Course Conditions

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Friday, 18th May 2012. Estimated golfing daylight time: 4:35am to 9:23pm

These are not sunrise or sunset times, but an estimate of the usable daylight for you to participate in golfing activities without the need for artificial light. They are calculated as the mid-points between civil twilight start to sunrise and sunset to civil twilight end.

Course Status

Take a look at this excellent forecast from Mark Hunt of Headland Amenity Grass Agronomics

Members can read the latest Agronomists report in the Members area.   Report

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

 March Course Report

After a fairly average start to the year in January, last month proved to be one of two halves. Very low temperatures, around two weeks of frost and a brief covering of snow, brought a sudden halt to any thoughts of winter drawing to an early close.
However, towards the end of the month, milder conditions returned and the first real evidence that spring is just around the corner.

During the latter part of the month, conditions were more normal, albeit very dry and this allowed more routine work to continue, as well as any minor turf repairs to areas such as the returfing on the 9th / 8th / 16th / 14th. Construction projects, woodland and other non-turf related work were probably the main activities carried out earlier in the month, once again proving the benefit of having a winter programme of diversity to suit all conditions.
For most of us, March is regarded as the start of spring with average temperatures in the UK rising to around 5° Celsius. Although day time temperatures are over 3° higher, the potential for overnight frosts and cold evenings will 'pull back' any real signs of growth. Rainfall figures since 2000 have shown a trend of being below average; the two exceptions being in 2001 and 2008 where heavy rain continued to delay the onset of Spring and hampered most pre-season work.

March 2011 will be remembered as the month when rain never fell and so began the start of a prolonged period of 8 to 10 weeks of exceptionally dry weather. Warnings from the Environment Agency on drought conditions have already been published and much of southern and eastern England are likely to face water restrictions in the absence of substantial rainfall.
Alarm bells are already ringing for many courses, therefore there is a need to be prepared as best as possible and that means 'priming' irrigation systems and avoiding adding stress to the turf while recovery from winter continues. Rain or no rain, the amount of sunlight will be considerably more than in February, and by the end of the month the hours of daylight and darkness will be equal.
Often there will be days when spring has most definitely arrived whereas other days will feel like a return to winter, therefore beware of the 'false spring'. Remember it's still March, so don't push too hard too soon!

Repairs to any winter paths, trolley runs and damaged turf areas are still to be aerated and overseeded when conditions dictate.

It will be time to get on with setting up the course for the new season, renovating winter tee mats, putting out  fresh course furniture and signs and time to start implement your spring renovation programmes (weather permitting). 
The first cut of any growth has already taken place to tees and aprons, but these are only as and  when required.
The  main objective in the coming months is to get the fairways back up to a presentation standard and we have been taking advise from various consultants on the matter. The fairways have been aerated again with a solid tine vertidrain, followed up with iron sulphate and a light feed of fertiliser spray. Then applyed with a soil penatrant and bioactive seaweed formulation which will aid moisture penetration into dry and compacted areas. Then with weather permitting we have re-seed using cultivars which are more resilient to heavy wear but still remaining fine leafed.

In early March we will be inspecting, primeing and ensuring our irrigation system is up and working. The new extentions to the fairway irrigation on holes 4 / 6 / 7 is complete and will give us extra protection from any scorching summers. The new installation  will aid with the seed germination and help the grass recover in periods of drought. 

The greens remain in good condition, our objectives are simple, namely to maintain firm, dry and free draining surfaces with good levels of light and air movement. In other words, get the basics right and use modern equipment and availability of new products to assist in producing good turf quality. The focus must always remain on turf and soil health and that requires a good growing environment.

Wet areas, worn walkways and pressure from disease, these are the main challenges for the coming months,  please be mindful of trolley and buggy wear when the course is wet.

Roll on the spring

Graeme Macdonald

Course Manager