects at the moment?


We currently have closed the Serapong Course for six months, in which we are removing the grass and replacing it with a fresh clean layer of zoysia mitrella. We are re-lasering and leveling all the tee boxes to reinstate a tabletop, flat finish, and updating the grass so that we can continue to maintain them at their super low mowing height of 3mm. We pride ourselves on having some of the very best teeing areas in golf - flat, true and pure.


We are also pointing them back at the landing zones, widening them to their maximum width and re- sprigging them with platinum paspalum grass.


We have invested in several drill and fill machines and, with the help of some friends in South Florida, we have engineered a new carbon profile sand mix that we will incorporate into our putting surface in three directions. The process involves machines injecting a customized pre-made sand solution comprising ceramics, carbons, light acids and a USGA particle sizing specification compatible sand and structure to complement the current root zone structure, so as to upgrade the soil profile of our greens. This will enhance the water


Andy Johnston catches up with a greenkeeper 28 PC June/July 2020


In our normal day-to-day club life, we verticut and top dress our greens in two directions every Monday, before we making fertiliser and Primo applications every Wednesday


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