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St Andrews Links – Old Course 1

St Andrews Links – Old Course Annual Ecological Monitoring Assessment of the Old Course undertaken on Behalf of The R&A

Report date: 6 September 2013 Consultant: Mr Robert Taylor


CONFIDENTIAL

Date of Visit: 20 August 2013

Visit Objective: To asses ecological/landscape conditions and provide recommendations.

Present: Mr Gordon Moir – Director of Greenkeeping

Mr Gordon McKie – Course Manager – Old Course

Mr Simon Connor – Deputy Manager

Mr Bob Taylor - STRI

Contents

Executive Summary 3

Key Observations 3 Left of 17th/left of 2nd 3

2nd Hole 7

3rd Hole 8

14th Hole 12

4th Hole 12

5th Hole 12

13th Hole 14

7th Hole 14

11th Hole 15

10th Hole 15

9th Hole 16

Reed Bed 19

18th Hole 19


Executive Summary

• The Old Course was in excellent condition at the time of the inspection the greenstaff

implemented a very concerted and intensive management programme through the fringing

rough during the late autumn to early spring 2012/2013 which has led to further thinning

through most areas, however such as left of 2nd/left of 17th, right of 17th and around the bank of

the 14th green for example will require on-going work. Through many areas the quality of the

sward has improved significantly.

• Gorse management too over the last few years has been very well executed and directed with

sight lines having been restored and spectator viewing improved. We agreed that this year

efforts should be concentrated on removing regrowth i.e. new gorse regeneration rather than

embarking on larger scale gorse management work, although it will be necessary to improve one

or two areas with further gorse removal. These areas were identified left of the 6th/left of 14th

and right of 9th carry. Indeed the latter involved in removing the middle section of the gorse

would open up excellent views of the heather and distant views of the bunkering from the

championship tees. The 7th carry area is establishing slowly and we agreed that growth should be

accelerated here given the careful use of a nitrogen based fertiliser following chemical

treatment to control the patchy Yorkshire fog that is becoming dominant. Further overseeding

work here involving red fescue and sweet vernal grass will thereafter ensure not continue to

grow through to the open.

• A full list of work identified together with accompanying photographs included below.

Key Observations

17th/2nd Hole

The triangle of rough Left of 17th/left of 2nd separating both holes has improved markedly given the

on-going cutting, scarification, overseeding and topdressing work that has now been implemented

over the last 3 or so years. The sward is quite low, Yorkshire fog is well evident but providing base

for growth and never overly tussocky or too dense. We agreed that if this was the year leading up to

the Open no additional management intervention would be required, however given that we have

one more full season prior to the 2015 Open it clearly would be of benefit to continue the cutting

and scarification work throughout the entire area commencing immediately after the Dunhill Cup.

We agreed through the triangle to apply a treatment of rescue to the whole area during the first

week of September this will result in a yellowing of the grass at or just after the time of the Dunhill.

Following the Dunhill the whole area will be cut back to 50mm and scarified intensively. The area

would benefit from further light topdressing to further weaken growth. Repeat the exercise during

early spring 2014 using the Rescue in strict accord with the label and manufactures

recommendation. The area will need to be reviewed again during the summer of 2014, caution

would need to be applied and consideration will need to be given to the likely growth through to the

Open.


Triangle of crested dogstail, perennial ryegrass and Yorkshire fog grassland between 2nd

and 17th

hole.


• The area of dense rough to the right of the 17th hole just before the mounds is still extremely

dense and the grass at the time of this visit was falling over and quite unkempt. We agreed that

an immediate cut should be given with the aim being to cut the sward back to around 100m.

Following cutting and litter removal brush the sward to re-stimulate growth. Immediately after

the Dunhill treat with Rescue and leave for a further 15-20 days before cutting again and

scarifying intensively. Sand topdressing will again be useful in aiding the thinning process.

Dense grassland to right of 17th

fairway.

• Beyond the mounds and through towards the green the sward thins; this area was formerly

quite dense but repeating cutting and scarification work as indicated above carried out over the

last 3 or so years has massively improved the nature and condition of the sward for golf. Include

this area within the same management regime as indication for the grassland between 2nd and

17th above.

• Left of the 17th approach an area just before the first of the bunkers was noted to support very

dense Yorkshire fog. This area will need to be cut back with immediate effect to 100mm, brush

to re-lift and re-stimulate growth and thereafter manage as the grassland relative hole to involve

cutting, scarifying and overseeding following the Dunhill event.

• The large central section of rough separating the 17th from the 2nd tees supports quite

considerable amount of sweet vernal grass and this wider area would benefit from an occasional

2 year cut to maintain conditions.


Grassland right of 17th

fairway through to green.


Area of strong Yorkshire fog left of fairway i.e. before progressing and scholar bunkers.

2nd Hole

• Sections of the rough right of the 2nd hole have become quite dense and we agreed that a 4m

tract of fringing rough should be developed leaving the grassland thereafter i.e. to the track way

to be managed on a more informal basis with cutting employed every 2-3 years. After the

Dunhill the fringing rough will need to be cut to 50mm, brushed to re-stimulate growth prior to

treating with Rescue to bred control of Yorkshire fog and perennial ryegrass. Sanding would

again be useful in further thinning and weakening the sward, note the above work will be

relatively local i.e. to be concentrated through the denser sections.

• Gorse regeneration was occurring within those areas previously cleared, we agreed that the

new growth should be eradicated using Timbrel this to commence with immediate effect.

Indeed it will be necessary to assess and manage the regenerating gorse over the entire course

so that no issues remain with regenerating gorse going into the winter 2014/2015. This has been

further discussed below, see 7th hole for example.

• There are two stands of gorse on the mound back of the 2nd green where identified in the last

report for removal. The plants have suffered significantly this year given the early easterly winds

that tended to prevail through the early spring period. I recommend removal of both plants this

winter including the root stock so as to enable opportunity for the mounds to fully recover in leu

of the 2015 Open.


Remove the two individual gorse plants on top of the mound.

3rd Hole

• A significant amount of thistle was noted to the right of the carry and this will need to be

removed with immediate effect using chemical means.

• The turfed mounds left of the carry would benefit from some additional overseeding. This I feel

would be best undertaken in conjunction with a hand sarel rolling (nail board). It will be essential

to brush the seed into the holes provided as to ensure sufficient protection from further drought

stress. Use your sweet vernal grass and red fescue at a rate of 8gm2.

Potential to extend rough out along the left hand side of the 3rd

fairway.


• The rough over the mounds left side of the 3rd hole largely consists of crested dogs tail, common

bent and through the lower sections perennial ryegrass. Perennial ryegrass continues through to

the fairway where annual meadow-grass becomes more dominant.

• To develop a thinner rough it will be necessary to implement an intensive scarification treatment

immediately after the Dunhill Cup, following up with verti-draining and any additional aeration

work that can be achieved including sarel rolling. Overseed with a mix of crested dogs tail (20%),

common bent (5%), red fescue (60%) and sweet vernal grass (15%), these are to be added into

the sand and brushed into the surface so as to ensure protection given the aeration holes

created.

• It will be necessary to repeat the seeding work next spring and possibly last next summer

following review.

Managed rough left of 15th

hole.

• The rough grassland running the length of the 15th hole has thinned markedly given the

repeated cutting and scarification work which has been increasingly employed over the last few

years. Indeed the greenstaff in 2012 spent from October to February an intensive and concerted

effort to control the more aggressive grassland area on the course. Arising’s were collected and

were removed off sight to a local farmer for composting.

• Occasional cutting management through the wider rough i.e. over the mounds will lead to some

scalping which interestingly here has led to an increase in wild flowers. Work however will need

to continue through the fringing rough to involve at least one further cutting and scarification

treatment (ideally it will be in the late summer period) before resting in anticipation of the

Open.


• To the extreme right of the 15th hole, 50% of the gorse was cut back to the fence line, this is now

regenerating but is still at a low height (around 300mm). We agreed that the regenerating

sycamores should be cut and treated with Timbrel with immediate effect so as to eradicate

these weeds. Gorse is establishing from seedlings and will over the next 2 or so years become

dense. Only then will it be possible to remove the outer margin of the gorse in its entirety and

reinstate the mounds so as to give greater width to the hole.

Eradicate the sycamore with immediate effect.


Gorse restricting view of the championship tee.

• The gorse is gradually pushing outwards, compromising the spectator viewing are and walkways.

Indeed the stand between the fibre optics box and the maintenance track is said to compromise

sightlines from the championship tee. We discussed the possibility of removing sections of the

gorse and reinstating the surface, but this if agreed would need to be undertaken with

immediate effect so as to ensure full recovery over the course of the next full year.


14th Hole

• Back from the green i.e. left of the approach bunkering an area of grassland has been allowed

to extend out and towards the bunkers, the principal grasses here being sweet vernal grass. This

area here is relatively thin and I did suggest you hold off any more intensive management work

from here on. It may be useful to give a cut this autumn period only with no intervention

thereafter i.e. through until after the 2015 Open.

• Further back in the centre of the grassland a number of good quality heather stands were noted

and we agreed that work could commence around these areas to eradicate the grass cover and

associated thatch so as to expose the underlying surface to encourage heather seed

germination.

• I did question the extent of the gorse on the mound which although possibly protecting the

heather is also compromising its outward spread. The removal of the gorse here would be of

relatively low priority at this stage in relation to the build-up of the Open.

4th Hole

• In last years report we discussed the need to grade the gorse situated right of the 4th fairway – I

trust this will be completed this winter period.

5th Hole

• The mounding just before the 5th green i.e. left of the 6th championship tee can be relatively

thick and dense. This area sits at the front of the spectator walkway and as such should be an

area for management consideration. Treat with immediate effect with Rescue (first week in

September) and manage in accord with the triangle section of grassland left of the 2nd/17h hole.

Area of dense grassland to right of 5th

green approach.

• We discussed the possibility of removing some of the gorse right of the 6th carry (right hand

side) this is to be selectively removed so as to improve general sight lines and reduce the larger


stands which are again starting to coalesce. Continue this work through to the front of the carry

through all the larger stands including the last stand (green side).

• Gorse is regenerating freely through the central area of the carry and we agreed this winter

period that all young gorse here will be eradicated with Timbrel in an attempt to effect its total

removal. Ensure the Timbrel is used in strict accord with the label and manufacturers

recommendations taking care not to kill or allow any drift to the adjacent areas of establishing

heather.

Heathland character over the top of mounds centre of 6th

carry.

Possibility to remove additional gorse left of 13th

approach.


13th Hole

• Four large tracts of gorse were noted left of the 13th hole these four tracts could be removed in

their entirety this winter period giving consideration thereafter to turfing over the 1st 6m or so

from the playing line. It will therefore be necessary to utilise deep-cut blocks of fixed dune

grassland turf from within the centre of the 6th carry and possibly from within the tract of

grassland between 14th and the 4th hole. Locally winning turf should not cause any major impact.

• Bare sand within the centre of the 6th carry would be beneficial and may help the further spread

of heather going forward.

7th Hole

• The recovering carry here is starting to establish well although no guarantee can be given to

whether the seedlings will actually form a strong flowering rough in time for the 2015 Open.

What is sure is that the tussocks of Yorkshire fog will form a more obvious presence if not

treated with immediate effect. Similarly a number of young gorse plants were noted to be re-

establishing and these will need to be treated chemically over the course of the next few

months.

• We agreed that the best way forward to improve the grassland would be to apply a NPK 8:0:0

fertiliser at half rate (25gm2) to further stimulate grass growth and recovery whilst at the same

time applying Rescue as a broad treatment to contact all areas of developing Yorkshire fog.

Allow the chemical to work for 15-20 days or so before scarifying lightly to create a light seed till

and to remove the dying Yorkshire fog. Oversow again with your red fescue/sweet vernal grass

seed mix at a rate of 10gm2. Bulk the seed with sand and ensure as well as drill seeding you

spread sufficient seed over the surface by hand.

• It would be beneficial to introduce marram into the area of the carry, this to be introduced on

the south facing ridges during over the late winter period in a random and ad hoc manor and at

close 200-250mm spacings.


11th Hole

• I was very pleased to see the clearing having been made back of the 11th tees following the

removal of the gorse, a few localised plants have been retained which will recover to form a

lower growing patch. Further thinning work here should be delayed until after the Open,

consideration however will need to be given to removing any obvious stumps likely to cause a

trip hazard. This work will need to be followed by immediate restoration of the surface.

10th Hole

• A small very degenerate stand of gorse was noted left of the fairway this gorse should be cut

out with immediate effect and all stumps within the area ground to below surface. We discussed

whether gorse would need to be reinstated here as a strategic marker for the hole or whether

grassland cover would suffice. Should it be decided that gorse is important here then I

recommend that you turf strip over an area of around 60m2 (4x4) reinstate an open surface prior

to spreading gorse brash, this will need to be treated with a flame gun to chit and accelerate

gorse seed establishment. All this work could be undertaken with immediate effect so as to

enable good recovery prior to the Open.


9th Hole

General view 9th

hole note gorse front right of tees.

• The gorse to the front right of the championship tee was cut back last year, I did suggest that

the remaining stumps are removed in their entirety and the whole area reinstated as a smooth

deep bank running down into the rough. Reinstate the surface with the preferred fescue, sweet

vernal grass seed mix with possibly some marram sprigging.

• Remove the two smaller patches of gorse right of the pathway together with the selective

coppicing of branches from the gorse situated front right of the forward tees. This is necessary

to maintain sight lines and improve visibility through the first part of the hole.

Possibility to move the central section of gorse.


• In addition to the above consideration should be given to removing the central section of the

gorse right of the general tees to reinstate views of the right hand bunkering area following

clearance will need to be fully re-turfed with the appropriate fixed cut grassland turf. This area

would not exceed 8mx6m. The above would significantly improve sight lines from the

championship tees through the line of the heather to the right hand drive bunkers.

• Do include the areas of nutrient enriched ground within the new re-turfing work i.e. where

Yorkshire fog is clearly dominant.

View of heather and drive bunkers beyond gorse.


• A Large stand of gorse is compromising sight lines for spectators left of the fairway i.e. extreme

left of the right hand drive bunker, it is also compromising the migration of the heather back

and towards the path. Opportunity exists to remove the 1st 50% of the gorse i.e. back by 4-6m

retaining the final 4-6m through the pathway. This gorse is much lower in height and will screen

the scar created by the removal of the gorse. The bare ground should be reinstated and

prepared prior to overseeding using your fescue, sweet vernal mix at a rate of no more than

8gm2. Sow the seed by hand brushing into the scarification and open surface created. Note the

gorse is well off the playing line and will not be visible to the pros unless well off line.

• Consideration was given to the possibility of removing the last stand of gorse left of the 9th

green so as to enable spectators to come closer to the green possibly on a slightly raised mound

created following the removal of the gorse.


Remove the last stand of gorse back of the green and reinstate the surface possibly by way of a slightly elevated

mounding.

• This work would significantly improve spectator viewing allowing more people access around the

back of the green.

Reed Bed

• The reed bed, now well established is still struggling to grow reed. The common reed is being

sourced from the pond on the Eden Course, the last planting event took place this spring period.

• The second of the beds has established reasonably well following this year’s planting.

• We agreed further planting is required and that this should take place during

September/October with additional reeds planted in groups i.e. with soil attached and at

200mm spacings throughout the entire area of the first reed bed and to around 60% of the

second reed bed. In addition to help water retention I strongly recommend you install a short

upside down U bend at the exit point of the first reed bed; this needs be no higher than the

minimum depth available given the length of the joint sections. Move the U bend if required to

develop an angle that will allow retention of water within the first reed bed allowing exist only

when quite full. A second U bend will need to be installed within the exit pipe of the second reed

bed in a similar manor again to hold back water within the second reed bed at a height above

existing. This would be very cheap enabling a more rapid establishment of the reeds.

18th Hole

• The grass bank back of the 18th green has improved considerably through repeated cutting,

scarification and sanding. This work however will need to continue given the on-going density of

the rough.


Grass bank to back of 18th

green.

• Work on the bank should commence as soon as possible after the Dunhill to involve 25-50mm

(or as close to ground level as is practically possible without induced scalping). Brush the sward

to reduce any laid growth and follow with a treatment of Rescue treating in accord with the label

and manufacturers recommendations. Allow the chemical to work for 15-20 days before

scarifying to remove any dying grass growth.

• Upon completion of all of the above top-dress the entire bank with a heavy sand dressing taking

care not to overly smother.

• Repeat the cutting and scarification treatment during spring 2014 this area will be reviewed

again during the summer period (2014).

Signed:

Bob Taylor Ecology & Environment Manager, STRI (UK Wide)

STRI is completely independent and has no alliances to commercial products, services or contractors. This ensures that our

design, project management and advisory services provide the best solutions for each individual client. The contents of this

report are provided by STRI Ltd. It should be noted, that whilst every effort is made to meet the client’s brief, no sight

investigation can ensure complete assessment or prediction of the natural environment

The STRI Programme provides golf courses with measurements and data that help to monitor and assess golf course performance. The R&A has recently developed CourseTracker (www.coursetracker.org), a free, online business management tool

for golf courses, to record, review and analyse golf club performance across many areas of your business, including the golf course. STRI believes The R&A CourseTracker combined with the STRI Programme provides the tools you need to

objectively monitor and assess your golf course performance.

http://www.coursetracker.org/

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