As many of you are aware, the RMGC has Bermuda grass as its playing surface. The tees, fairways and rough are common Bermuda and the greens a highbred Bermuda called TifEagle.
Traditionally, these Bermuda grasses provide a decent grass cover between the months of April and November, but as soon as the temperatures drop below 14 degrees centigrade, they quickly enter a period of dormancy, with a loss of colour and texture.
In the 2008/2009 season, for the first time, the Board of Management of the RMGC decided to experiment with over seeding these grasses for the first time. The over seeding focused on the greens only, and was carried out under the supervision and guidance of a top Agronomist from the USA, Tim Bowyer. We insisted on the services of an Agronomist for these tests as, the Club’s management is not qualified to take on such projects and our Head Green Keeper, John Watson, although highly qualified, has very limited warm grass experience.
The scope of the test was to try and identify a grass cultivar that would grow through the Tifeagle and provide a decent look and feel to the playing surface during the winter months.
Broadly, the 2008/2009 test went as planned, with the over seeded grass, Poa Trivialis, growing through the Tifeagle as soon as temperatures dropped in the November. By late January, we had 85% cover and the playing surfaces were acceptable. Of course, the Board of Management spent a few sleepless nights until the grass finally came through (one Member springs to mind with his ‘barb’ “you have more chance of hair re-growing on the top of my head than on these greens”), but by early March 2009 we had full coverage and an acceptable result.
So, based on the final 2008/2009 results, we again brought back the Agronomist in May 2009 to advise on the next steps. His recommendation was that we extend the tests to tees and fairways, using a different grass, annual ryegrass, for the purpose.
Tim recommended exactly the same process for the greens and a uni-drill over seeding for the fairways.
Both disciplines were carried out in September 2009, with the hope that come the weather change in November, the Bermuda grasses would enter dormancy and the winter grasses would take charge.
Well, winter really took its time to arrive this year and this has definitely impeded the growth rates of the over seeding. We have seen temperatures in the low and mid 20’s right through to the new-year, and, although both the grasses planted (greens and fairways) have germinated, there progress has no doubt been inhibited by the Bermuda grasses that continued to grow.
We have of course been in constant contact with our Agronomist throughout this period and have been sending photographic reports to him fortnightly.
His observations and recommendations are being followed to the letter by John Watson and his staff, and, finally, now that some colder weather has arrived to knock the Bermuda back, the Rye and Poa Trivialis are starting to prevail.
The Board of Management readily acknowledge that the playing surfaces, particularly the greens, are less than perfect thus far. But, given the patience and goodwill of the Membership, following the Agronomist’s program of a twice monthly fertilising program and daily cutting, we are confident of achieving the required grass cover on tees, fairways and greens, albeit that this will be somewhat later than last year.
Board of Management
Royal Malta Golf Club
14th January 2010
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