PRESTWICK CLUB Advisory Report on the incorporating the STRI Programme

Report Date: 7th July 2014 Consultant: Richard Windows

Prestwick Golf Club 1

CONFIDENTIAL

Date of Visit: Tuesday 8th July 2014

Visit Objective: To review the mid summer condition of the course, take objective measurements of green performance and confirm ongoing maintenance requirements.

Present: Mr Keith Mackintosh – Chairman Mr Cameron Grant – Greens Committee Mr Dougie Brown – Greens Committee Mr Ken Goodwin – Secretary Mr Murray Stewart – Head Greenkeeper Mr Richard Windows – Turfgrass Agronomist, STRI Ltd

Weather: Warm, dry with sunny intervals.

Contents Executive Summary 3 Key Observations 3 Greens 3 Greens Aprons & Surrounds 4 Fairways 4 Rough 4

Performance Data 5 Soil Moisture Content 6 Surface Firmness/Hardness 7 Smoothness & Trueness 8 Green Speed 9 Organic Matter Content 9

Key Recommendations 10 Greens 10 Greens Aprons & Surrounds 10 Rough 10

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Executive Summary

• The general condition, presentation and playing performance of the golf course was excellent with particularly high standards of performance to the greens.

• The excellent objective measurement result verify the superb feedback regarding green condition and performance so far this season and they were considered to be the best they have been in recent years.

• Ball roll qualities to the greens were very good for routine play due to the refinement programme in place combined with the excellent sward species composition of the greens.

• The key issue to elevate routine performance standards further, without compromising turf quality, should be obtained via more regular turf iron rolling. Demonstrations of various units in this regard should be implemented over the next few weeks with a view to their purchase and subsequent use.

• Organic matter reduction remains a key longer term objective via regular sand top dressing and ideally Graden sand injection or continuation of hollow coring during the autumn to early spring period.

• Fescue overseeding ideally using a Vredo is also important to make further improvements to the existing excellent species composition of the greens.

• Additional work to the green aprons and surrounds via sand top dressing and scarification is required to deliver firmer surfaces with crisper lies to these areas.

• Rough grassland management is an essential operation over the next few years to deliver thinner and wispier textured rough that is more authentic to the character of the course.

• Due to the high populations of burnet rose within the rough, specific advice regarding grassland management should be obtained from Bob Taylor, STRI Senior Ecologist.

Key Observations

Greens

The general condition of the greens was excellent with good consistency and excellent feedback obtained so far this year from Members and Visitors.

This was my first visit to Prestwick for many years and the sward species composition of the greens was particularly impressive given the geographical location on the west coast of . There was a very good balance of grasses within the sward, with browntop bent dominating combined with underlying but significant populations of fine fescue. The work achieved over the past decade or so to improve sward species composition and increasing fescue within the sward is excellent and the Greenstaff should be applauded for their work in this regard. Fescue overseeding should continue to be implemented in tandem with organic matter reduction to provide even better sward composition and truly authentic links greens.

The sward refinement programme is working well involving mowing at 3.75 mm with hand mowing achieved at least five times a week. At present, very little rolling is implemented with only occasional

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use of the Triplex mounted True Surface units. The species composition of the turf certainly deserves faster routine green speeds, which are usually around the 8 ½ ft mark for routine play. These were consistent with the speeds obtained during the objective measurements taken during the visit. Although these speeds are generally satisfactory, we should be looking to generate slightly faster speeds for routine play, certainly closer to the 9 ft to 9ft 6in. mark. To achieve this, the only change and addition to the existing maintenance programme, should involve more regular implementation of turf iron rolling. There is no doubt two to three operations per week will elevate routine green speeds and really bring the superb contouring of the greens alive.

It was pleasing to hear worm casting has been significantly reduced and no evidence was present during the visit. The application of carbendazim has certainly worked well and the alterations to the pH of the water within the spray tank seems to have done the trick. In addition, the build up of sand top dressing at the sward base may have also been a contributing factor. As and when the weather turns wetter, it will be interesting to see if worm casting recurs and if so a further application of carbendazim should be made.

The greens were exhibiting some dry patch issues particularly those to the far end such as 10. A programme of Aquasorb surfactant is currently implemented but some revision may be required to this strategy due to the presence of dry patch across the surfaces. To avoid this developing any further, especially if the weather remains dry, some penetrant wetting agent in the form of Aquatrols Aquaduct would be a sensible approach. Further discussions regarding a surfactant programme will be made in future visits.

Green Aprons & Surrounds

Additional work is now being implemented into these areas involving sand top dressing and closer mowing. The aim is to develop tighter, crisper and firmer surfaces to these areas to ensure balls from errant shots run off greens, down slopes and end up further away from the greens. Such performance is the very essence of links golf and will really bring the superb green complexes alive and deliver more exciting playing surfaces. All greens maintenance involving hollow coring and perhaps Graden deep scarification should be implemented into these areas combined with routine sand top dressing to deliver the appropriate turf and playing quality.

Fairways

A more detailed review of maintenance programmes to the fairways will be conducted in future visits but at this stage grass cover looked to be good and relatively consistent between tops and bottoms of slopes and swales.

Rough The current condition of the rough is a concern due to its density and close proximity to the fairways. Fairways are historically narrow at Prestwick but the course is currently rather difficult for routine play due the density of the rough running alongside each hole. The run of wet summers has certainly encouraged thicker and denser rough, which now requires a more intensive maintenance programme to deliver thinner and wispier textured swards.

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The process of improvement should begin during the autumn and will involve a programme of cutting, clipping collection and scarification using an appropriate tractor mounted flail mower/scarifier, e.g. Weidenmann SL500.

Due to the level of burnet rose within the rough grasslands, bespoke advice regarding rough grassland management should be sought from Bob Taylor, STRI Senior Ecologist to ensure rough grassland management practices do not encourage greater populations of this unwanted species.

Performance Data

The full suite of STRI programme measurements were taken during the visit following a single cut with the triple mower. The results are shown in the table and graphs below along with comparison against previous results and target ranges for links courses.

Performance Measurement Results Green Speed Smoothness Trueness Firmness Firmness Moisture Moisture No. (distance) (mm/m) (mm/m) Mean SEM (±) Content Content (gravities) (%) SEM (±) 1 8 ft 8 in 18.73 5.42 115 4.5 13.6 1.4

3 8 ft 8 in 18.55 6.19 128 4.1 11.4 1.2

9 8 ft 4 in 18.19 6.53 109 3.5 13.5 1.6

10 9 ft 2 in 17.50 6.11 119 3.5 11.0 0.7

13 8 ft 1 in 19.78 6.33 135 2.5 11.3 0.9

14 8 ft 6 in 19.01 6.17 113 3.3 14.0 1.8

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Soil Moisture Content

• Average soil moisture was 12% which is within the low end of the target range.

• Certain greens (3, 10 & 11) were close to 10% indicating some irrigation is required if rainfall is not imminent.

• Regular use of your own ThetaProbe soil moisture meter is helping to inform greens specific irrigation inputs on a regular basis and this should of course continue.

• Consistency of moisture through each individual green could be improved and the implementation of an appropriate surfactant programme will be essential in this regard.

• At present, the Aquasorb is being applied but this should be augmented with a penetrant such as a curative product such as Aquatrol’s Aquaduct to optimise uniformity.

• Throughout the remainder of the season, Aquasorb should be continue but discussions regarding superior technology regarding surfactants should be made during the October visit for implementation next year.

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Surface Firmness/Hardness

• Average firmness values was 120 gravities which fell within the middle of the ideal target range.

• Assessments of ball to turf interaction during the visit indicated the greens were performing authentically to the links character of the course with balls releasing nicely following impact. The visual performance of the greens certainly verify the objective measurement results obtained.

• While the firmness values to the greens during the visit were excellent, the high organic matter content in the upper soil profile will lead to greater moisture retention resulting in the presentation of excess receptivity.

• Sustained sand top dressing perhaps augmented with Graden sand injection scarification is required to deliver improved firmness in response to wet weather patterns.

• Consistency of firmness through each individual green was a little variable due to the presence of localised dry patch. Very high values were obtained to areas that were overly dry and an Aquaduct curative wetting agent programme is required to improve the balance of firmness across each green.

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Smoothness & Trueness

• Average smoothness was 19 mm/m and average trueness was 6 mm/m. Both values were within the middle to low end of the routine target range or top end of the tournament target.

• The smoothness values obtained were excellent and consistent with the very positive feedback regarding performance over the past few weeks.

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• Such good and consistent ball roll qualities are attributable to the general refinement programme in place combined with the excellent sward species composition of the turf.

• Research and use of the STRI Trueness Meter™ over the last few years do indicate surfaces dominated with increased populations of fescue provide the most consistent smoothness and trueness values throughout the year and in response to varying weather patterns. For this reason, ongoing fescue overseeding to build on the already excellent sward species composition remains an important objective.

• Even better smoothness and trueness values would be obtained with the more regular use of turf iron rollers to provide that extra polish to the greens.

Green Speed

• Average green speed was 8 ft 6 in. which is satisfactory but could be a little bit faster for routine play to bring the excellent contouring to the greens alive.

• Additional green speed will be easily generated with the regular use of a turf iron roller two to four times per week.

• Demonstrations of the various units available including the TruTurf, SmithCo and Toro unit should be arranged over the next few weeks to assess their performance and practical use at Prestwick.

Organic Matter Content Samples for organic matter analysis will be taken during the October visit to inform the necessary strategy over the next twelve months. It would be useful to arrange a demonstration of the Graden

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sand injection unit (perhaps from Royal Troon) to assess its performance and rate of recovery. With this information, we will be better informed as to whether it would be appropriate to treat the greens with this machine during the October to November period.

Key Recommendations

Greens

• Arrange a demonstration of a range of different turf iron units over the next few weeks to assess their performance.

• Make an immediate application of Aquatrol’s Aquaduct Surfactant to control and avoid the existing dry patch symptoms becoming more severe.

• To deliver superior green speed for the Boy’s Amateur and for certain Club events, obviously trial the TruTurf rollers but intensify mowing, i.e. double cut.

• Fescue overseeding remains an essential part of the routine maintenance strategy and the Vredo unit would be ideal in this regard. High quality fescue seed such as Barenbrug Bar Fescue should be used in this regard at a seed rate of 20 g/m.

• Arrange a demonstration of the Graden sand injection unit on one of the practice greens to assess its performance with a potential view for implementation later in the autumn.

Green Aprons & Surrounds

• The aim is to improve surface firmness and the crispness of lie to the green surrounds via regular sand top dressing, fescue overseeding and perhaps Graden sand injection scarification.

Rough

• A programme of cutting, clipping collection and scarification is required to the rough to develop thinner and wispy textured swards.

• Bespoke advice from Bob Taylor, STRI Senior Ecologist should be sought to ensure the course of action is appropriate for the species composition of the swards, given the high content of burnet rose.

Signed:

Richard Windows

Agronomy Service Manager Official Agronomist to the R&A Championship Committee

E-mail: [email protected] Mobile: 07968 263204

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STRI is completely independent and has no alliances to commercial products, services or contractors. This ensures that our design, project management and advisory services provide the best solutions for each individual client.

The STRI Programme provides golf courses with measurements and data that help to monitor and assess golf course performance. The R&A has recently developed CourseTracker (www.coursetracker.org), a free, online business management tool for golf courses, to record, review and analyse golf club performance across many areas of your business, including the golf

course. STRI believes The R&A CourseTracker combined with the STRI Programme provides the tools you need to objectively monitor and assess your golf course performance.

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