Friday 7 September 2018

Greens are still recovering after intense dry spell.  This week we have scarified and seeded bare parts on poor greens.  Verti-cut and double cut all greens followed by dressing and a concoction of fertilzers.  They have responded well in the last few weeks and in the main are filling in.



 Construction work is beginning around the course as the dry weather continues.  The path on 16th and 17th is being rebuilt leveled and extended.  Next on the list will be an extension to the 10th path on the Upper and a completely new path around the 12 tee Lower.


Next week Tees and Aprons are being fed with cutting going on around the course as greens are left alone this week to recover.


3 comments:

  1. Who is telling you the greens have been double cut?!
    Have you tried to putt on the greens rather than listening to your staff to say they've done something?
    If they are being cut they are being cut to a slightly short fringe length not a green\putting surface length.
    This last Saturday the lower greens were so long blades of grass were around 10mm long!
    The greens look lovely with stripes on because the grass is being laid down by a roller but they are terrible to try and putt on. Have to hit putts so hard it is ridiculous.
    Only a few weeks until the winter when at Hainault it is the season to cut the fairways and greens shorter than the summer!
    No reply to genuine question from last weeks comment

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  2. Colin,

    I have found the reply to last weeks blog as you will see in the previous post. As to the current blog post:

    No-one is telling me the greens were double cut on that particular day, I am part of the daily running of the course so see everyday the condition of the course.
    As such myself and staff are only to well aware of current shortcomings on the course. It frustrates us all to see anything less than the best we can do.
    It also saddens me to have to reply to cheap jibs about current condition especially regards to 'cutting fairways and greens lower in the winter', This is clearly not true.

    As you will see from my previous reply, the greens are being kept longer to grow new grass seed into scars. Whilst this is far from ideal the long term health of the surfaces is more important than shaving them for a few events and special days because disease scared, pitted and bumpy greens will still be with us in March if we do nothing.

    Thanks Paul.

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  3. Paul,
    Thanks for the replies as the reply to last weeks question has now appeared.
    I have NEVER asked for preferential greenkeeping for any event so for you to assume that is wrong. I would like the greens to run true and a decent pace - the same as ANY golfer at any golf course.
    I agree that the long term health is what is important but when do we get to this future state of greens that putt to a decent pace and run true? I've not experienced it for years at Hainault.
    The greens years ago were firm and fast but for several years now the approach appears to be to provide soft (which results in bumpy) and slow greens.
    There always seems to be an excuse why Hainault greens are bumpy and slow. How come no other golf courses have to experience these greenkeeping methods of having long grass on the greens?
    With regards to "cheap jibs", I think if you took a survey of golfers they would all agree with my statement. During the winter there is regularly damage to greens and fairways where cutting equipment has been lowered too far down to bare mud\earth.

    I and my fellow golfers understand that resources are limited given that there are 2 courses, very few greens staff and low footfall\revenue on the courses which is why it is infuriating when "non-golf" activities such as path building and chopping trees down in areas far away from golf holes are carried out when the courses need more work on them. Golfers want good greens and can suffer not so good fairways and tees - its as simple as that

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