Dear Members,
As a result of the recent decline in the health of our greens, we arranged for an independent consultant Agronomist to inspect and report upon our greens. Attached is the report (click here) prepared by Sam Myott who works with SportsTurf Consultants (Aust) Pty Ltd, which is part of the Sports Turf Research Institute. Mr Myott met with both the Greens and General Committees on Friday 24th February, after conducting an inspection of our greens and having full access to all test results for the greens and schedules of all fertilizer and chemical applications to assist him in assessing the health of our greens. Mr Myott has never previously had any association with Lake Karrinyup.
The key points from the attached report can be summarised as follows:
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The greens have been constructed consistent with USGA standards or similar and are a sound basis for strong bent grass greens.
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The greens are fragile due to maintenance practices over an extended period, at least several years. These practices have led to low nutrient levels (notably Calcium and Potassium which are crucial for Bent grass health and its resistance to disease but also Magnesium and Phosphorous), excessive thatch and low variable root development.
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Recent maintenance practices have not contributed to the poor condition of the greens. Fertilizing using TX10 and other nutrients has led to improved nutrient levels and should be continued along with other nutrient requirements.
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Pythium attacks were initiated by low nutrient levels, especially Calcium and favorable weather conditions for disease. The attacks were identified early following wet humid weather and were treated appropriately, but the impacts were greater due to the fragile nature of the bent grass and associated root system.
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Nematode levels are excessive and appear to have been so for some time. While difficult to address preemptively a monitoring program needs to be introduced.
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High Sodium levels in the water supply require improved management practices and a full review is required.
The Greens and the General Committees decided in early December 2016 to replace the grass in the greens as a result of the unacceptable high level of poa infestation. We then became aware that the G6 bent grass which we currently have in our greens was no longer commercially available. This meant that we had to find a suitable replacement bent grass variety for the proposed new greens. The recent very disappointing and untimely deterioration of our greens at the time of the World Super 6 Perth tournament has made the replacement of the greens more pressing due to the significant damage to their surface quality which was deemed beyond repair. The General Committee and the Greens Committee have decided to commence replacement of all the greens on the Main Course in May 2017 with the greens returning to play in mid-October 2017. Attached is the Greens Replacement Plan – click here.
For many years, the standard of our greens has not matched the high standard of the rest of the golf course. I am confident that with the replacement of the greens with a much better type of bent grass and improved maintenance practices will give us the standard of greens appropriate for the world class course we aim to be.
John Hanly
President.