Seven days since it has rained is the longest run since it started raining on January 11 and there is not really any forecast in the next seven days either.  It seems quite surreal to actually be thinking about scheduling some fairway irrigation given what we have experienced thus far this year.

The weather we are having at the moment is just what we need to get as much growth as possible before the winter although the shorter daylight hours don't help but temperatures in the high twenties is just perfect.  This is in stark contrast to the more recent wet weather where the light intensity has been very low which has a direct impact on plant growth.

It's been a difficult time knowing just what to do with the courses with the potential of a shutdown always in the back of my mind although the closer we get to winter the less impact it would have on the courses.  For example if we did go into a shutdown with no maintenance allowed as has happened in New Zealand and some States in the USA, the irrigation would need to be turned off meaning no water for the greens and in the current temperatures that means dead grass.  So that's why the closer we get to winter the better if a shutdown does occur.  We have upped our application of plant protectants to make sure that we could cope with a shutdown but have backed off on fertiliser so as not to get a growth surge which is a little counter intuitive to the comments above about getting some growth.  Hence the apprehension about the situation.

One of the other difficulties we are having maintaining the courses is dealing with the two ball situation.  The first groups out are playing in just over two hours which doesn't give us much time to get the courses prepared in front of them.  This means that we need to do a lot more work amongst play than usual.  So please give the staff some consideration when you encounter them during your round.

We got another days grinding of the raised edges on the concrete buggy paths done this week and have just about got the place covered. Next week will see the start of the removal of the dead trees that are scattered around the courses and given their size will be quite a task.  The following week it looks like the tides will be suitable for the drain on RHS 6R to be replaced which will be quite an involved process and the last thing we want is any more rainfall to lift the water table.

More grinding RHS 11R.

With no sport on TV to speak of I have been watching some of the old Shell's Wonderful World of Golf on Youtube.  Two absolute classics are the 1962 Gene Littler v Byron Nelson match at Pine Valley which is one of the very few occasions any golf has been televised at what is widely regarded as the worlds best course and Jack Nicklaus v Sam Snead in 1963 at Pebble Beach.  Sublime swings on some awesome courses.

I heard a bit of chirping behind me this morning and looked around to catch this pair of Rainbow Lorikeets inspecting a hollow for their upcoming breeding season.

Simply stunning colours.