Golf Industry Central Winter 2017 | Page 32

Course Development KOOINDAH WATERS GOLF CLUB GREENS RESTORATION REAPING THE REWARDS O ne of New South Wales’ premier golf courses, Kooindah Waters, has undergone an extensive course restoration over the past few months and is relaunching some great new greens for members and public to play on. The club management is excited to launch the course’s new Bent grass putting surface after the old greens were severely damaged during the hot summer months. Using groundwater to irrigate, which is high in iron and salt, made it difficult to meet irrigation requirements and the club suffered significant turf loss to all greens, ranging from 10 to 50+ per cent, during the high temperature days in early February. However, under the management of Troon’s Director of Agronomy – David Lunardelli and General Manager Andrew Porter, the club successfully managed to allow the course to be open during the entire process. Golf Professional and Kooindah Waters’ ambassador Andre Stolz said: “I’m amazed at how quick the recovery has been. Playing today you’d never know anything happened.” After seeking expert opinion, the club decided to over sow the existing G2 bent grass with a blend of A1/A4 bent grass seed with a much more superior tolerance to salt and heat. With a similar colouration to the previous G2 grass, the new greens blend seamlessly into the existing turf. The initial process completed late February was to verticut, solid tyne, seed and top dress. Switching to fresh water during the repairs, using fire fighting tanks and pumps, made the grow-in phase a balancing act with the most affected areas having to be replaced with temporary greens for the wetter months of March and April. 32 The Golf Marketing Professionals I www.golfindustrycentral.com.au Over the three months of turf maintenance the