| TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN KEEPING THE GREEN (Part One) |
As those of us in the golf course maintenance business are all well aware of, our single most important responsibility is keeping golf course greens in excellent condition. Members will be more forgiving on all other details of golf course presentation if you provide them with great putting surfaces.
In keeping with this tradition, the management and membership at Thai Country Club took the long-term view over the short-term one when deciding to renovate their greens. We commenced the programme by re-grassing 5 greens in the last quarter of 2004 and, having met with considerable success, we then committed to complete the remainder of the greens between April and August 2005. Since we have Seashore Paspalum fairways, we were able to provide temporary greens of a high quality, cut at 4mm and averaging 8 feet 6 inches in speed readings throughout the period.
As those of us in the golf course maintenance business are all well aware of, our single most important responsibility is keeping golf course greens in excellent condition. Members will be more forgiving on all other details of golf course presentation if you provide them with great putting surfaces.
In keeping with this tradition, the management and membership at Thai Country Club took the long-term view over the short-term one when deciding to renovate their greens. We commenced the programme by re-grassing 5 greens in the last quarter of 2004 and, having met with considerable success, we then committed to complete the remainder of the greens between April and August 2005. Since we have Seashore Paspalum fairways, we were able to provide temporary greens of a high quality, cut at 4mm and averaging 8 feet 6 inches in speed readings throughout the period. |
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Through monitoring the quality of the greens very closely over the years, we have found that they would deteriorate appreciably during the monsoon season from August to October in Thailand. By contrast, the dry season - from November to July - really presented fewer challenges as we could control the water input and disease pressure. Once greens are under stress due to low light conditions and torrential rains, they are difficult to keep healthy and playable at the same time, which is ultimately what is required by our membership.
We have fully completed the programme ahead of the next monsoon season, and remain confident that the work done will prove to be prudent both in withstanding the imminent heavy rains, and in providing stellar conditions for the year-end golf season. Furthermore, our programme affords us the ample time of three months to implement the finishing touches to the greens in time for the prestigious Volvo Masters of Asia, the Asian Tour’s season-ending championship, which the Club will be hosting from 8th-11th December. This flagship event will surely confirm to the golfing community throughout the Region that international standard greens maintenance is possible if you have the right technology and a Club that is committed to providing excellence in conditioning.
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