Orchardleigh Greens Team

Nice to see some if this year's newborns doing so well.

1st application of products on test plots by I.C.L on chipping green today, please refrain from using this green to minimise any cross contamination of products. Whilst tests are in progress, feel free to chip onto putting green if space ( no flop shots). Thanks for your patience

Course coming on great with a little sunshine and warmer nights

I've worked as a greenkeeper at orchardleigh since it opened, this year along with leatherjackets with had a severe outbreak of a disease called doller spot, having applied multiple apps of fungicides on the market we haven't managed to keep it to an acceptable level. It seems to have got worse over the last 5yrs getting worse each year, The outside temps dropping will ease the pressure and going forward we have arranged for top scientists from a major company to do trials nxt year as doller spot becomes more rife in the UK. 10yrs ago we didn't even see this disease really in out country. So yes disease scars are present atm and all we can do is being done. Renovations planned nxt wk, with continued overseeding and dressing to try and aid recovery going into winter. It's certainly been a trying year as one of the main ways to help cure this problem is to keep the surface as dry as possible, unfortunately this summer has been so wet and humid it's all added up.

Lovely start to the day, not sure about later on mind...

Course update, its been a while but finally have new phone and a decent camera to update. 3 more greens sheated last night in our battle against leather jackets, 11th 13th and 15th done. As we continue to sheat greens, there may be instances if you play late evening where after 6pm you will come to a green already sheated, we will be placing a flag in a traffic cone on approach to play to. Its a small price to pay for what's achieved. Thanks for your understanding.

As March draws to an end we've seen just shy of 8" of rain, the course is currently saturated and a full planned cut this week wasn't feasible. We have managed to complete greens renovations and also managed to get greens overseeded this week Fingers crossed April brings more favourable golfing weather.

With a break in the weather and fairly quiet for bookings we decided to go ahead with greens renovations. All greens have been double verti-cut,solid tined, sarrel rolled, topdressed then brushed. we have also applied products to adjust any shortfalls highlighted by soil test results. We will now let them settle again before overseeding and dressing again in a couple of weeks.

A few more of the completed job on 18.

18th lakes turn, before and after once scrub clearance has been done

A little before and after of the 1st lake bank clearance job

After heavy rain in the night we have a few new water features, unfortunately closed today

With temps now rising and snow melting we come to a point that is more damaging to greens than playing on them frozen. A sudden thaw will obviously start on the surface and take a while to go down the soil profile. The diagram shows how walking/playing on greens can shear roots. Please be patient we will open a soon as we can without causing more damage.

Still a good covering of snow on greens fairways and tees, -10 on arrival last two mornings so a deep ground frost has set in. Another lighter frost forecast tonight meaning unlikely snow will thaw for play tmrw and unlikely play will resume Sunday either with rain forecast to fall over frozen ground. The water will have nowhere to drain and will puddle. Thanks for you patience please check website incase of a miracle on Sunday.

Taking advantage of some natural rain this wk, greens all scarified double sarrel rolled and overseeded. Hopefully the wet stuff will aid some recovery on fairways and other non irrigated areas before the days become to short.

Range all spruced up. New Bay dividers and forb indoor range mats, bunkers edged and short game area cut, huxley outdoor mat blown.

A few other residents on the estate.

Few from today, staff doing a great job around a packed course. 👊

Not quite as many as I thought we would see but bear in mind everyone will cause damage around the size of a £2 coin, so it soon adds up. 1st 7th again and 8th will be covered tonight.

4th 6th and 7th green covered this evening, these greens showing early signs of damage from leather jackets. Will post our results tmrw.

Greens getting double cut and any remaining debris blown after poa busting

Course looking great in the sun this afternoon, not going to lie could do with a drop of rain though🤞🌧

Watering greens this morning and this little fella came to say hello. 🙂

1st full cut going well, nice to get some stripes back out on course.

All greens have now been verticut, hollowcored, topdressed, and 2tn of traceolite applied, will continue to work into hole over next few days taking advantage of fine weather. Overseeding and feeding will be done next wk. 1st full cut underway and chemical ordered for selective w**d control, mainly Daisy's. It's been a long winter, but finally, spring seems to be upon us.

A few pics of the aftermath from yesterday's high winds, being a parkland course with 300+ trees on site, It could have been a lot worse! Wet ground conditions won't help clearance. Roll on spring and better golfing weather.

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‘We Are Up Against It From The Word Go’ - Greenkeeper Laments Brutal Festive Weather Alex Narey speaks to Chris Low, head greenkeeper at Walsall Golf Club, about the challenges of a harsh winter and why golfers can still do more to help and understand course maintenance