Summer is nearly here

Well the official start to summer anyway.  The rain last week has really got the grass moving and just shows how inadequate our irrigation system really is.  There is just no substitute for good soaking rainfall.

It was a bit disappointing to hear that bunkers were raised at the AGM last week only six weeks after the bunker symposium at which the numerous issues confronting us with bunkers were fully discussed.  I am fully aware of the playability issues that players are faced with the bunkers but I obviously have a leaning towards maintenance.  We will be trialling yet another sand in some of the bunkers in the coming weeks that is being used at several clubs in SE Queensland with some success.

And while we are talking about bunkers, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne and was amazed at the amount of work that was put into the bunkers and the difference from when I was on the sandbelt many years ago.  Royal has a crew of about 36 I think and there were 35 volunteers who came in for the week prior to and the week of the tournament.  The way the bunkers were presented would have taken a crew of at least 15 on each day I would suggest.  Whilst they did look absolutely perfect such presentation is just not sustainable for the average club....read Cool Tweed with a total staff in the peak of summer of 18.  Below is a shot of the bunker I was standing next to on the 12th hole just before an errant shot from Bubba Watson shaved my head.  It really does look superb and there is another shot of some of the crew preparing the bunkers.



LHS green bunker RM 12th



RM crew brushing the bunker faces

Further on bunkers and I am often reminded how good the bunkers in the sandbelt are and why our bunkers can't be like that.  Well below is a photo of a bunker at RM and the effect 40mm of rain has on them.  40mm of rain on Cool Tweed River bunkers would not see any washout or evidence of water pooling.  In RM's defence, it is unusual for them to get that volume of rain whereas for us it is a common occurrence.  Just a reminder of how well the River bunkers take excessive rainfall is the photo below taken in October 2010 of the greenside bunker on 10 following 180mm of rain in 36 hours.  Horses (or bunkers) for courses as the saying goes. 

RM bunker washout



No wash at Cool Tweed River 10 after 180mm of rain