More spring preparation

Today was a fairly busy day on the course.

Each green and apron was treated with the following procedure

1. Verti-cut (with the grass-catching boxes fitted)
2. Top-dress
3. Chain rake, to incorporate the top-dressing
4. Mow with the triplex cylinder mower (without the grass-catching boxes fitted)

The reason the greens were not mown with the boxes fitted,was because the greens turf in question was only fertilised six days ago, so the greenkeeper in charge did no want to lose any of this to the grass boxes.

It is also sometimes acceptable, and even recommended to leave clippings after mowing, as long as they do not interfere with play. (*)

The last two of the eighteen fairways were also tended to with the following annual practices

1. Hollow-tine
2. Chain rake (twice) to incorporate the soil of the cores. (The deputy head-greenkeeper informed the author that the removal of these cores, without first removing the soil from them, would lead to the diminishing of the top-soil layer, and in this case, the turf would then be sitting directly on top of the clay base. Clay, for various reasons is not a great growing medium for a health turf-grass plant)
3. Blow all the remains of the cores to one side of the fairway
4. Vacuum the cores and place on a compost heap, if available