GOLF OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2022

COURSE MAINTENANCE

During the Covid19 lockdown restrictions in 2020, the Matkovich Golf Course Maintenance contract was reduced as a means to assist the club in ensuring that whilst a financial reduction to the overall contract for the period was offered, there would still be a high level of continued service and that the Ruimsig Country Club course retained its pristine fairways and tees. It was agreed that the longer cuts would be maintained, as the necessity arose. In addition, a strategy was introduced to rehabilitate some of the native areas, to improve the overall aesthetics of the course, but would not affect play.
With this reduced contract rate resulting in fewer staff on site at any given time, the frequency of cutting various areas and essential equipment on site was reduced. This would at times result in some areas looking untidy or fluffy with seed heads on kikuyu. Adjusted heights were introduced to compensate.

The veld grass areas are cut once a season normally in July/August so that the veld grass can reseed. This is critical in preventing the encroachment of kikuyu in to these areas making them completely unplayable.

This summer proved to be very challenging with exceptionally high rainfall and overcast weather. The veld grass areas have grown extremely dense. The weeds and kikuyu taking full advantage of the December/January period.

Hollow tining took place on 24, 25 and 26 January with all the maintenance staff used to undertake this process in conjunction with the reduction of the mound. The normal cutting was not completed as it should have. This was further compounded by the amount of rain we experienced in the last few weeks.

The greens have taken slightly longer than expected to recover as a result of the rain with the sand that was washed away and the last load of sand for dusting was delayed by more than a week. We are happy to note that the last dusting took place on Wednesday and should be rolling better by the weekend.

All regular cutting and course maintenance has been caught up and as of 11th February, is back on track.

In discussions with Matko, and considering the density of the rough, it was noted that thinning out the area is not an immediate option and would be looked at in the winter months when the area does dry out. It was, therefore agreed that some of the semi rough areas would be widened to assist with the speed of play. The following areas were attended to this week:

Additional casual staff will be used to assist in cutting the back and sides of tees as well as other areas
that are looking unkempt. Members should already have started seeing a difference.

Kind Regards