Tuesday 7 July 2015

Course Update

Since the last post we have managed to vertidrain the fairways one more time taking advantage of the relatively dry conditions. By creating more channels in the soil profile we have a better the chance of getting rid of surface water when we do get heavy rainfall. 

We have kept an eye on the water table recently on an area on our 17th fairway where we had dug a sump. Last winter the water table was sitting at just 300mm below the level of the fairway. At the moment we haven't hit the water table and we have dug down 600mm. All very promising with us reaching the middle of our winter.


We haven't reached the water table at 600mm

One of the downsides to vertidraining areas of the golf course is the damage it can cause to the irrigation control cable. As I have mentioned previously there are areas of cable that have been installed at a shallow depth and every now and again we strike the cable with the machine and we eventually lose power to the watering system. This has been the case recently on an area where the fairway had been extended closer to the ladies tee. Unfortunately this area had the cable installed at approximately 75mm depth and at some point the tynes of the vertidrain had punctured the cable casing and damaged the wire.
Once this problem has been repaired we will check the entire course with the cable locator and check for any other problem areas so that we are in good shape for the summer watering season.

Setting up the cable locator

Cable damage

Cable installed 75mm deep