The 8th Hole
As we approach the 2020 season, Torrance Park Golf Club is supporting “PROSTATE CANCER UK” through the 8th hole initiative.
This is voluntary for all our members but should you sign up we simply ask that if you land in any of the bunkers on the 8th hole during one of our competitions you simply contribute a minimum of £1.00 to the charity container held at reception.
Prostate cancer exists in every golf club. The money we raise will help fund research into life-saving treatments for prostate cancer and provide practical support to men and their families.
More information can be found by visiting www.prostatecanceruk.org/golf
Course Update and Future Maintenance Plans 2020
Over the last couple of months, we have unfortunately experienced a number of course closures due to what seems never ending, heavy rainfall. Our priority is to have the course open for play as much as we can – but there have been times where the weather just hasn’t made this possible.
The UK has had the wettest winter since national records began in 1910, the Met Office has confirmed, this has taken its toll on the course, especially the fairways. To try and combat this situation and reduce course closures, several drainage activities are planned for the coming year;
GRAVEL BANDING; Gravel Banding drainage is a process of cutting closely spaced channels a half a meter apart into the playing surface followed by injecting gravel into the channels. This allows surface water to drain down into the primary drainage system resulting in a drier surface. This work will be undertaken to selected parts of the course during July this year and repeated to other parts in coming years.
EARTHQUAKE AERATION; The earthquake machine is a rotary aerator that de-compacts the soil using a set of rotating steel blades. The blades cut through the surface shattering the compacted soil below and opens the sub-soil for better drainage and deeper roots.
SLIT TINE AERATION; Slit tine aeration cuts open the top 75mm – 200mm of the surface, this will encourage a “cracking” within the soil profile to allow for better surface drainage and better roots which in turn provides a channel for surface water to reach the drainage system. This procedure will be carried out on a monthly basis weather permitting all year round.
In addition, we intend to Verti-Drain Fairways and Walk Off Areas to reduce compaction and improve water flow from the surface of the fairways into the drainage system. This is something we had planned and will be carried out as soon as conditions allow.
We will also be top dressing the landing areas on the fairways to make these firmer and reduce the thatch layer.
A fertilizing programme has been put in place with our supplier to improve the density of the grass on the fairways creating a thicker sward which will help to reduce water retention. This will create a better playing surface going forward.
Greens
Intensive work has been undertaken on the greens throughout the winter. Further action throughout the year will include– Hollow Coring, Over Seeding and Top Dressing. A Feeding Programme based on previous Soil Analysis results has been developed and will be put in place for the Greens and Tees.
Summary
It has been a frustrating year for us all and we are determined to do what we can to improve the course into 2020 and beyond.