The Picture above was taken in 2009 just before I started at Robin Hood. This profile was a familiar site and the condition most of the greens were in. The picture below shows the greens profile now. After extensive drainage work, aeration and 400 tonnes of topdressing a year.
I recently presented at BTME in Harrogate (The Greenkeeping Conference) detailing the improvement work we have carried out at Robin Hood, over 130 greenkeeper's from all over the country attended my talk. It was quite daunting presenting and answering qustion's for an hour from fellow Club and Course Managers, however hopefully it's helped put Robin Hood & our greenkeeping practices on the map and assisted other clubs who are in a similar position to what we were back in 2009.
The current Hollow Coring and Topdressing that's disrupting the playing surfaces is being carried out to continue the greens improvement. If this work was not being done could you imagine going back to the images of 2009, you certainly would not be putting on them today!
Over the year we will be reducing topdressing levels to around 300 tonnes which should be noticeable and mean less days when topdressing is visible on the surface during the season.
60 Tonnes have already been put down this year after the Hollow Coring (9 Inches Deep) carried out in January.
We have also just purchased a chain driven topdressing brush after trading in some old equipment. The Brush should arrive in March and will enable us to get the sand into the surface much faster then with a standard drag mat which we use at present. This will assist in making our essential improvement programs less disruptive to the golfer.
Andy Wood - Course Manager
