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Rainfall and weather data from Waddington starting in 1947: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/stationdata/waddingtondata.txt

December  Course Report

For much of the country, November continued with the autumn theme of being mild and dry. However, parts of the north and west of the UK experienced significant rainfall; therefore conditions have continued to vary throughout.

Overnight frosts were down to just a handful and the month ended on a mild, albeit stormy end compared to the late snowfall last year. Dampness, fog and a lack of sunshine were much in evidence recently, resulting in disease pressure being high, along with increased worm activity and badger damage. The application of preventative fungicides and other disease control measures were at the fore, as it proved a challenge to keep disease away on the greens.

With so much surface dampness, and lack of air movement at times, it has been a case of protecting the turf as best as possible; using all means within an IPM  strategy. With grass still growing, at least in some areas, routine maintenance is still much in evidence with leaf clearing and project work being undertaken.  Prioritising work projects are in full swing and you should see some new paths and pruning jobs being started.

The emphasis centred on making the best of these conditions, while never being sure of what lies ahead.  With no immediate sign of any dramatic change in weather at least the start of December has been favourable for most and largely a continuation of the past month.  On average turf conditions are usually dictated by the amount of rainfall and hours of sunshine in December.  During the last decade, there have been two very wet Decembers, 2002 and 2006, and who can forget the amount of snow and chaos that ensued last year.

Ironically, most people will remember December 2010 as the year when large volumes of snow brought a halt to golf as well as many other activities at Newark, but who can remember it as being a near drought? After the snow, a freeze set in and any rain was negligible.

However, on average, December is usually interspersed with early morning frosts and periods of high rainfall.  As such, playing conditions can vary considerably, but at Newark our course is normally open, due to our free draining site we fare much better than those on heavier soils and shaded environments.

The levels of light are at their lowest at this time of year, therefore the grass plant is largely relying on its energy reserves, therefore any additional stress imposed on the plant is unwelcome. Playability is the key requirement at this time of year and disease control, traffic control measures, light sanding and aeration will play a major part in most if not all maintenance programs.

With average UK temperatures in December of 3.8 Celsius, growth will be largely dormant except for odd days when temperatures remain mild.  Under normal conditions, the key requirement is to maintain a dry, firm and open surface as best as possible.  As mentioned earlier, the risk of Fusarium Patch disease remains at a peak this month, therefore all measures within an IPM strategy need to be implemented.

Mowing is likely to be as and when required in order to avoid any turf stress. The use of smooth rollers and  brush attatchments on greens and mowing  at a height of 5mm will help keep the fescue bent dominated surfaces playable all winter. 

Regular aerifying at varying depths is the ideal, but will only be contemplated when ground conditions are suitable.

A mix of solid and deep tining with 12mm tines are the most common type of aeration.  Following any aerification, light rolling can help 'settle' the surface, but care must be taken not to smother the surface when there is an absence of growth. With low light intensity, algae and moss may also present themselves where the growing environment has been compromised, eg shade, surface drainage, low fertility, low mowing height etc.

This being the case, we will seek to remove the problem by applying the appropriate treatments, otherwise any improvement in turf quality will be short lived.  If nutrient levels are constantly leached through the rootzone following heavy rain, we apply a very small amount of nitrogen and a higher amount of Potassium to help give strength to the plant, but not to much as we  then risk an attack of Fusarium Disease.

 During December disease pressure from Fusarium in particular is likely to remain high.  Much has already been written in previous articles regarding conditions favouring this disease and the cultural practices recommended to limit any damage.  The key with all disease control is to avoid putting the turf under stress from both an environmental and management aspect.  As soil temperatures fall then the mode of action from chemical control needs to be one of curative as opposed to systemic, as well as preventing further attacks.  Selecting a product that is appropriate for this time of year, containing active ingredients such as Chlorothalonil, Iprodione and Fludioxonil which will give the best degree of control.

Maintaining the right balance is the key. A useful practice at this time of year, especially over the holiday period is to apply a dew dispersant to help maintain drier surfaces; this, along with the more traditional application of sulphate of Iron in one of its many formulations.  A preventative fungicide will be applied a few days in advance, otherwise the active ingredients within the fungicide will be less effective at controlling the pathogen in its parasitic mode of attack. A useful ploy, but correct timing is essential.

On the greens we will be ensure that hole positions are spread throughout the green, and again a good practice is to use two holes per green and have a spare on the apron, thus ensuring that pin placement can be changed if surfaces remain temporarily frozen. 

Every hole on the course will have its own potential 'pinch-points' and wear patterns problems, therefore it is in these areas where such measures need to be targeted. The aims should be twofold; namely to provide adequate playing quality and to limit any turf damage prior to the new season. Hoops, ropes, signs and white line will be evident all over the course. Ther key maintenance requirements around greens are for traffic control measures. The objective is to protect the turf from excessive wear, and this can only be achieved if the ground is dry, firm and the turf is in good health.

Achieving both will allow the course to be presented in better playing condition in spring. Any severely worn or damaged areas, possibly as a result of summer drought, will or have been repaired and re-turfed by next year play.

Mowing has slowed up to most areas while increasing amounts of time have also been required in blowing leaves from greens, tees, fairways and parts of semi-rough which, if left uncleared, would result in lost ball searches.

For greens to survive the winter period and constant play, the grass plant must be healthy ie good root depth, cell wall structure and carbohydrate reserves. The surface should also be firm and both drainage and airflow good. Every step must be made to maximise this situation, otherwise there will be a high dependence on the use of fungicides or even temporary greens; neither of which equate to good business. 

 For those tees in regular use, then routine divot filling and periodic light sand dressings will be essential to maintain good playable surfaces. Maintaining dry surfaces should also be a daily requirement for improved turf quality as well as being appreciated by the golfer. The artificial teeing mats will only come into play as and when the main tees show any wear.

A lot of work and expense has gone into the fairways this year after the drought and we were lucky to have had a mild November which helped germinate the fairway seed. This is why we have brought in some preventative measures to protect delicate seedlings at its growing stages, in the form of staggered white lines around the most susceptible fairway areas. On holes 1,4,6,7,8,9 and 10 please read the signs and carry out the Green Committee requests which are clearly marked.

Bunkers have been an issue of recent times and we have addressed this by more hand raking and moving sand back into the appropriate areas.  Also samples of our sand have been sent away and there is to be a gradual change in the particle range from rounded to more sub angular, giving us a more firmer stance and a less softer sunken lies.

Greens speeds have been pretty good this year, but next year we will be looking to increase the longevity of the green speed by more rolling and getting in agronomists STRI to aid us in this process.

 Thats all for now. Happy xmas

Graeme Macdonald

Course Manager