the 2011 solheim cup - gcsai sept 2011 lres.pdf · solheim cup preview 18 sportspitch maintenance...

greenside magazine | December 20101

The Official Magazine of the GCSAI l www.gcsai.org l September 2011

Greenside

l The Irish Abroad l Course Feature - Courtown Golf Club l The Curragh Race Coursel Understanding Sand l Sportspitch Maintenance l Regional Reports l Trade News

The 2011Solheim CupCaptains Tussle for victory

www.gcsai.org 2

Greenside

greenside magazine | September 20113

Greenside

Contents

Disposal of Used Batteries 7

Irish Open Review 10

Solheim Cup Preview 18

Sportspitch Maintenance 20

Sand for Sportsturf 26

Course Feature - Courtown Golf Club 30

Regional Round-up 36

The Curragh Training/RaceTracks 44

Trade News 53

Phenomenal Success for Irish Golf

This year has proven to be a phenomenal success for Irish

golf. Since the last edition of Greenside two more Irishmen

have won Majors - Rory McIlroy winning the US Open in

impressive style in June and Darren Clarke’s Open Championship

victory in July. Who would have thought that, of the last seven

European Major winners, six would have been Irish, three coming from

Northern Ireland. This has given Irish golf a hugely needed boost and I

hope that this will filter down to Irish Golf Clubs.

This month (September), Killeen Castle will stage one of the biggest golf tournaments

since the 2006 Ryder Cup. It will host The Solheim Cup from 23rd to 25th September.

This three day tournament is

the ladies professional golfer’s

equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

If at all possible, you should

try and attend this event and

support some of the world’s

leading lady professional golfers.

You will not be disappointed.

I had the privilege of meeting

and interviewing both captains

- America’s Rosie Jones and Europe’s Alison Nicholas. Both ladies are up for the challenge.

You can read about them and The Solheim Cup on page 18.

I read with interest that last July has been the coldest for fifty years. It has truly been

an uneventful summer, weather wise but, despite the cool summer, it did not deter grass

growth, in fact, in some parts, it has been quite an effort to keep up with the relentless

growth.

REMINDERThe deadline for receiving

advertising and editorial for the next issue of Greenside is:

21st October 2011

Editor: Alan MahonTel: 053 9158606Email: [email protected]

Greenside designed by: S DESIGN Tel: 00 44 28 9096 2804 Email: [email protected]

The views expressed in contributed articles are not necessarily the views expressed by the editor of this publication. Editorial content and photographs cannot be reproduced without prior permission from the editor.

Back issues of Greenside can now be seen on the GCSAI website:www.gcsai.org

Front cover: Solheim Cup Captains Alison Nicholas and Rosie Jones at Killeen Castle

Photo: Alan Mahon

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News

4

To ReseRve a Tee Time foR Golf Team ConTaCT:

• Lorraine Behan 086 8189178 • David Behan 086 8269242• Ritchie Doyle 087 2427113 • Colm Dockerell 086 6054596

for sponsorship Contact:• Tom Carew 087 6260182 • Eamon Harnet 086 6013367

Please make Cheque Payable to iCs Golf ClassicPlease send to: C/O David Behan Killeenmore, Sallins, Co. Kildare

Amenity Trees and Woodlands - A Guide to their Management in Ireland

This new publication focuses on the vital role of amenity trees and woodlands in Ireland, and the importance of modern best practice in their management and care.

It is published by The Tree Council of Ireland in partnership with the Arboricultural Association - Irish Branch and the Society of Irish Foresters.This full-colour, 144-page book was compiled by a team of arboriculturists, parks superintendents, landscape architects, horticulturists and foresters. It details all aspects of modern amenity tree and woodland management within the Irish context, from the planting and care of individual trees to overarching topics such as community participation, tree strategies, and trees and the law.Copies of the book are available directly from the Tree Council of Ireland, at a price of €20 plus €4 postage & packaging.Tel. 01 4931313Wewbsite: www.treecouncil.ie/publications Email: [email protected]

Irish Links InitiativeThe autumn conference and AGM of the Irish Links Initiative (ILI) will take place on 17th & 18th October 2011 at Portmarnock Golf Club.

There will be golf on Monday 17th at Portmarnock Golf Club plus the AGM and dinner that evening. Tuesday 18th will see a full interactive programme out on the famous Portmarnock Golf Club links course.Provisional topics that will be covered include:• Drainage - How a modern drainage system can improve a very difficult situation• Construction – An in-depth look at the construction of a new links green• Sheds – An interesting look at the carefully designed purpose built new sheds• Fescue – A demonstration of how fescues can be established and introduced to existing greens Golf and attendance at the conference will be free for ILI members but there will be a charge for non-members. For further details please contact Tracy Coburn on:(00 44) 7803 237247 or at [email protected]

F O R S A L EPoa Greens SodFor more details contact:

Mark Harris ofHarris Turf Improvements

Mobile: 087 2540166Email: [email protected]

alCi AWARDSThe ALCI Landscaping awards, including the winner of the Bog Oak trophy presented to the best overall entry, will be announced at the ALCI Awards Gala night in the Mullingar Park Hotel on 21st October. Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Horticulture, will present the awards.

AWARDS


Education Report

5

While writing this article the executive committee is busy looking at ways to make next year’s conference/trade show an even bigger success.

Heads have been knocking together to try and come up with topics and issues that would create interest within our industry. If you have a topic that you feel should be covered in some way then why not contact any one of the executive members named at the back of this magazine. In my last report I mentioned bringing small regional networking groups together to share information and discuss sensitive issues that may be occurring at your facility. One such issue that has been cropping up lately is that of outsourcing and contract maintenance companies. In some cases there will be no option but to work with such outfits where they appear to offer value. There is also another approach whereby the Superintendent adopts the same approach as an outsourcing company and call in all his suppliers and individually asks them to price up a typical programme using products that he knows are safe and legal. To start with, look at each area i.e. chemicals, fertilisers, sand and machine maintenance and go through what you typically use in a given year. Then ask each supplier to price that quantity with a view to bulk buying, or committing to buy at the beginning of the year. There are huge savings to be made. This may also be done with several clubs coming together as a buying group. Again it is just food for thought and don’t forget to let me know if you fancy holding one of these networking groups during the winter period.

Regards,Bobby Mc Dermott

Please feel free to contact me on: 0862627839 or email: [email protected]

BobbyMcDermott

FoxrockGolf Club

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News

Greenside wins Another AwardAt the annual TOCA awards last May Greenside took first prize in the International category ‘Best Design Publication’ (two-plus page design article). The article, which claimed first prize, was the Hilton Templepatrick Course Feature story.

In the 2011 Gardner Awards section US based TurfNet Media Network won first prize for their video production ‘TurfNet Goes to Ireland 2010’. TurfNet is spear headed by Jon Kiger who is a regular visitor to Irish golf clubs.

Two active members of the ALCI were part of the team that achieved a gold medal at the recent Chelse Flower Show

Gerry Conneely of Clontarf Landscapes, and a recent past ALCI chairman, was part of the five man team which helped plan and execute the garden and he spent three weeks in London working on the project. Garry Flood of Garry Flood Landscaping and Instant Lawns, supplied the turf for the hanging pod and spent three days in London working on the garden.

The Garden which was the largest ever built at the world renowned show also scooped the Peoples Award which goes to the garden most popular with the public who attend the show.

US Superintendent salaries on the rise - slightlyAs with Ireland, much of America remains mired in the throes of a slumping economy, it is a good time to be a golf course superintendent in the US - at least where salary is concerned.

The average salary for GCSAA-member superintendents rose 2.7 percent to $81,044 from 2009 to 2011, according to the 2011 GCSAA Compensation and Benefits Report.

Salaries for certified GCSAA members increased about 2 percent to $95,264. How do superintendents stack up against the rest of the nation’s workforce?

According to Mercer, a human resources consulting firm, 31 percent of U.S. employers instituted wage freezes in 2009 compared with 13 percent in 2010 and 2 percent in 2011. Pay increases nationwide averaged 2.7 from 2009 to 2010 and 2.9 percent from 2010 to 2011.

According to GCSAA, average salaries for its members have risen every year since it initiated the survey in 1994. In the GCSAA’s most recent survey, Class A and superintendent members of the association were invited to participate. The study also revealed other statistics. For example, the average U.S. golf course superintendent is 45 years old, has 14.7 years of experience, average job tenure of 9.5 years and a staff of 21 employees.

The R&A has announced that top women’s golfer Suzann Pettersen has agreed to become the world governing body’s next Working For Golf Ambassador. Suzann joins two-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington in this role, promoting the work of The R&A worldwide.

Suzann’s commitment spans coaching young people in R&A-funded golf development programmes, appearing in Rules of Golf multimedia productions and promoting the etiquette of the game at events spread throughout her global playing schedule.

“We are delighted that Suzann Pettersen has agreed to add her support to our Working For Golf initiatives,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.

“She is a global figure in the game and a role model for young people choosing to participate in our sport.”

Suzann Pettersen announced as next R&A Working for Golf Ambassador

Taking part in a junior coaching session at The Open, Suzann Pettersen said: “I was inspired to make my career in golf through watching players in The Open Championship, and it is a great privilege to use what influence I have in the game to encourage young people of all abilities to participate in golf.”

The R&A will now support the Suzann Junior Challenge event in Norway, organised with the Norwegian Golf Federation and now in its eighth year.

ALCI Members help build Diarmuid Gavin Garden at Chelsea Flower Show

Gerry Conneely (left) with Diarmuid Gavin at Chelsea

AWARD

WINNER


Greenside

Everyone has a role to play in ensuring waste batteries are recycled. As outlined above, there are many products found in a golf club maintenance facility or pro shop which contain batteries: from cutting equipment with electric ignition and electric or hybrid mowers on the one hand, to battery packs for power tools and the battery in a tyre pressure gauge on the other. The golf club may also offer rental of electric golf carts and buggies or the pro shop may sell electronic range finders or GPS units. A good level of awareness is essential in order for batteries to be recycled when they become waste. The range of equipment which contain batteries is wide and varied.

What do I have to do?The Golf Club

Many of the waste batteries generated by the activities of a golf club would arise through the green keeping team and perhaps from servicing of buggies and carts, where applicable. Golf clubs, to avoid taking on producer obligations, should source batteries through suppliers who are registered as battery producers in Ireland, which will in most cases be the importer of the battery into Ireland.

What do I need to know?

The Batteries Regulations came into force in 2008. Most batteries contain heavy metals (mercury, cadmium and lead), which are the main cause for environmental concern. If waste

batteries are disposed of incorrectly to the black bin, heavy metals may leak when the battery corrodes, and so could contribute to soil and water pollution from landfills not designed to handle such materials. Also when metals in the waste battery are not recycled, this results in more metals having to be produced to make new batteries rather than using the metal contained within the waste batteries. The Batteries Regulations are based on the principle of producer responsibility, whereby those companies putting batteries on the Irish market are paying their fair share of the costs for ensuring those products are properly recycled when they are discarded. The primary objective is to ensure that waste batteries do not cause harm to the environment or human health. Anyone who imports batteries, including batteries incorporated into equipment or vehicles, and places them on the market in Ireland is known as a Producer. The Producer has the most onerous obligations under the Battery Regulations, including registration and financing the proper management of waste batteries. Distributors, otherwise known as retailers of batteries, also have obligations under the Regulations, including the take back of waste batteries of similar type to which they sell. In general, the EPA is responsible for enforcing producer obligations and local authorities for distributor obligations.

Table 1. Summary of main obligations for producers and distributors

There are three types of battery, which are covered by these Regulations; • Portable batteries (found in GPS systems, range finders, power

tools and electronic scorecards) • Industrial batteries ( Golf buggies and golf carts) • Automotive batteries (Starter, lighting or ignition: cutting

machinery, lawnmowers)

Batteries, Used Batteries and Waste Management RequirementsB y J a m e s P o w e r a n d J a n e K e n n e a l ly, e n v i r o n m e n ta l P r o t e c t i o n a g e n c y ( e Pa )

Producer(manafacturer or producer

of batteries)

Distributor(provides batteries to the person that uses them)

• Must be validly registered with the WEEE Register Society (www.weeeregister.ie)

• Must report quantities of batteries placed onto the Irish market

• Must fund the take back of waste batteries at end of life

• Must buy batteries only from validly registered producers

• Must inform customers (end- users) of the return systems available for waste batteries.

• Must provide waste battery take- back facilities

Battery disposal

Battery container

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Otherwise, full producer obligations will fall to the golf club, which can be quite onerous. A list of registered producers is listed on the website of the national producer registration body, the WEEE Register Society Ltd. (www.weeeregister.ie). Producers are also required to display their valid registration number (e.g. 0123B) on all invoices and delivery dockets, provided to the club. If the club has a servicing agreement with the distributor of golf buggies, carts or grass cutting equipment, then waste batteries may be taken back as part of the distributor reverse logistics. Otherwise waste batteries should only be given to an authorised collector of waste batteries, to ensure their environmentally safe recycling. Any authorised collector should be able to present a copy of their waste collection permit, and will also be able to assist with storage requirements for waste batteries.

The Pro Shop

In addition to the responsibility of ensuring batteries are sourced from registered producers, the pro shop has some additional responsibilities as the distributor. Additional responsibilities include:

Obligation Golf Club Pro Shop Golfer

Purchase of batteries from producers

Ensure batteries are sourced through registered suppliers. Check out www.weeeregister.ie or check some recent supplier invoices for the registration number for your suppliers

Ensure batteries are sourced through registered suppliers. Check out www.weeeregister.ie or check some recent supplier invoices for the registration number for your suppliers

Not applicable

Distributor registration

Not applicable, unless the golf club manages the pro-shop. In which case:Register as a distributor with the local authority annually or alternatively register on a once-off basis with WEEE Ireland (www.weeeireland.ie) or ERP Ireland (www.erp-recycling.ie)

Register as a distributor with the local authority annually or alternatively register (online) on a once-off basis with WEEE Ireland (www.weeeireland.ie) or ERP Ireland (www.erp-recycling.ie)

Not applicable

Waste battery take-back

• If the equipment (incorporating batteries) sourced for use on the golf course is subject to servicing agreements by the distributor of that equipment, then the distributor must offer take-back of waste batteries to the golf club.

• If the golf club is defined as a distributor (supplying batteries to the end user), then the club is obliged to operate free take-back of waste batteries (only similar to type sold). Note: purchase of new batteries is not necessary to avail of free take-back.

• Distributors are obliged to inform customers of free waste battery take-back.

• Pro shop is defined as a distributor or retailer and is therefore obliged to operate free take-back of waste batteries (only similar to type sold). Note: purchase of new batteries is not necessary to avail of free take-back.

• Distributors are obliged to inform customers of free waste battery take-back.

Golfers should be informed of the take-back options available to them

In Summary

The guidelines in this article will help you to ensure that golf clubs and/or pro shops are compliant with the Battery Regulations. Like any business, the golf club, pro shop and golfer will be required to work together to achieve and maintain compliance.

Further guidance is available on the EPA website at: www.batteries-enforcement.ie | E-mail: [email protected] or Local call 1890 33 55 99

• Statutory notices must be displayed in the pro shop indicating to customers that they can return waste batteries free of charge. A copy of this notice can be downloaded from the EPA’s website at http://www.epa.ie/downloads/advice/waste/weee/.

• The pro shop may be selling industrial (batteries for golf carts) and portable batteries (button cell or AA batteries included in range finders), which are often included in the equipment sold. If the pro shop is selling both battery types then the pro shop is obliged to take back waste batteries of similar type. The customer is not under any obligation to buy batteries when returning used batteries.

• A container for waste portable batteries must be provided in the pro shop for customers, where applicable. As outlined above, the waste batteries must only be given to an authorised collector to ensure these waste batteries are managed correctly. Further information on the collection available to the shop can be found by contacting either compliance scheme: WEEE Ireland (www.weeeireland.ie) or ERP Ireland (www.erp-recycling.ie).

The Golfer

Golfers should be informed that they can return batteries to the pro shop or to the local civic amenity site for recycling. Waste batteries must never be placed in waste disposal or recycling bins. Battery recycling is free.


Further guidance is available on the EPA website at: www.batteries-enforcement.ie | E-mail [email protected] or Local call 1890 33 55 99

www.gcsai.org 10

Simon Dysan and Enda Kenny pose with some of the greenkeeping team. Photo: Michelle Cooper Galvin

It was another great Irish Open Golf Championship at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. David MacIndoe and his greenkeeping staff and volunteers did a wonderful job in preparing and maintaining the Killeen course for Europe’s top professional golfers. In fact, the winner, Simon Dyson, said so himself during his victory speech on the eighteenth green. “I want to pay tribute to the greenkeeping staff for preparing the course to such a high standard.”

It is always nice to hear compliments about the excellent condition of course from the pros every now and then. Volunteers came from far and wide, and included Sam Leach of

Gap of Dunlow Golf Club, Derek Daly of Kingsbarns Golf Club, Tim Crowley of Lee Valley Golf Club, Eddie Allan of Kenmare Golf Club and Alec MacIndoe of Newbury Golf Club. David MacIndoe had his greenkeeping team arrive at work each morning at 4:45am for a briefing before the 5:00am start. All necessary jobs were finished by 9:00am. Such an intense work regime created huge appetites and on hand, to feed the thirty-seven hungry wolves, was Michael F. O’Connor who cooked fantastic breakfasts each morning without the slightest fuss. Nobody went away hungry, not a complaint was heard. It was particularly busy for Michael F. because as soon as he was finished cooking breakfast, he was quickly off to the eighteenth fairway to record the scores on the large leaderboard situated near the final green. This year the rough was allowed to grow a little higher, compared to last year, making that part of the course more of a true hazard. The participation of current major winners Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, along with former Major holders Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington helped to improve attendances this year by

Success again at

Killarney

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, presents the 2011 Discover Ireland Irish Open trophy to Simon Dyson of England. Photo: Alan Mahon

over 3,000 (85,179 compared to last year’s 81,738). However, Clarke and Harrington missed the cut while the best of the Irish to finish was Peter Lawrie on nine under par, sharing eighth spot. The best amateur went to twenty two year old Paul Cutler, from Portstewart, finishing on an impressive five under par. There was no official sponsor for this year’s event but Discover Ireland stepped in to support the tournament. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, presented the Waterford Crystal Trophy to Simon Dyson who had a total score of fifteen under.


News

Major Champions Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy have been presented with European golf’s highest award of Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour, following in the recent footsteps of their Northern Irish compatriot and fellow Major winner Graeme McDowell.

The pair each received an Honorary Life Membership card from George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour,

at the Pro-Am on the eve of the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club. The ceremony was conducted on the first tee at Killarney in the presence of Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, an enthusiastic golfer and a member of McIlroy’s Pro-Am team which also included the US Open Champion’s father, Gerry. McIlroy triumphed in spectacular style at the US Open Championship in June before Clarke produced a links masterclass to win The Open Championship at Royal St George’s the following month, continuing a stunning spell for Northern Irish golf. Both famous trophies were on display on the first tee as the players were inducted into an exclusive club as Honorary Life Members of the Tour. McDowell set the ball rolling 14 months ago when he won the US Open at Pebble Beach, and his victory inspired his countryman and close friend McIlroy to emulate him in the same event a year later at Congressional Country Club. The 22 year old won by an incredible eight shots to become the second youngest European Major Champion in history, and he broke numerous records with his low scoring en route to lifting the trophy. A month later, 42 year old Clarke rolled back the years with a vintage display of links golf

in, at times, testing weather conditions to hold off the challenges of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson and claim his first Major. O’Grady said: “It is a privilege to honour Rory and Darren with the highest award our Tour can bestow, and both fully deserve it after their marvellous achievements, which have given all of us at The European Tour such pride and pleasure. “Rory’s victory in the US Open was the complete performance and remarkable for someone so young, while Darren’s win at his 20th attempt at Royal St George’s only a month later was simply thrilling. Both players are strong supporters of The European Tour and we are delighted to witness this truly magnificent period for golf in Northern Ireland.”

(left to right) George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, presents Honorary Life Membership cards to Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy in the presence of Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. Photo: Getty Images

Honorary Life Membership for McIlroy and Clarke

Irish golfers including Rory McIlroy (pictured) did not fare as well at this year’s Irish Open Photo: Alan Mahon

t h e i r i s h a B r o a d

I distinctly remember having many verbal confrontations with my school buddies when they started to ‘slag’ me about

wanting to cut grass for the rest of my life. I knew that there was much more to the business than that, but I never knew how big a global industry, golf really is, and on many different facets it contains.

I was recruited for a Grow-In Superintendents role in the Czech Republic by Braemar Golf Developments, but somehow ended up as a Construction Foreman on The Royal Golf Club, Bahrain in June 2007. I am not sure how, or why, but I am very grateful it happened, because of the many eventful experiences and the massive learning curve I went through while I was there.

SiteThe Royal Golf Club was formerly Riffa Views Golf Club and it is the only public and commercial golf club on the Island of

Bahrain. The 18-hole facility required a total re-modeling and upgrade in order to provide a challenging and top quality course that would be a worthy and memorial addition to the European Tour. The expansion was up to an area of 36 hectares, which included The Montgomerie Championship Course, The Wee Monty 9-hole Par-3 course and turf nursery. An extra 2 hectares driving range and training facility was also constructed. The original Riffa Views course would remain open for the first year of the project and then be totally re-constructed and the area would become the major part of the new front 9-holes. The initial construction started in January 2007 on the extra acquired desert land that was adjacent to Riffa Views.

ConstructionOn arrival I was met by Martin Champion, who was the Project Manager. I was given a tour of the site and a quick introduction to some of the management and office staff.

My first impression of the site was a rugged, dusty and scarred landscape with many operational surface oil and gas pipes running across the site. This area was the untouched and the natural landscape of the island. Within the site there are some jagged and protruding features, which had to remain intact. Robin Hiseman, of European Golf Design implemented a routing plan and golf course design that incorporated these features and gave the course a natural feel and playability. It was a great joy watching and listening to Robin and Martin, two extremely experienced and motivated men, discussing the construction process, the attention to detail and necessary care to incorporate the features and to develop a true links look and feel. The challenge of creating an inland links is daunting wherever the site may be, but in the middle of a desert!! It quickly became apparent that achieving the designer’s vision was easier said than done.

As I look back over the last decade and the journey my career has taken, it does sometimes over-whelm me. Greenkeeping is a fantastic business, of that there is no doubt. I consider myself extremely lucky to have found this rewarding, challenging and consuming profession that I am in.

P a t r i c K r y a n

Construction at the Royal Golf Club Bahrain


Three Shapers were recruited, Murat Badruk and Richard D’Elia for the D6 Dozers and Trevor Dormer for a 22 Ton excavator. Murat and Richard did all the main shaping of the entire site while Trevor focused mainly on the greens, tees and bunker complexes. With my role as the construction foreman and the time constraints that came with it, my finishing work was focused on the fairways and bunker complexes and I enjoyed this immensely. With a box blade and level bar behind a tractor I levelled and spun out the fairways to get an undulated and flowing surface that reflected the exceptional work and creations of the two shapers before me.

The cut and fill for the project was 500,000m3 with the majority of the cut coming from the three lakes that were to be built. All 320,000m2 of fairways were built with the fill and with some pushed up material from the edges. After the irrigation was installed, all the fairways were sand capped to a depth of 450mm with dredged sea-bed sand. The 1.9 hectares golf greens needed silica sand that was imported from Saudi Arabia in 1m3 bags, with a total of 5,500 m3 used for all the greens by the time it was finished. The bags were individually lifted by excavator and the sand was released from the bottom of the bag once it was in position. This process involved a substantial crew to dip, spread, rake and lift the bags. Zeo-pro was also incorporated in the top 100mm of the green’s surface to promote moisture and nutrient retention. 5,500 m2 of bunkers were also built.

GrassI was given the responsibility for the grow-in of the 3 hectare turf nursery of Seashore Paspalum Supreme. Paspalum Supreme was selected because it had all the required characteristics and strengths needed to meet the challenges of the site, regional climate and most importantly the water quality of the area. As the name suggests Seashore Paspalum has a high salinity tolerance, the most salt tolerant warm-season turfgrass (Carrow & Duncan, 1998). Paspalum is highly stoloniferious and an aggressive grower when conditions are suitable. The

grass has a nitrogen storage capacity and produces a good deep green and strong sward. To my surprise, Paspalum is prone to fungal attack, Brown Patch (Rhiztonia) in particular, during the winter months, while the plant is semi-dormant and at its weakest.

The nursery had been constructed prior to my arrival and had been sprigged three weeks previously. The nursery was vital to the project because the 3 hectares would be used to sprigg and grass the entire 36 hectares of turf that is now the Royal Club. The sprigging process would of course be done in stages but the incredible strength and recovery

1st Green getting ready for sprigging

Aerial view of the Royal Golf Club construction site

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attributes of this warm season grass would prove invaluable. I immediately set up a light and regular nutrient and irrigation program. This of course changed as the plant quickly developed and matured over time.

The grassing harvesting procedure was again labour intensive and time consuming. Our first harvesting procedure entailed a deep and aggressive scarifying, to rip and tear up the stolons, which were then raked to remove the sand. We watered the material and loaded it on to trailers for transport to the grassing area and it was then generously

spread out over the area. To incorporate the grass into the soil, it was driven over with a grooved roller which would slice up the sand surface and ensure great soil contact. The area was then slowly rolled and watered. The area was then handed over to the grow-in team managed by the grow-in manager, Mark Hooker. Mark, a kiwi, took control of the grow-in and gelled quickly with the team he brought with him a vast knowledge and experience of turf. After the construction completion he took the role of the Director of Agronomy at The Royal.

The first process worked well but the stolons were a on the small side and because of this the development of a full canopy of turf was a little slow. We adjusted the procedure slightly, so instead of scarifying, we sod cut the turf at a shallow depth to ensure that a good amount of the thatch and plant material was left behind, to enable re-generation and recovery. The cut sod was then power harrowed two to three times to break it up into small pieces. The remaining stages of the process remained the same. This slight adjustment resulted in getting a

stronger and more vigorous plant material for grassing. It also greatly increased the turf sward development times.

We used the same grass type and stolons when grassing the entire course. It is incredible to see how modern cultural and maintenance practices can alter a grass plant and refine its growth habit to produce excellent swards of different height, colour, texture and playability. An aggressive grooming, verti-cutting, aeration and top-dressing program is required to fine down the plant for a greens surface and to prevent

the green surface from becoming unsmooth and grainy.

DrainageThe drainage of the course became another facet of my role and I can totally understand people, thinking ‘Drainage and desert- WHY!!’ Of course all greens and tees had to be drained to enable flushing of the root-

zone. Flushing is vital to control and battle the accumulation of salts in the root-zone profile. Even Paspalum cannot withstand an extreme build up of salts.

Large catchment areas and sumps were built in the natural areas to drain the features and for any heavy rains and localized flooding, which does happen. During the week before the Volvo Golf Championship, the course got less than 40mm in a 24 hour period. When shaping a golf course, water movement is a vital consideration of the construction process and all turf areas have a fall built-in to move water to run off areas.

The greens and tees were not built to the USGA specifications but to Californian Method. Sand selection criteria are similar, with a high percolation rate, but a gravel

Grass Stolons

4th fairway construction

“The greens and tees were not built to the USGA specifications but to Californian Method. Sand selection criteria are similar, with a high percolation rate, but a gravel layer is not required.”


6th Green construction

layer is not required. The bases off the greens were compacted, rolled and shaped until the surface was firm, smooth and with no holes, dip or cracks. To achieve this, the sub-soil was ripped through by the dozer, to break and soften up the material. It was then shaped as closely as possible to the design. The top surface was then watered by tanker

Bunker face shaping

and rolled. A tractor and level bar, or in some cases a sand-pro with a small front blade, were used to really spin out the base layer in order to achieve the desired contours and flow to the greens. Being involved in this whole process was fantastic and it really got my creative juices flowing.

150mm and 300mm of Megaflo® drainage

pipes were used for the green and tee base drainage layer. The pipe is flat, wide, strong and with a geotextile coating. The pipe also has internal components that not only re-enforce the pipe but also give the pipe a large water holding and movement capacity. This product selection removed the need to dig any drain-lines or gravel usage and ensured

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that the integrity of the green surface was maintained.

The lay out and positioning of the pipe was vital to maximize water collection and the movement of moisture through the soil profile. My laser level was invaluable; once I marked the surface, we rolled out the pipe and then had to make all the connections. This was a slow process and required massive attention to detail. The solid pipe and geo-coating had to be cut with stanley knives and a joining curved out of both pipes to be connected. We insured the joint between the pipes had a connecting upper and lower lip and then used duck tape to make the connection solid. The geo-coating was then also duck taped to seal the joint.

StaffingGetting to know and working with all the staff on the project was the most rewarding and enjoyable part of my working day. The staffing numbers and staff structure was sizeable, layered and bulky to say the least. Martin Champion was the Project Manager. His instructions and directions went to the Assistant Project Manager, then on to an engineer, next stop was a Labour Foreman, then a Charge Hand and finally to the labour

force. This process was similar to a game of Chinese whispers and was not adequate for a golf course construction site, especially on our site because, excluding Martin, the shapers and myself, nobody had built, played or even really knew what golf was or what was required to meet the client’s expectations.

I quickly needed to change things on the ground, so with this in mind I had every labourer write his name on his safety vest and every morning I would personally shake their hand and greet them. This allowed me to quickly get to know them and build a rapport with them. The resulting bond and relationship stood to us all throughout the project when the pressure built up and

“I quickly needed to change things on the ground, so with this in mind I had every labourer write his name on his safety vest and every morning I would personally shake their hand and greet them. This allowed me to quickly get to know them and build a rapport with them.”

deadlines had to be met. We developed a team spirit in these early stages that stayed with us throughout and transcended to new crew members on their arrival as our numbers increased from thirty to one hundred and forty by the projects end. The staff numbers were huge but by Middle East project standards very normal if not on the smaller side.

I focused on the course construction and initially left all the civil construction to the engineers. The thirty men I first worked

with would become my core guys but, as you can guess, managing this number of men individually was not an option. As I got to know them, as for any group of men throughout the world, their individually qualities become apparent, like who had the best work ethic, who were the natural leaders, and (as we say) who had ‘cop-on’. Shiva, Shish Pal, Lokini, Niaz, Akbor and Kadusa were the six men I picked as leaders of three groups. For example in group 1 - Shiva was the leader, Shish Pal his right hand man and together they supervised and controlled up to fifteen men, depending on what task they were performing. Pairing two men together when leading a team resulted in a few things, namely they could support and back each other up and maintain control, discipline and productivity. Each of the groups were assigned many different tasks ranging from:

• Drainage• Grass Harvesting and spreading• Sand-Capping Fairways• Bunker Finishing• Green Building• Lake Lining• Tee Construction• Truck control and guidance

Their work was incredible. For example, Shiva’s group were assigned to the green and tee drainage, and after the first few complexes I was so confident in their work that all I did was mark where the drains had to be placed, what size of pipe to be used and pretty much left them to it. I would check in with Shiva 3-4 times a day and check the finished result; this enabled me to deal with many other things on site and this proved invaluable to me.

As my role expanded to include the lake lining, the stone facing of lake walls and

lighting, I increased the amount of groups. I always kept to this group set up and if ever facing the same staffing levels again I would repeat the same structure. It is the only way to ensure control, communication and productivity. I have the upmost respect and admiration for the men I worked with, we worked incredible long and hard hours, 80 hours a week on average, six days a week, Saturday through Thursday of 12-13 hours and then a half day on Friday. I spoiled myself and took every second Friday off. This is standard for the region and we did what we could to make life better for the men on site. We made sure that tea and biscuits were available and we gave them meals when night work was happening in the middle of the summer. I also taught some of the men to drive the tractors and the site vehicle. Without their dedication and resilience through incredible heat and dust storms, the project would have never reached completion.

LakesThe site contains three substantial lakes, as well as a dynamic stream system through holes 5-8 on the Montgomerie Course. The excavation of lakes 1+2 were one of the first operations to occur because they would

I have the upmost respect and admiration for the men I worked with


provide the majority of the required fill. The excavation process involved two 22 ton excavators and six haulage trucks to move and dump material, and then a D6 dozer came in to give the base a soft, bowl shape. The bases had to be then leveled, watered and rolled before the lining process could begin. The most important and necessary part of the process was the anchoring of the ledge and trench. The ledge was 1.5m below the water level and the trench was well above the water level and ran the entire circumference of the lakes. Once the liner was down the trench was back filled and tied into the adjacent holes.

The positioning of the liner was again very labour intensive. A protective geo-textile layer was first placed down by hoisting up the large roll of material with straps and steel bars, then, between eight to ten men would run the material down the ledge. For the 70,000 m2 of extremely thick and heavy rubber liner, the process was the same. The idea was to use gravity and roll the liners down the entire lake edge and get it to meet at the mid-point of the base. The rubber was then welded together to make it water tight. The liner was placed down generously to allow for the material’s movement. I was surprised to learn that even when the liner was covered with water it can still heat and cool enough throughout a 24 hour period to allow substantial shrinking and expansion.

Where a tee or green was near the lake edges, a retaining wall had to be put in place. The wall consisted of strong, re-enforced concrete slabs with tapered edges, so we could place them to the required angles. The retaining walls were all later stone faced as well as the lake edges. Every rock was placed on the liner by hand to ensure the liners integrity.

Return for the TournamentThe Royal Club officially opened to members for play on 1st Feb 2009 and as we know, hosted the Volvo Championship on 27th-

“Our professional high standards of course maintenance, course presentation, turf knowledge and tournament preparation levels have made the Irish greenkeeper a respected and valued commodity on the International jobs market.”

30th Jan 2011 with Paul Casey posting a 20 under winning score. The course has developed quickly into a fantastic, mature and natural looking course and in just over three years from the construction start, it is now on the European Tour Circuit.

The importance of the grow-in superintendent’s role should never be under estimated and it really deserves a mention. Mark Hooker did a tremendous job and overcame some real difficulties namely water supply, water quality, and the harsh climatic conditions. I congratulate him on his success and thank him for inviting me back out to Bahrain for the week before the Volvo Championship, to help him and his committed crew with the pre-tournament preparation.

Seeing the finished product was emotional and satisfying. I am so very proud of having been part of the motivated, committed and genuine group of people that gave so much to

make The Royal what it is. Everyone’s hard work has really paid off.

ConclusionWe all know that Ireland went through a massive boom and financial growth throughout the 1990’s and the mid 2000’s. The golf course construction boom and industrial development has been beneficial to us all, mainly because so many of us were exposed to re-development, golf course construction, golf course grow-ins and business start ups. Ireland has hosted an array of magnificent world golf tournaments and this has resulted in greatly raising the Irish Golf Superintendent’s profile throughout the world. Our professional high standards of course maintenance, course presentation, turf knowledge and tournament preparation levels have made the Irish green-keeper a respected and valued commodity on the International jobs market.

3rd fairway

13th fairway

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Named in honour of Karsten Solheim, founder of the company that makes PING golf equipment and a driving

force behind this tournament, The Solheim Cup is one of the most highly coveted trophies in women’s professional golf. Since the inaugural tournament in 1990, The Solheim Cup has been played every two years and involves the best of America taking on the best of Europe in the battle to take home the trophy. The Americans have a longstanding history of beating their European counterparts and taking home The Solheim Cup. They have won eight of the eleven tournaments played since 1990. However, this September, the European team, captained by Alison Nicholas, hope to turn the tables in their favour and lift that elusive Waterford Wedgewood designed winning crystal trophy. But the American team, captained by Rosie Jones, will have other ideas. Many of us remember when the men’s equivalent - the Ryder Cup - came to Ireland at The K Club in 2006. This time, all eyes will be on Killeen Castle to see if these women

can also pull off this event with the same high level of success.

The Lady CaptainsAmerican Captain Rosie Jones, is a 13-time winner on the LPGA Tour and has played on seven different Solheim Cup teams during her career. In her days as a member of the U.S. squad, Jones recorded 12 points over seven Solheim Cups, including an overall singles record of 3-3-1. Her last appearance came at the 2005 competition, played at the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., where her U.S. team beat the Europeans by three points, tying the closest match in the history of the event. Rosie told me that The Solheim Cup of 2005 was her most thrilling Solheim Cup experience. I asked Rosie had she ever played golf in Ireland before. She smiled with fondness and said “I had a most

wonderful game of golf in Tralee. I loved it there.” Europe’s Captain Alison Nicholas, MBE, represented Europe in The Solheim Cup on six occasions. It was very memorable for her, especially being on three victorious teams in

1992, 2000 and as Vice Captain in 2003. The highlight of her career was winning the 1997 US Open when she held off golfing legend Nancy Lopez to win her first major. Incidentally, Alison won the British Open in 1987 but back then it was not recognized as a Major. It was 2001 before this was to happen. The European Team is selected by taking

The 2011 Solheim Cup - PREVIEWThis September 23 - 25, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, on the grounds of the

majestic Killeen Castle in Dunsany, County Meath, will play host to one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world - The Solheim Cup.

r e P o r t a n d P h o t o s B y a l a n m a h o n

Killeen Castle will host The 2011 Solheim Cup

European Captain Alison Nicholas (left) and USA Captain Rosie Jones.


the top four players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) points standings, followed by the next top four European LET members appearing on the Rolex Rankings at an agreed cut-off date, plus four Captain’s Selections. The points distribution for the USA team is worked somewhat differently. The twelve person squad is chosen from the ten players earning most points for wins and top-20 finishes over a two-year qualifying period, with two players selected by the captain. The format of play will be a three-day, match-play competition. The first two days of competition feature two sessions each day, with a total of eight foursomes and eight four-ball matches over the two days. The final day consists of 12 singles matches. For the singles competition, one U.S. and one European player compete against one another. Scoring is based on a points system, with 28 total points available over the three days of competition. One point is awarded for each match won, and half a point is given to each team for matches that end in a tie. The defending champion needs 14 points to retain The Solheim Cup, while the other team would require 14½ points to win the event.

Course layoutCourse preparations have been ongoing since the event was announced in 2006 headed by Killeen Castle Course Superintendent Mark Collins. Mark has taken direction from Cyprien Comoy, Director of Tournament Operations and Julian Mooney, Tournament Agronomist, Ladies European Tour, to make sure that the course is in near perfect condition for the big event. Some minor tweaks to the course will be given to suit the ladies. One notable change will be that

the rough on the course will be cut down to between 40-50mm (compared to 100mm for the men’s tournament). The course will play to a length of 6500yds. The fairways will

T h e 2 0 1 1 S o l h e i m C u p - P r e v i e w

Mark Collins, Course Superintendant at Killeen Castle

be mown down to 9mm during The 2011 Solheim Cup while the aprons will be cut at 6mm. The greens speed will be between 10½ and 11.

Volunteers and tickets It is still not too late to volunteer to help out during the tournament. Up to one hundred helpers will be needed over a nine day period. Visit www.solheimcup.com/maintenance to register. The success of every professional golf tournament is dependent on volunteer participation. Volunteers will need to be available from Saturday 17th to Sunday 25th September. A mandatory orientation will be hosted on Saturday 17th September. For the volunteers this will be a never to be forgotten experience. This is a great opportunity to network among fellow greenkeepers, not to mention how good it will look on one’s C.V. A lot of promotion has gone into The 2011

Solheim Cup. The main sponsors are PING, Rolex and Bord Failte. In past Solheim Cup years, the attendances over the three days have exceeded 100,000. Let’s hope Ireland can match or improve these figures. Tickets can still be purchased on The Solheim Cup website www.solheimcup.com This is an event worth going to as the atmosphere will be electric with the ladies fighting tooth and nail to claim that sought after Solheim Cup. So come along and cheer them on.

The Junior Solheim Cup is also coming to County Meath. It will be played at Knightsbrook Resort Spa and Golf Hotel in Trim from September 20 - 21 where the twelve best European female golfers will meet the twelve best American female golfers. Players will be between the ages of twelve and eighteen. Irish duo, twins Lisa and Leona Maguire, who many see as future Solheim Cup players, will be part of the European team.

www.gcsai.org 20

Pitches - why clubs should prepare rather than repairB y c a r l P a s s - d i r e c t o r o f P r e m i e r P i t c h e s l i m i t e d

Professional football pitch management is no longer about providing a surface that will withstand the rigours of 90 minutes of football; any league groundsman will testify to this.

Groundsmen now have the additional pressure of providing a surface that will be used for a pre-match warm-up that can last up to 30 minutes. There are also half time activities, including

penalty shootouts, marching bands, dancers and junior matches played across the pitch. In addition, many teams now insist on a warm-down after the match, that, in some cases, becomes a full-blown training session for squad players not involved in the 90 minutes of action that has just unfolded. Success in European competitions brings additional burdens, as travelling teams have access to the match pitch for training sessions on the day prior to the tie being played. Other events, such as music concerts, bring in much needed revenue to clubs, who are in the business of making money, by whatever means, to support their main objective, which is to be successful on the pitch. These activities are often undertaken in grounds that have either evolved into multi-use venues or, worse still, have been designed with

little or no thought for the well being of the pitch. The consequence of such relentless use is a degenerated surface that may suffer from compaction, poor drainage, little or no grass cover and uneven levels. So where does this leave the person entrusted with producing a surface that will cater for all the needs of a professional football club? Clubs will not reduce the height of stands to reduce the impact of shade, nor will they open up corners of the stadium to allow increased air movement or reduce the amount of additional activity on the pitch during match days and in the closed season. It is my view that we must take a positive stance to the situation by adopting a new philosophy of preparing new pitches rather than repairing old ones. Come the end of the season, clubs who wish to maintain a high standard of playing surface, whilst maximising revenue from other opportunities, must accept that the pitch has done its job and replace it, particularly in a stadium environment where the groundsman is essentially growing grass indoors. Beginning the season with a new


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pitch offers the greatest opportunity for the surface to withstand the difficult environment it is expected to perform within. Stadium pitches in general have improved tremendously over the past ten years, which is a credit to all involved, including groundsmen, researchers, and manufacturers of specialist turf maintenance equipment. I am fortunate to work alongside progressive agronomists and the new generation of sports turf managers/groundsmen, who realise the advantages of preparing a new pitch, rather than repairing an old one.

So, what are the advantages of pitch preparation rather than repair? When should it start and how is it achieved?

The advantage is that the existing pitch is available to the club to safely utilise for income generation prior to the new pitch preparation. Corporate and community events, sports days, pay-to-play football tournaments, five-a-side leagues and music concerts can all be undertaken in the knowledge that they will not affect the quality of the playing surface as it will be removed and replaced. An additional benefit, in some cases, is that part of the income generated from such events may be used to part-finance the pitch improvements. Pitch preparation can start as soon as the corporate events are completed but preferably before the beginning of June.

How does the preparation system work in practice?

1. A consultant or the groundsman should either prepare a specification or discuss with a reputable contractor the work that is required and when it can commence. The specification will include a bill of quantities which will outline to the contractor what he is expected to supply and what the club may wish to supply themselves. As a contractor, I feel it is important that the groundsman choose materials with which he wants to work, as when we’ve finished and left the site, it is he who is responsible for seeing the pitch through to the end of the season.

2. Materials should be ordered and provision made to store them safely away from the elements. Bulk materials such as Fibresand or Fibrelastic need to be ordered in advance and a delivery time and date agreed.

3. As soon as the club’s corporate department has finished with the pitch and all coverings are removed, the contractor should be on site ready to commence work.

4. The existing pitch surface should be stripped using a Koro TopMaker, a superb piece of equipment that has revolutionised the way pitches are renovated. The Koro strips the entire surface, removing all organic accumulations leaving a clean, debris-free rootzone that can then be worked with to produce the desired playing surface.

5. Initial cultivation can then commence to break up any pans or layering which may be present within the top 100mm of the pitch profile. This work also serves as the ultimate form of aeration, as it redistributes particles around the profile and allows any anaerobic conditions to become oxygenated. Any soil conditioners, such as seaweed, granulated lime-stone and fertilisers that may be required, should be applied at this stage to ensure they are thoroughly incorporated into the vital top 100mm of rootzone.

6. Once initial cultivations are complete and, dependent upon the specification, it would be normal practice to apply new rootzone material, which is often Fibresand or Fibrelastic. This is intended to replenish any material lost during the removal of the surface. It is important to use a specially adapted drop spreader that is capable of handling this type of material without bridging, or blocking, as work progresses.

7. The evenly spread material can then be integrated into the top 100mm by further cultivation, normally with a rotary harrow. At this stage visual inspection will dictate how many passes

with the cultivator are required to produce an evenly blended rootzone. The final pass will be made and levels trimmed to be consistent with those of the original construction.

8. Consolidation will be required next. This is a vital aspect of the works and should be carried out evenly and accurately all over the pitch to achieve consistent results. As work progresses it may be necessary to irrigate, at this stage, to maintain a degree of moisture in the immediate surface, preventing the separation of fibres. Fines in the rootzone can also find their way onto the surface as a dusty residue if irrigation is not available, causing problems later in the season by impeding surface drainage.

9. Fine finishing is a vital aspect of achieving the end result. This work should be undertaken by skilled operators who use specialist machinery and equipment. When surface levels are seen to be satisfactory the next stage of the works can commence.

10. The pitch should be over-seeded with a seeder designed specifically for sowing a pitch from scratch. Usually two passes will be made with this type of machine, but more may be required if the groundsman or consultant dictate otherwise. Finally, the pitch should be flat rolled to seal in the seed and produce the finished level.

The first stage of pitch preparation is now complete. It is then up to the groundsman to use his skill and the relevant technology available to him to produce and maintain the new sward. He can carry out this work in the knowledge that he has a completely refreshed rootzone, free from any layering and its associated problems. Drainage rates will be increased considerably, preventing waterlogging during the wetter winter months. The sward will be made up of new grass plants, all establishing seminal

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roots, which will form the basis of a strong root mass, essential for durability. The weedgrass Poa annua will be largely eradicated to the point when it is no longer a problem and the whole pitch will be in better condition than it would have been if it were a pitch renovated from the previous season. The work I’ve described is more expensive than standard renovation but not so high that it should not be within the budget of any professional football club. Those with very limited budgets could achieve an acceptable result by fraise mowing to clean out the vegetation and overseeding, enabling them to begin each season with a new sward. Fraise mowing is when the machine is set to remove only herbage from the top of the pitch. When the machine is in this mode its action grubs out shallow rooted Poa annua and removes the entire plant along with any thatch accumulations. The top of the Rye Grass plant is also removed but the body of the plant remains intact thus allowing re-growth to take place. In effect one pass of this machine will far outweigh the benefits of continual scarification, which many groundsmen undertake annually to remove Poa annua and thatch, which are associated with failing pitches. The machine can also be used to entirely remove the surface of the pitch effortlessly and in one operation. This process will have an enormous impact

on the majority of clubs who have no financial resources to undertake reconstruction, but have succeeded in attaining a suitable degree of surface drainage. In subsequent seasons only fraise mowing will be required to grub out the majority of any Poa annua colonisation prior to renovation being undertaken in the conventional way.

To get the very best from the playing surface, new pitch preparation should be carried out each year. In reality, budgetary constraints and other issues, such as restricted timescale, may prevent it. From my experience of working across the UK and in Europe, it should be a major consideration for any club who want to maximise both pitch performance and profitability.

Photo: Sean McCrystal

www.gcsai.org 24

News

Cork native Finbarr O’Mahony, who is the Assistant Course Superintendent at Kanturk Golf Club, was a volunteer with the BIGGA greenkeeping team at this years British Open at Royal St. George’s. Finbarr keeps the week in the middle of July free so that he can help out with the preparations. He has been doing this for several years and has witnessed many winners including Padraig Harrington and now Darren Clarke.

Photo: Finbarr (left) in company with Graham Royden, who is the Course Manager at Royal St. George’s.

Finbarr helps out at British Open

JobBridge National Internship Scheme

JobBridge is a new National Internship Scheme that will provide work experience placements for interns for a 6 month or 9 month period.

The aim of the National Internship Scheme is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are

unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. The scheme will also give young people a real opportunity to gain valuable experience to bridge the gap between study and the beginning of their work lives. Interns will receive an allowance of €50 on top of their social welfare entitlement. This will be payable for the period of the internship. THERE IS NO COST TO THE EMPLOYER. This scheme is open to employers in the private sector and in order to host an internship various criteria have to be met, including: • You may not be a sole trader and

must have a minimum of one full-time employee who is employed for 30 hours or more a week

• You may not currently have vacancies in the area of activity in which the internship is offered

• The internship cannot be provided to displace an employee

• The total number of internships places an employer can offer at any one time is determined by the number of full-time employees they have, e.g. if you have 1-10 full-time employees, you can offer one internship place.

• There are other specified responsibilities that employers have to comply with.

Interested? Go to www.jobridge.ie to find out more

Richard O’Donovan, a member of the greenkeeping staff at Lucan Golf Club, has won this year’s East of Ireland Golf Championships which was held over three days at County Louth Golf Club from 4 - 6 June.

Nine strokes off the lead overnight

and seven adrift going into the final round, he eventually won by two strokes on two-under-par as he followed a 71 in the morning with a stunning bogey-free 66 in the afternoon.“Awestruck, it feels unbelievable,” said a shocked O’Donovan after an anxious wait of more than two hours to see if he would be caught.“Words can’t express how I feel. I actually don’t know. It just feels weird. I only made the cut and I am the winner. You just have to laugh at it. One flawless round did it.“Is it the best round of my life? I suppose it is, I’ve just won the East of Ireland! I’m going to cherish this for the rest of my life. It was a goal at the start of the season, and to see my name on top of the leaderboard afterwards is unbelievable.” The former Irish Boys international was roused from his bed in the clubhouse dormitory at 5:00am as he set off in the first group at 7:0am, having made the cut for the leading 51 players on the seven-over-par limit.Thoughts of victory were far from his

mind as he opened with a double-bogey six to fall a seemingly insurmountable 11 strokes behind halfway leader Alan Dunbar, who eventually finished six shots behind him in a share of ninth. After grinding his way to a 71 to trail Gareth Bohill by seven shots with a round to go, O’Donovan was still thinking of nothing more than a respectable finish when he suddenly found a new gear. To put this victory into perspective, previous winners have included Garth McGimpsey (winner 1988, 1994, 1998) and 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke (winning in 1989). It was all celebrations for Richard back at Lucan Golf Club when he showed the trophy to his fellow greenkeepers. This was not his first win in a major Irish golf competition. Richard won the Sigma Wireless-sponsored Leinster Youths Amateur Open Championship at Laytown Bettystown Golf Club in 2010. Will more wins follow? Lets hope so.

Greenkeeper wins East of Ireland Golf Championships

Richard O’Donovan (2nd left), proudly diplays the East of Ireland trophy with his greenkeeping colleagues at Lucan Golf Club.


News

The GCSAI is delighted to announce that the Presidents Cup will take place on 7th October at the splendid Castlemartyr Golf Resort. Everris (formerly known as Scotts Professional) are the proud sponsors of the event.

This is the fifth year of the competition and Everris have been sponsors of the event for all of those years. Speaking at the official launch of the Presidents Cup in the Castlemartyr Golf Resort, Colman Warde, Ireland sales representative for Everris, said that The Presidents Cup is an event that Everris are proud to be associated with. GCSAI President, Damian McLaverty, who was also at the launch, said that in these very difficult times, it is reassuring to know that Everris are still supporting the Presidents Cup. Damian thanked Colman for the continuing sponsorship that Everris are and have been doing. All regions have now selected their teams and there will be much anticipation in seeing which region will be triumphant. The Course Superintendent at Castlemartyr is Trevor Norris. Both Damian McLaverty and Colman Warde were very impressed with the condition Trevor and his greenkeeping staff had the course in and both are looking forward to a real test of golf in October. Castlemartyr Golf Resort is set in mature parkland. The original estate dates back to the 13th century and is steeped in history.

Trevor Norris, Colman Warde and Damian Mclaverty at the Presidents Cup launch in Castlemartyr Golf Resort

Presidents Cup Launched

REMINDERThe deadline for receiving

advertising and editorial for the next issue of Greenside is:

21st October 2011

Sand comes in many different forms, all of varying quality with

a range of properties and physical characteristics, so the challenge is to select the right one for your project.

What is sand and where does it come from?Sand is an inorganic granular mineral composed of individual particles or grains formed by the weathering and erosion of rock.

These small, finely divided fragments of rock will vary in chemical composition depending upon the source and condition of the parent rock from which they were derived.

In the UK, sand refers to a material which has a grain size distribution between 0.063mm and 2.0mm. However, there are some countries, including the USA, who categorise sand particles as those having a diameter between 0.053mm and 2.0mm.

In the UK all particles less than 0.063mm but greater than 0.002mm are classed as silt, with particles less than 0.002mm categorised as clay. Any particles greater than 2.0mm are categorised as gravel.

It is important to remember that any particle between 0.063mm and 2.0mm would be classed as sand, including material with very high calcium content (calcareous sands).

Surface hardness of sand grains can be measured using the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, which measures the ability of a harder mineral to scratch a softer mineral. This scale ranges from 1, being the softest (talc), up to 10 being the hardest (diamonds). Typically, sands containing high silica content would have a hardness of around 7 using the Mohs scale.

The actual percentage of silica in sands can vary from around 80% up to 99.99%. Industrial silica sands are characterised by their high silica content (above 95% SiO2), which is usually in the form of quartz. Generally, whiter, paler coloured sands have fewer impurities. Typical impurities would normally include Iron oxide (Fe2O3) and Alumina (Al2O3), however, surface clays, feldspar, pyrite, chromite, coal, lignite, sea shells or chloride salts could be present.

The terms: silver sand, beach sand, soft sand, sharp sand and silica sand, are all used, but what do they refer to?

It would be safe to assume that “beach sands” originate from coastlines and estuaries. The term “sharp sand” is used to describe coarsely graded sands. These sands would feel quite gritty when rubbed between your fingers. “Soft sand” is a term used to describe finely graded sands, these would feel more silky when rubbed between your

fingers. “Silver sand” and “silica sand” are just generic terms used to describe any pale or light coloured sand.

Sand extraction and processingSand can be obtained using various extraction methods, including: underground mines, open cast mines (quarries) or dredged from the sea or river beds. The source of extraction will usually determine the impurities present in the final sand grade. For example, sea dredged sands would tend to have higher chloride salt and calcium (lime) content. All sand deposits contain material having a wide range of grain sizes, usually mixed with clay and gravel. These sand deposits will require extensive processing to remove the unwanted stones, oversize grains and clay.

There are numerous types of sand processing equipment available. The most basic process would involve the “as dug” sand passing through a screener to remove any oversize material (stones or gravel). This would not change the composition or grading of the raw material in any other way.

An improvement on this would be a basic wash plant, which would, typically, consist of at least one screener combined with some form of holding vessel or open topped tank filled with water. Whilst this process would reduce the silt and clay content, it would not sort the grains or improve the particle size distribution.

Whilst a simple form of processing may be acceptable for some basic building/construction applications, it would not be suitable for sports turf use.

It is essential that sands used for sports turf are processed

B y M i c k H i g g i n s , T e c h n i c a l M a n a g e r , R u f f o r d s

Sand is a cornerstone ingredient in all construction and maintenance materials for both natural and artificial playing surfaces. Whether mixed with an organic amendment to produce topdressings, rootzones and divot mixes, or used on its own as a synthetic carpet infill or beach sport surface, sand plays a vitally

important role in a playing surface’s performance, appearance and longevity.

Sand for Sportsturf


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using a washing plant. Even small amounts of clay will negatively affect the drainage properties of any sand. The most basic washing plant will rinse the material and remove some silt and clay, sometimes these basic wash plants require the sand to be double washed, or even triple washed, to improve the cleanliness of the finished product.

Industrial silica sands are processed using sophisticated wash plants. Millions of pounds worth of investment is required for such plants. These will not only wash the sand effectively, they will also separate the incoming sand into two or more different grades. This process is commonly termed “hydro classification”. This plant would usually consist of density separators, cyclones, dewatering screens, numerous pumps and

extensive lengths of pipeline and conveyors, large lagoons all operated using sophisticated computer controlled software.

Various sand grades, for example “medium-coarse” and “medium-fine”, are produced using a continuous process which utilises gravity to sort sand grain sizes whilst dispersed in water. Coarser (heavier) grains will settle towards the base of the tank for discharge, whilst finer (lighter) grains will remain suspended in water towards the top of the tank. These finer grains are removed as the water overflows. This process will produce consistently graded sand grades, irrespective of fluctuations with the incoming “as dug” material. It will also produce a tightly graded product with uniform sand grain sizes which are ideal for sports turf. Some industrial sand processing plants may also include: magnetic separation, sand attrition or even hot acid leaching.

Particle size distributionSieve grading, or particle size distribution, is carried out using laboratory analysis. Standard procedures must be followed at each stage, from initial sampling through to sample reduction and final testing.

The first stage is to obtain a representative sample from the stockpile. This large sample then has to be reduced in size. It is this smaller, dried sample, of around 100g, which is then mechanically shaken through a set of sieves for a predetermined length of time, usually fifteen minutes. Various sieve mesh sizes are used depending on the grain size distribution of sand being tested. If the sand being tested contains any amount of clay or organic material, it would require washing and drying prior to sieve analysis, otherwise

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Feature

Sands having an angular or sub-angular grain surface are preferred when used in golf bunkers, as this gives greater stability and less ball plugging due to greater frictional resistance, whereas rounded sands are preferred for use in synthetic turf infill due to them being less abrasive to the carpet.

Saturated hydraulic conductivitySometimes referred to as Perc rate or Ksat. This is one of the most critical tests where sands are used in sports turf. The main reason for using sand is to achieve adequate water movement from the surface through to the drainage below. This test is used to give an indication as to the amount of water that would percolate through a material, whilst at field capacity, for a given

the individual grains would stick together, giving a false ‘coarser’ result.

For sportsturf, the majority of sand grains should fall between the sizes of 0.125mm and 1.0mm. Even when the majority of sand grains fall between these sizes, we still need to identify what percentage of sand grains fall within individual categories, e.g. coarse sand (0.500-1.000mm), medium sand (0.250-0.500mm), fine sand (0.125-0.250mm).

We can use the information obtained from a particle size distribution (PSD) analysis in a number of ways. One is to calculate the Average Grain Size (AGS), which is normally quoted in microns. Whilst this information is helpful, it does not give an indication as to the spread of particle sizes present.

A more useful method is to calculate “D Values” from the cumulate percent passing curve. Any given D value is the particle size diameter at which a given cumulative percentage of material is indicated to pass. For example, if the D90 Value was shown as 650 microns, this would indicate that 90% of material is smaller than 650 microns. D Values can be used to show the potential for interpacking by calculating the D90/D10 ratio (Gradation Index). They are also used to ascertain whether drainage gravels are compatible with the rootzone layer (bridging factor).

Grain shapeThis refers to two attributes: one being the grain surface texture or angularity, and the other being grain roundness or sphericity. Grain shape is influenced by nature, and is entirely dependent on the weathering and erosion subjected to each grain at the time when they were formed and/or deposited. Glacial deposits and some river “alluvial” sand deposits tend to have a more rounded grain surface, whereas carboniferous sandstone deposits would typically have a more angular grain surface.

depth when placed above a gravel drainage layer.

This test should not be confused with infiltration rate. Whilst the two are certainly connected, they are carried out using completely different test apparatus and procedures. Results of any sand tested for saturated hydraulic conductivity should be quoted, as the amount of water passing through the sample at a given depth of material. The result would be in the form of 1050mm/hr at 30cm tension. It is crucial that the quoted result indicates the tension (or simulated depth). In general, testing the same sand at greater tension (depth) will give a higher result so, if the information quoted does not show the tension (depth), the results cannot be relied upon.

Total porosity This measures the void space between the grains when compacted. Total porosity, as the term suggests, measures the total available pore space. Typically, values are around 38%-45%


Capillary porosity (water filled porosity)This is the percentage of total porosity which contains water at or near the surface for a given tension (depth), whilst at field capacity. As the result increases, it indicates more water present at the surface.

Non-capillary porosity (air-filled porosity)This is the percentage of total porosity which contains air at or near the surface for a given tension (depth), whilst at field capacity. As the result increases, it indicates less water present at the surface.

Bulk density The measurement of weight to known volume, this figure is useful when calculating the

amount of sand or rootzone required. For example, if you required sand to fill a space 10m x 5m to 300mm depth (12”), this would require 15 cubic metres of material. If this volume is multiplied by the bulk density figure, then the quantity in weight can be obtained.

PHAcidity of a sand or rootzone is measured using pH. Sands containing appreciable amounts of solid carbonates (calcium) should be avoided as this will increase the pH level. Ideally, sands used for sportsturf should be slightly acidic. Sands normally have a very low buffering capacity, which means that they would normally adopt the pH of their surroundings. The original pH of a sand would typically move towards the pH of the irrigation water, rainfall or fertiliser used.

SummaryWhilst a coarse sand may be expected to drain more freely than a finer sand, this will not always be the case. Grain size, shape, particle size distribution, silt and clay content, fine sand content, and even silica content, will all play their part in the performance of sand used for sportsturf. If you rely on particle size distribution alone to determine its suitability for use, then you will be in for a few surprises.

This article is reproduced courtesy of Pitchcare Magazine

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Courtown Golf Club


Celebrating 75 Years

C o u r s e F e a t u r e a n d P h o t o g r a p h y b y A l a n M a h o n

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Courtown Golf Club was founded in 1936 as a nine hole course (the same year that the US Masters started) and

was constructed on lands formerly owned by Lord Courtown

But Courtown has another jewel that proves popular all year round - it is Courtown Golf Club and this year it celebrates seventy five years in existence. Even though parts of the course are a couple of hundred yards away from the sea it does not claim to be a links course. It is set among 128 acres of maturing

woodland and open space, and is now ranked number 75 as the best course in Ireland, the first time the club has been ranked in ‘Irelands top 100 Golf Clubs’ by Golf Digest. The club are very proud to be included in this ranking.

HistoryCourtown Golf Club was founded in 1936 as a nine hole course (the same year that the US Masters started) and was constructed on

lands formerly owned by Lord Courtown. The course designer was William Nolan who was the professional at Portmarnock at the time. He designed the nine hole layout free of charge. The land, on which these nine holes were laid out, was rented for five years at the nominal rent of £20 per year. The groundsman’s wages back then were £1.10.00 per week (converted to €1.82), which included attending the club all day Sunday. By 1938 membership had reached sixty. In 1946 the Lease granted to Courtown Golf Club had expired. The Club’s position in regard to this was giving rise to some concern, as the land had been taken over by the Irish Tourist Board, along with the rest of the Courtown Estate and the Irish Tourist Board was now the Club’s landlord. Such was the situation that the purchase of a new Ferguson tractor had to be cancelled owing

to the uncertainty of the Club’s position. As early as 1945, plans were in place to extend the course to eighteen holes and in 1947 a deal was made with the Irish Tourist Board to purchase the 98 acres of land for £1,125. Ten years later the Club cleared the repayments and the land became theirs. In 1968 Courtown Golf Club did eventually become an eighteen hole par 71 facility, the course being designed by the late great Irish course architect, Eddie Hackett, and with a newly built clubhouse, the new facility was officially opened by the then Minister for Finance, Mr. Charles J. Haughey (who was a regular visitor to Courtown Golf Club). However, within eight years, a new clubhouse had to be built at a different location on the course as it was found that at weekends in the summer, visitors to the beach were using the existing club’s car park for their own use. This

“In 1968 Courtown Golf Club did eventually become an eighteen hole par 71 facility, the course being designed by the late great Irish course architect, Eddie Hackett, and with a newly built clubhouse, the new facility was officially opened by the then Minister for Finance, Mr. Charles J. Haughey ...”

Whenever Courtown is mentioned one immediately thinks of caravan parks, seaside activities and summer holidays. Courtown was always a big attraction, and still is, for many visitors, especially from Dublin, who make use of its facilities during the hot summer months.

Coastal view, Courtown Golf Club


new clubhouse was modified over the years to become the fine building that it is today, overlooking many holes around the course. In 1969 the Club had the luxury of installing an irrigation system to all the greens but it was not fully automatic. This did not happen until 1996 when tee boxes were included. By the mid 1970’s membership at Courtown was around 450, and by 1990 it reached 1200 members. Patrick Ryan from Killarney was employed to advise on the greens. He was replaced by Jim Arthur, the well known English agronomist. Today Eddie Connaughton advises on agronomical matters and was instrumental in redesigning and reconstructing some of the holes, along with a very strong and dedicated committee. These hole changes will be mentioned later.

Course SuperintendentThe Course Superintendent at Courtown is James Timmins, a former Toro Student of the Year winner. James has been working in Courtown for over thirty three years since he was a teenager. When he started work back in 1978, his father Seamus was then the Head Greenkeeper. James learned the tricks of the trade from his father, which puts him in the unique position of aquiring and appreciating the traditional skills of greenkeeping, while

at the same time keeping his eye firmly on future trends. Seamus Timmins retired in 1993 and it was then that James succeeded is father in the top job, and has held the post ever since. Seamus remained working part time in Courtown until his sad passing in March 2008. James is very fortunate to have five loyal and dedicated greenkeeping staff. Brothers Joe and Jim Connors have almost sixty years service between them at Courtown. In fact when you combine the years service from

all the staff, it comes to over an incredible one hundred and thirty years. Courtown Golf Club must be a nice place to work! James is ably assisted by John Burke who studied greenkeeping at An Grianan in Termonfeckin. He is currently studying greenkeeping at Elmwood College in Scotland and has one more year to complete. At the end of his first year at Elmwood, the R&A awarded John a scholarship which he will use to gain more greenkeeping experience. Peter Travers and Matty Doyle

are the more recent members to have become part of the Courtown greenkeeping staff. Even though they have many years still left to catch up with the Connors brothers, they have settled in quickly and have both contributed to the success of the golf club. James considers Courtown Golf Club to be his second home; in fact, for many years it was his home, as his father, when he started work at Courtown back in 1975, was given the use of the house adjoining the clubhouse, where James spent most of

James Timmins, Course Superintendent at Courtown Golf Club

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The well concealed maintenance facility

his childhood. It was innevitable then that greenkeeping would be his career. Even though still a relatively young man, James has seen many changes down through the years. One notable change is how the course has matured. “I remember when I could see almost every hole on the golf course. Now, as the trees have matured and with new planting schemes, each hole is secluded from all the others”. Indeed, as I walked around with James, you could loose yourself on every hole. One major development has been the redesign and upgrading of greens and tees. This started back in 1994 and today all the greens are built on USGA specifications. Unusually, the last hole finishes as a par three, but what a tough finishing hole it is, as one has to carry over a vast water feature (one of four out on the course), to be safe. Many a scorecard was ruined on this finishing hole. However, for me, the most impressive hole change is the ninth. The tee box for this used to be located near where the existing eighth green is - a long straight par five hole. It all came about when James was out walking the course with agronomist Eddie Connaughton when he suggested an alternative for this hole. James pointed out an area of woodland beside the teebox to Eddie and asked for his advise on moving the tee box into this woodland. They both saw the potential for improving this dreary congested area of the course and now the ninth hole is considered

to be the signature hole on the course. It is truly magnificant. Behind the eighth green lies a secluded old cemetery which contains the remains of the Earls of Courtown, the family which owned the lands of Courtown Golf Club.

MaintenanceThe land on which the course is built is situated in the heavy Macamore belt. This caused severe drainage problems in the

early years of the club but, with extensive drainage and, more recently, the introduction of intensive sand slitting on the fairways, Courtown Golf Club has now become an all year round playing facility, not like the early days when the course would often be closed due to heavy rain. It is funny how methods and thoughts have changed as time goes by. Back in 1988 a committee member is reported to have said at the time that “Sanding of fairways and drainage do not go together”.

9th hole, considered the signature hole on the course.

The old graveyard behind the 8th green contains the remains of the Earls of Courtown


Machinery Used

• Toro 3250D Triplex Greensmower• Jacobsen Greensking IV Greensmower• John Deere 220B Pedestrian mower x 3• Toro Reelmaster 1000 pedestrian mower• Toro Sidewinder x 2• Toro 6700D Reelmaster • Toro 4000D rough mower x 2• Kubota B1750 20HP compact tractor• Kubota B2710 30 HP compact tractor• Ford 3600 Tractor• Massey Ferguson 240 tractor• Sisis pedestrian scarifier x 2 • Randall fairway topdresser• Kubota RTV 900 utility vehicle• Ultra spreader greens topdresser (spinner)• Ultra high tip trailer• Hardi 200 litre sprayer• Ryan sodcutter• Tanaka strimmer x 2• Toro Procore 648• Stihl leafblower x 2 (backpacks)• Flymo• Sisis fairway slitter• Takeuchi 2.8 tonne mini digger• Wessex leaf collector• Blec ground breaker• Vicon tractor mounted fertiliser spreader• Allen National • John Deere 1200A bunker raker• Greensiron

Some interesting facts:

• ClubmemberMarjorieMcCorduckisthecurrentPresidentoftheILGU.

• Wellknownrugbybroadcaster,GeorgeHookisamemberalongwithformerIrelandrugbyfull-backRodneyO’Donnell.

• FormerLeedsUnitedandRepublicofIrelandgreat,JohnnyGiles,wasamemberformanyyears.

• Anothersoccerlegend,ShayBrennanofManchesterUnited,diedwhileplayingonthecourseinJune2000.Hewasthefirstmemberofthe1968EuropeanCupwinningsidetodie,thesecondbeingGeorgeBestinNovember2005.

• Agolfer,playingthefinalhole,hookedhisshotintothecrowdedcarparkandmanagedtohithisowncar.

James mows his greens using a triplex mower but from early October to March he changes this to a pedestrian mower. He likes the finish that a pedestrian mower gives to the greens. Granular fertiliser is applied to the greens in mid April and again in July. The rest of the time James uses liquid feeds. Light sanding of greens is carried out regularly throughout the growing season. In Spring and Autumn, the fairways are sanded, applying up to 800 tonnes with each application. Greens are hydrojeted every 3 – 4 weeks from June to August. As Courtown Golf Club has matured it has become an excellent wildlife habitat. Wildlife is encouraged on the course, so much so, that pheasant feeders have been located around different parts of the course and some out of play areas are left to grow wild in order to encourage insects and wild flowers. Grey squirrels can be seen scurring around beneath trees but unusually, with grey squirrells present, there are also some red squirrells habiting the course. Hares, rabbits, badgers and foxes can also be seen.

Left to right: John Burke, Mathew Doyle, Joe Connors, Peter Travers (kneeling), Jim Connors, James Timmins, Paul Timmins

Above: One of the Pheasant feeders placed around the course

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Dymanic Denis Victorious at Lee Valley Golf and Country ClubDenis O’Sullivan of Fota Golf Club had a great win at our May outing to Lee Valley Golf and Country Club, which is situated in the heart of Cork’s beautiful Lee Valley. ‘Dynamic’ Denis returned a superb score of forty points beating his nearest rival, Simon O’Hara (also from Fota) who finished two points further back on a very creditable thirty eight points. Denis handled the course rather well and, being a former scratch handicap pitch and putt player, left us in no doubt as to his expertise in the short game and gave an excellent exhibition of chipping and putting. Although the weather was beautiful and sunny, along with a well set up course, it was the fast greens and very strong winds that kept most of the scores on the low side. As always, our sincere thanks go to Gerry and the entire Keohane Family for the use of their superb facilities. To Peg Keohane for the delicious food served up after the competition, it was top class as per usual! Go raibh míle maith agat a Pheig. I must not forget Dolores in the restaurant for her courtesy, politeness and attention to detail, I say “ Many Thanks indeed”. Last but not least, great credit must go to Course Superintendent James Mulcahy, his Assistant Denis Sheahan and their excellent staff for the pristine condition of the course which is now the norm at Lee Valley. Well done to everyone involved. A great day was had by one and all!

RESULTS - Outing to Lee Valley Golf & Country Club, Thurs 12 May 2011

1st. Denis O’Sullivan Fota G.C. 14h’cap. 40pts.2nd. Simon O’Hara Fota G.C. 6h’cap. 38pts.3rd. Sean Moynihan Killarney G./F. C. 12h’cap. 34pts.

Category 11st Daniel Crowley Fota G.C. Scratch 30pts.

Category 21st. Mark Dowling Charleville G.C. 16h’cap. 30pts.2nd. Enda Murphy Killarney G/F.C. 11h’cap 28pts.

Category 31st. Denis McCarthy Tipperary G./C.C. 25h’cap. 25pts.

Trade1st. Conor Egan Spraychem Golf 23h’cap. 30pts.2nd. Denis Collins Goldcrop Ltd. 18h’cap. 30pts.

Guest PrizeDenis Sheahan Lee Valley G.C.

Long trip well worthwhile for J.J.The long journey from Tralee was well worth while for Course Superintendent J.J. Young (pictured right) when he won at our July outing to East Cork’s Castlemartyr Golf Resort. J.J. was in fine form scoring an excellent thirty eight points in what can only be described as a blustery, damp and typicaly Irish July afternoon. He pipped ‘Famous Seamus’ Lyons of Charleville, who also had thirty eight points by having a better back nine. Castlemartyr’s own Trevor Norris finished one point further back on thirty seven points. The day started with a torrential downpour and it did not look too promising for a day on the golf course, but those who braved the elements were duly rewarded as the rain practically disappeared when we reached Castlemartyr. We were informed later that a few of the fine weather golfers did turn back before reaching the course. They definitely were not as optimistic as the more seasoned of us were. We would like to thank the management of the Castlemartyr complex for the use of the excellent facilities. The course was in pristine condition and entire credit must go to Course Superintendent Trevor Norris who has nurtured it meticulously since it’s inception. It is unique in the fact that it can only be described as a links type parkland course and it is a credit to Trevor for keeping it that way. A special word of thanks must go to Róisín, in the hospitality department, for the way she left no stone unturned and left nothing to chance in making sure that our trip would be a memorable one. She definitely succeeded in doing so. It was our first outing to Castlemartyr and it certainly will not be our last!

Gerry Keohane (back left), Michael F. O’Connor (back centre) pictured with the prize winners at the Lee Valley outing.

Michael F. O’Connor makes a presentation to Trevor Norris Course Superintendent at Castlemartyr as a token of our visit.

RESULTS - Outing to Castlemartyr Golf Resort on Wednesday 6th July 2011

Overall1st. J.J. Young Tralee G.C. 19h’cap. 38pts.2nd. Seamus Lyons Charleville G.C. 17h’cap. 38pts.3rd. Trevor Norris Castlemartyr GR 7h’cap. 37pts.

Category 11st. Finbarr O’Mahony Kanturk G.C. 6h’cap. 37pts.

Category 21st. Philip McGillicuddy Dooks G.C. 13h’cap. 36pts.2nd. Tommy Barrett Charleville.C. 13h’cap 36pts.

Category 31st. Colman Fitzpatrick Kanturk G.C. 19h’cap. 37pts.

Trade1st. Denis Collins Goldcrop Ltd. 18h’cap. 33pts.2nd. Giles McDonagh Tacit 18h’cap. 31pts.

Guest Prize1st. Philip O’Sullivan Tralee G.C. 10h’cap. 36pts.

Annual General MeetingThe A.G.M. of South West Region was held at Castlemartyr Golf Resort in conjunction with our July outing. A special tribute was paid to our all important sponsors on whom we rely for the ongoing success of our outings and get togethers. Again we thank them most sincerely! The Officers and Committee elected for the coming year were as follows:

Chairman: Michael F. O’Connor Killarney 087 1276764Vice Chairman: Finbarr O’Mahony Kanturk 0877728720

Treasurer: Michael F. O’ConnorAsst. Treasurer: Dermy Jones Raffeen Creek 087 2745953

Committee: Simon O’Hara Fota 087 7777467 Seamus Lyons Charleville 086 1902897

Southwest Report by Michael F O’Connor, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club

JJ Young was the overall winner at Castlemartyr


Southwest Report by Michael F O’Connor, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club

Irish Open even more successful than 2010Even with less prize money than last year, the Discover Ireland Irish Open was an outstanding success. The attendance was well up on 2010 and this did not include the large numbers who turned out to see the Pro-Am on the previous Wednesday which totalled more than ten thousand people. Overall the attendance for the week was approximately one hundred thousand spectators. Though it was overcast for a lot of the week, the galleries thoroughly enjoyed themselves and took full advantage of the large variety of fringe events, including the fabulous Killarney Summerfest which was in full swing for the entire week. In the Open proper, the Irish Major Winners did not perform anywhere near their potential, but all in all there was superb golf played throughout the tournament . On the final day it was a neck and neck battle between Simon Dyson of England and Richard Green of Australia with both of them playing the final hole standing at fifteen under par. At this stage everybody thought we were heading for a playoff but it was not to be! Dyson hit an excellent second shot to the eighteenth green, which left him with a birdie chance, while Green hit his shot well left of the flag, leaving him with a sixty foot putt for birdie.

Instead of trying to get as close as possible to make sure of his par, Green charged at the hole and left himself a nine foot putt for par. Dyson just missed his birdie and Green followed by missing his par and therefore practically giving a present of the Irish Open to Dyson, who finished on fifteen under par to Green’s fourteen under. Well done to Simon Dyson for his coolness of head and superb golf, in the end a deserving victor!Will it be three Opens in row for the Killeen course? Number three would be a

jewel in the crown after two fabulous years!Here’s to another superb year!

CongratulationsCongratulations to David MacIndoe and his dedicated staff for the outstanding job they did in presenting Killarney’s Killeen course to the highest possible standards and making it a joy for the top professionals to play on. A lot of hard work and long hours went into the preparation and all their input paid off in the end. A fabulous job by all concerned!

Some of the crowd on the 18th on Day 2 of The Irish Open

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Southeast Report by Mark Murphy, Tullamore Golf Club

As we enter the busy Autumn period the words ‘hollow coring’ starts to be mentioned

again and questions asked such as ‘Why, when the greens are so good, do you have to destroy them?’ Hopefully we can all get the weather this Autumn to get our aeration work done successfully and to prolong the golfing season.

On the 19th May we played the excellently prepared Craddockstown golf club. The lovely weather and a good turnout made for a very enjoyable afternoon, despite the Queen’s visit delaying some people for up to two hours. Tony Quinn was the winner on the day.Many thanks to Tom Carew and his staff for the condition of the course on the day and to Craddockstown for the courtesy of their course.

Craddockstown Results

OverallWinner: Tony Quinn2nd: Roy ButlerClass 1Winner: David Behan2nd: Padraic ClincheClass 2Winner: Rory Sweeney2nd: Tom CarewClass 3Winner: Billy O’Connor2nd: Kevin CurtisTrade Winner: David Casburn

We are now actively seeking courses to play our outings for the 2011/2012 season, so if anyone can offer their course we would be grateful.

Sponsors 2011Many thanks to all our sponsors for 2011. We appreciate your support.

• Martyns Turfgrass• Dar Golf Construction• Harris Turf Improvements• Irish Turfcare• JFB Golf Course Supplies• Amenity Turf Supplies• Goldcrop Ltd

We will have a full report on our Druid’s Glen outing and our Presidents cup team in the next edition.

Happy hollow coring!

Left: Tom Carew, Tommy Cowser and David Behan Back: David Casburn, Pat ConwayFront: Ned and Frank Browne

Some of the prize winners at the Craddockstown outing


F.E.G.G.A. REPORT By Dean Cleaver CEO

During the past 15 years we have done significant work in this area, and there is no doubt that both greenkeepers

and industry have benefited greatly from this work. It’s nice therefore that our own Chairman, Stig Persson has been recognised through the presentation of the Environmental Innovation Awards from the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) and their partner UPS for demonstrating outstanding commitment and leadership, in very different ways, in the promotion and delivery of environmental and social responsibility across the golf industry. For over 20 years, Stig has been the golf course and general manager of Ljunghusens Golf Club, situated on the beautiful Falsterbo peninsula in southern Sweden. He is recognized and respected by his international peers as a strong advocate for sustainable golf facility management. Determined to lead by example, he has initiated a deep and diverse range of practical environmental and community based projects at the club and around the local area. From ecological conservation of habitats and species, to energy and water resource efficiency, to the transition to renewable energy, and across community collaboration and environmental education, Stig has embraced both the unique responsibilities and opportunities that golf course and club managers have towards people and the planet. Stig has also been very active in representing FEGGA on the European Golf Associations Golf Course Committee (EGA GCC). The purpose of the Committee is to present a single European voice to the EU, representing the game of golf, on environmental matters in order to build relationships with appropriate contacts in Brussels. The Committee will anticipate and recommend compliance with EU legislation which may affect golf courses in Europe; communicate when necessary and report on such legislation to relevant organisations (notably the national associations who are members of

the European organisations represented on the Committee) to raise awareness and to encourage them to act at I national level. The Committee is comprised of a Chairman proposed by the EGA Executive Committee, with member representatives from the EGA, the European Golf Course Owners Association, the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, the Federation of European Golf Greenkeeper Associations, the PGA European Tour, the Professional Golf Associations of Europe, The Club Managers Association of Europe, and The R&A Golf Course Committee. It’s rewarding to see this work starting to have some positive effects, with the Committee recently making a Presentation at the Greenweek, an EU

event that is held annually. Looking ahead the Committee will also showcase golf at their exhibition next year. Golf is also for the first time successfully building relationships with many MEP’s, and for the first time, being taken seriously for its commitment and responsibility for its environmental management. You can find more information about this work by visiting the FEGGA website at www.fegga.org R&A new WebsiteWhile on a similar subject, you may have recently seen that the R&A have recently launched its new website. The new R&A website is targeted at decision makers in golf

facilities, with the executive power to initiate and drive change, this new site focuses on the sustainable management and development of golf courses. “The launch of the new The Golf Course website is a natural evolution of The R&A’s continuing commitment to improving the sustainability of the game’s playing environment” Said Peter Dawson, The R&A’s Chief Executive. “As golf ’s environmental credentials come under ever-increasing legislative scrutiny, The R&A remains dedicated to providing front-line support and guidance to assist golf courses to meet these challenges.” With guidance on sustainable practices, and a database of international case studies, features and news bulletins, the website will provide decision makers at golf facilities with practical help, so that they can realise the benefits of adopting the principles of sustainable management. Golf ’s intimate relationship with its environment requires courses around the world to build resilience into their future operations. The new website encourages a four-fold process of developing and maintaining high standards of playing performance, building financial security, protecting and enhancing natural ecosystems and promoting the game’s environmental benefits to wider, non-golfing audiences. For more about how golf courses can become more profitable, for the business, the environment and the community, and to find out how The R&A employs environmental best practice at The Open each year, please visit www.randa.org/thegolfcourse

Finally, there has been another great positive for Irish golf with Darren Clarke winning the Open Championship at Royal St Georges. Following on from Rory’s success this has to have a major boost for golf in Ireland, and hopefully go some way in helping to restore the whole golf business in Ireland.

FEGGA and the EnvironmentThe Environment part of Golf Course management has always been a very significant part of FEGGA’s work, in fact it was one of the main foundations for FEGGA being formed.

Stig Persson (centre) pictured with Christine Owens, Senior Vice President, Communications and Brand Management of UPS (left) and Bjorn Nordberg, Chairman of GEO’s Advisory Council.

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GreensideNortheast Report by David Callanan, Beech Park Golf Club

he summer seems to be flying by and let’s hope it’s been good to all our members. Over

the past few months we have played some top golf courses in the region with many thanks going to the Course Superintendents for facilitating us on the day.

Shamie Kelly Trophy Congratulations to Alan McArdle on winning the Shamie Kelly Trophy at Newlands Golf Club last May. It was a real effort as he had to dodge the thunderstorms on his way to claiming the title.

Roganstown OutingRoganstown played host to the North East Region on June 23rd and all who played had nothing but positive feedback to our committee members on the day. Roganstown Results Overall John EganTrade Frank ByrneCategory 1 Jason WhelanCategory 2 Val SheridanCategory 3 Stephen Kelly

Again many thanks to Colm McGuiness and all his staff for their efforts on the day.

Killeen Castle outingKilleen Castle, venue for The 2011 Solheim Cup, invited the region out to their facility on July 5th and, from all reports back, it was our number one supported outing for quite a while. Many took the opportunity to get their photo taken with the Solheim Cup. Killeen Castle ResultsOverall Alan McArdleTrade Frank ByrneCategory 1 Robert BolgerCategory 2 Ronan CareyCategory 3 Stephen Kelly

Volunteers for SolheimMark Collins and his team presented the course in excellent condition on the day for which we greatly appreciate their efforts. On the back of our outing Mark is hoping to secure some volunteer help for The Solheim Cup (September 17th-25th) so, if you are available to lend a hand, feel free to contact Mark directly on 086-2342202 or by email to [email protected]

Our Presidents Cup team was also finalised after the Killeen Castle outing - see page opposite.

David Timlin, Kevin Naughton and Stephen Kelly at the Killeen Castle outing

Prize winners from the Shamie Kelly Trophy at Newlands Golf Club. The winner was Alan McArdle seated front.

Alan McArdle, Alan Smith and David Doyle at the Shamie Kelly Trophy in Newlands Golf Club


Northeast Report by David Callanan, Beech Park Golf Club

Damian McLaverty, Mark Collins, John Eagan with The Solheim Cup

Dani Thuillier and Peter Drennan (Reeltech) handing out refreshments on the first tee at Killeen Castle

Eddie Connaughton plays his second shot into the 10th at Killeen Castle

There was a large attendance at the Killeen Castle outing where The Solheim Cup was proudly displayed

Presidents Cup TeamCategory 1 Alan McArdle and Robert BolgerCategory 2 Ronan Carey and Ollie EnglishCategory 3 Stephen Kelly and Kenneth Boyle

Two outings will be reported on in the next issue of Greenside - the Pitch and Putt at Good Council on August 19th kindly sponsored by Dave Whelan, and the Autumn Trophy on September 1st in Beechpark Sponsored by Bayer. There will be a guided tour of the Aviva Stadium on September 14th. Places will be limited for this.

SponsorsThe North East Committee would again like to thank our sponsors for their generous support for the year.

• Campey Turfcare Systems Ltd• Dublin Grass Machinery• JFB Golf Supplies Ltd • Lely Ireland Ltd• Martyns Grass Lawns Ltd• Reel-Tech • Spraychem Golf Ltd• Sea-Nymph• Harris Turf Improvements• Cropcare• TurfCare Group• Dar Golf Construction• Tacit (Giles McDonagh)• Bayer• Anthony D’Arcy Sands• Amenity Turf Supplies• Dave Whelan

Great turnout at Tuam

Whilst, to date, this summer has been nothing to write home about in terms of the weather, two Irish winners from

the first three majors of the year gives us ample reason to forget about the weather, for a little while at least. Rory Mcilroy’s triumph and the manner in which he conquered the field was in more ways than one, like a story straight out of Hollywood. Of course the celebrations from that were only just beginning to fade when another Irish star in the shape of Darren Clarke blessed us with success in The Open Championship for the third time in just five years. This can only prove lucrative for golf in Ireland, which hopefully the northwest region can benefit from as much as others. Well done to both players.

First Outing Of 2011 – TuamTuam was the venue for the first outing of the northwest region. We were blessed with amazing weather, which in turn led to a great turnout. Like the weather, the course was in fantastic condition and it was a pleasure to play on. Great credit, therefore, must be given to Tom McHugh and his team for producing such great playing conditions and even organising the good weather for us. The competition on the day was keenly contested and the results were as follows:

RESULTS

1st Place: Joe Diskin 2nd Place: Johnny Mannion3rd Place: Jimmy McHughTrade Prize: James D`ArcyVisitors Prize: Freddie Herr

Upcoming OutingsThe next scheduled outing for the northwest region will be held in Balinrobe Golf Club in September. This outing will be held as Aled Roberts’ captains prize, and will also double as a qualifier for the Presidents Cup 2011. This will be the only chance to qualify for the Presidents Cup. Two more outings are scheduled for 2011 and will take place dependant on the weather. The first of these are due to be held in Belmullet Golf Club towards the end of October. Our last outing before Christmas is due to take place at Strandhill in November. A text message will be sent out to all members prior to all these outings giving precise dates and tee times.

Presidents Cup - 2011The Presidents Cup will this year be held in the first week of October. As there is only one qualifying event it is very important that all interested players try to make it to Balinrobe in September. Having finished in second place last year in Dromoland Castle to the Southeast Region, we would be hoping to go one better this year and bring the Presidents Cup across the Shannon!

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Northwest Report by Damien Coleman, Galway Bay Golf Resort

Sponsors and Trade MembersI would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have sponsored the Northwest Region in the past for your loyalty and generosity and hope it continues into the future. For those of you who are being asked for the first time or for those who have not yet done so, we hope you can support the GCSAI Northwest Region by becoming a sponsor.

Left: Joe Diskin, winner at Tuam with Damien Coleman

Tommy Cusack and Michael Corbett at the Tuam outing

John McGrath and John Joyce at the Tuam outing


Northwest Report by Damien Coleman, Galway Bay Golf Resort

Some of the large gathering at the outing in Tuam Golf Club

The Curragh For Training & Racing

F e a t u r e a n d P h o t o g r a p h y b y A l a n M a h o n

The first ever Irish Derby took place in 1866 on the Curragh and since then the majority

of the most prestigious flat races in the Irish racing calendar take place there. In 1865 a commission was set up by the Houses of Parliament to examine the Curragh, and the resultant 1868 Curragh of Kildare Act settled the right of common pasture, and preserved the use of the Curragh for the purpose of horse racing and training. The total area of the Curragh was defined as 4870 acres (which includes two golf courses - The Curragh Golf Club and Cil Dara Golf Club) and the management of the Curragh was vested in the office of a ranger. The 1870 Curragh of Kildare Act dealt with grazing rights and specified that only sheep could be grazed on the Curragh. Following the treaty of 1921, the lands passed from the British Crown to the Minister for Finance, and later to the Minister of Defence, which remains in place today. The Curragh of Kildare Act of 1961 repealed the 1868 Act and parts of the

1870 Act, and allowed for the enclosure of parts of the Curragh, and the attendant extinguishment of sheep grazing rights. This effectively meant that 800 acres of the Curragh, which is used for training and racing horses, was fenced off to keep grazing sheep out. There are two sections that make up the Curragh horse grounds - the training ground and the race track, each one managed separately by one person. Pat Kelly is in charge of the training gallops while Pat Webb is responsible for the race-tracks. Paul Hensey is the overall General Manager responsible for both sections. Both the training grounds and race-track are maintained completely differently from

each other so I will write about them each separately.

Training GroundsThe Curragh Training Grounds have enjoyed fantastic success, justifying the substantial investment to upgrade the facilities in the past couple of years. Sea The Stars is probably the most famous horse trained on the Curragh. It is best known for winning the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the Priz de l’Arc de Triomphe amongst

others. This horse is regarded by many as one of the greatest European racehorses of all time. Other Group 1 winners that trained on the Curragh include Alandi, Kingsfort, Termagant and Casual Conquest. Vintage Crop, trained on the Curragh before winning the Melbourne Cup in 1993, was the first European horse to do so. As mentioned earlier, Pat Kelly is in charge of the training grounds and has been working at the Curragh since 1998. Pat’s previous life was that of a jockey so he knows exactly what the jockey’s and trainer’s needs are. This is a big advantage. In the last five years virtually every gallop on the Curragh has undergone a successful

There are stories told that the very first race that took place on the Curragh was around the 1700’s. The word “Curragh” means ‘place of the running horse’. As early as the third century there was chariot racing on the Curragh. The Irish Turf Club was founded in the coffee rooms in Kildare and it was soon established as the governing body for horse racing throughout Ireland.

F e a t u r e a n d P h o t o g r a p h y b y A l a n M a h o n

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upgrade. There are sand gallops; sand and fibre gallops; numerous woodchip gallops; a polytrack gallop; an all-weather schooling strip; together with about 60 miles of grass gallops - quite a lot for Pat Kelly and his team to maintain. One notable difference in maintaining golf courses, to that of looking after the gallops, is the work ethos associated with each. Golf courses are maintained with presentation in mind, whereas the training ground’s top priority is horse safety. As you can imagine, with so many horses training each morning,

the divots that they leave behind will create hollows on the track surface, no matter what track they are galloping on. These hollowss have the potential to cause serious damage to the horse if left unrepaired, a broken

leg would render a horse being put down, proving very expensive for the owner. This puts a huge responsibility on Pat Kelly’s shoulders. To provide a safe training facility Pat has a crew of eleven, including his assistant Richard Brophy, whom Pat relies on so much and appreciates. Maintaining the all weather gallops is done with three tractor operators. The first operator comes along and chain harrows the surface, which is immediately

followed by another tractor operator pulling three solid rollers. If the weather is warm and dry, a third tractor driver will follow behind using a slurry tanker to irrigate the rolled surface. This is painstakingly done every hour. Each gallop is approximately one to one and a half miles long (8 - 10 furlongs). There are some days during the winter months when Pat and his crew have to operate on a twenty-four hour shift. This occurs when there is danger of heavy frost.

Pat Kelly, Michael Kane, Tom Brockall and John Dillon. Inset: Richard Brophy (Pat Kelly’s Assistant)

Pat Kelly is in charge of the training gallops


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whereas the sand gallops have 12 inches of sand but lie on porous tarmac (tarmac laid down without rolling so that it stays loose and porous to aid drainage). Meanwhile, on the grass surface gallops, Pat has another crew of five staff painstakingly walking behind the ridden on track, filling in divots, as they walk along, with a sand/soil/peat mix containing some grass seed. This is known in the trade as ‘Filling in’. This job takes a full day to do, so it is the only work that these men carry out throughout the growing season – a nice job on a warm sunny day but tough when a cold easterly wind blows across the Curragh plains. Similar to tee markers on a golf course, the 10m wide markers on the grass gallops are moved each day so as to allow the previous days run to recover. The grass track is one and a quarter miles long, and with such a wide expanse of turf, it may be a couple of months before the same grass track is used again, making sure that a complete recovery is made, making it safe for the horses. There is enough area on the grass gallops to provide sixty miles of training. The height of cut on the grass tracks is three inches and is mown every nine days. There are two tractor operators mowing constantly every day in the growing season using 3m wide mowers. During the winter months the grass is left to grow to six inches when the sward provides a soft cushion effect to protect the horses from possible frost conditions underneath. The grass species on the training track is a mixture of sheep fescue and bentgrass. The land under grass has not been cultivated for hundreds of years, and no fertiliser has been applied in the same period. Out on the open grass plains of the Curragh lies a peat track, a strip of grass around 10m wide. This is topdressed each year with peat, and has been for the past two hundred years. You can easily notice the difference in texture on this track compared to the normal grass tracks running each side. The peat track is much softer underfoot.

The schooling track is12m wide and 2.5 furlongs long and has a polytrack surface. This is a very expensive mix containing sand, fibre and wax. It is the wax that prevents the surface from freezing. Within the schooling ground are fences which jockeys use to train for hurdle racing. Like golf clubs, there is an annual membership fee. There are approximately 900 members using the facilities (three or four years ago this was as high as 1400 members but the recession has affected the turf-club industry as well). A member can use the gallops any

The all weather gallops cannot be allowed to freeze over so the surfaces have to be rotovated (depending on the type of surface) and then chain harrowed and rolled, as described above, each hour throughout the night. “This normally happens a few nights each month but last winter we were on a constant twenty four hour shift for well over a month due to the heavy snow and frost we experienced then. It put us to the test but we managed to keep the gallops safe and free of frost” recalls Pat. The all weather gallops have been drained recently and are built approximately 12 inches above ground level. This makes them usable even after the heaviest of downpours that Ireland has experienced lately. The drains have a life expectancy of about twenty years, while the material in each of the gallops lasts for about eleven years before it needs to be replaced. The woodchip gallop has12 inches of woodchip and lies over a bed of terram (often used in bunker lining)

First pass: The training gallops are chain harrowed

Second pass: Rolling then takes place

Third pass: When necessary, the surface is then watered

Pat Kelly, Ger O’Shea, Christy Barratt

The Schooling track

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Feature

time up to 1.00pm each day whereas visitors will need to book in advance. There is no rest for Pat Kelly and his team as life on the training ground goes on for 365 days a year – even Christmas Day, as many trainers are out preparing for one of the big race meetings of the year - The Leopardstown Races on St. Stephens Day. Pat is in constant communication with the top trainers and jockeys in Ireland, giving them daily updates of the track conditions and reassuring them that all is well.

Race TrackAnother Pat, Pat Webb, is in charge of the racing track. Though not covering as big an area as the training ground, the responsibility Pat carries is just as important. The

racing season lasts between March and November of which there are approximately eighteen to twenty meetings in the Curragh each year. The main one is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (formerly known as the Budweisser Irish Derby). This only leaves a window of two to three weeks to prepare the two tracks (Plate track and Derby track) for the next meeting, making sure, like the training ground, that the race track is in as

safe a condition as possible. But Pat has also to make sure that the race-track is presented well for the punters and TV viewers. Pat Webb, unlike Pat Kelly, comes from a greenkeeping background and worked in The K Club under Tom Brooks and Gerry Byrne between 1994 and 1999. He decided to take a side step career move in 1999 to work as Manager of the race-tracks and has been there ever since. He has six full time and eight part time staff working for him. These include two painters, one carpenter, one mechanic, two groundstaff and eight part time groundstaff. Pat’s responsibility not only includes the two race-tracks, but he is also responsible for the grandstand building,

parade rings and stables, which is the reason why he includes full time painters and a carpenter as part of his crew. All building maintenance is done in-house. It may appear obvious but the painters need to finish their work three days before a race meeting to allow the paint to be completely dry. What a shame if, especially on Ladies Day, paint was to stick to the lovely suits and dresses! Pat and his staff help out on the day of race meetings doing many jobs such as bringing out the starting gates; making sure the running rails are straight; cleaning/preparing the stables; watering the flower beds and hanging baskets, and mowing the parade rings to name but a few.

The parade ring

Rain water is collected and stored in a reservoir

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The grass on the race-tracks are mown twice per week and is comprised mainly of ryegrass. There is a distance of fifty miles to be mowed each time, which means a lot of travelling for the finishing mower. The finishing mower collects, mows and stripes the grass as it passes over it. The tracks are fertilised regularly (based on soil results which are tested every second year). Each year the race-tracks are sprayed against weeds, particularly clover, as this plant can cause the horses to slip. In times of dry weather, the race-tracks are irrigated using tow-lines. These are comprised of 9m long pipes joined together to make 220 yards, (which is the length of one furlong). All the water used to irrigate the tracks is collected from the roof of the grandstand, pumped and stored in a reservoir out on the training ground.

I never realized before how different it is to look after turf on a surface that is used differently from that of turf on a golf course. So, the next time you see horses racing on TV, just think of the two Pats and the work they and their staff do to prepare for ‘Day at the Races’.

Back, left to right: Ronan O’Shea, Kieran Melia, Jimmy Grimmes, Gareth Pumer, Pat Webb.Front, left to right: Barry Murphy and Jim Riordan

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News

The Real Golden GirlIn 1965, having outlived her child and grandchild, 90 year-old Jeanne Calment made a deal with a 47- year old lawyer: he would pay her a

handsome monthly allowance for the remainder of her life, and her apartment would become his when she died. Decades later, Jeanne attended the lawyer’s funeral and, by the time she died, his estate had paid her twice what the apartment was worth: for, at 122 years and 164 days, Jeanne had become the oldest (fully documented) person who ever lived. She ascribed her longevity and relatively youthful

appearance to olive oil, poured on her food and rubbed on her skin, a frequent tipple of port, and almost a kilo of chocolate a week.

Recent Labour Court Decision and its Impact on GCSAI Members

Over the last number of years I have received many queries from GCSAI members on whether or not an employer can deduct their wages without their written permission.

I have explained in previous articles how and when this is permissible. However, this continues to be the most common

question that I review on a monthly basis. In light of this, I have decided to again set out the situation regarding deduction in pay, or reduction in working hours, resulting in loss of earnings briefly below.

The Payment of Wages Act, 1991 provides that an employer is not entitled to reduce the wages of an employee without the prior agreement of that employee or unless it is expressly provided for in the contract of employment.

What if the Employee does not agree to reduction?While there are a number of routes an employee could take if an employer implements a reduction in working hours unilaterally, the most common redress is a claim for an unlawful deduction of wages under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991,

An employee may be awarded compensation by a Rights Commissioner if he/she successfully brings a claim in respect of the reduction of wages under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991. While the Rights Commissioner will hear such a claim, he/she is likely to consider all sides and if he/she feels that the action is necessary to retain jobs, he/she may recommend acceptance of pay cuts or pay freeze. In a non related case, but perhaps worth noting, as it is relevant to GCSAI members, the following case was taken by GCSAI members against their employers...

In a binding recommendation, the Labour Court has rejected a union claim for national agreement pay increases due at Kilkenny Golf Club, upholding an assessor’s findings on ‘inability to pay’.

SIPTU had sought a 3.5% increase effective from November 1, 2008, and an additional 2.5% increase effective from April 1, 2009. In January 2009 management had informed workers that it was not in a position to pay any increases and would be implementing a pay freeze, due to a downturn in revenue. The union disputed management’s claims over the financial position of the club. The company’s plea of ‘inability to pay’ was subsequently upheld by the assessor. However, the union claimed the assessor came to the wrong conclusion and disputed his findings. At the Labour Court hearing, the union argued that the golf club could not claim inability to pay, as there was a surplus of money available to apply the increases. According to the union, the total cost of the claim was less than €9,000 annually. Management told the Court that due to a decline in revenue, “strict control must be maintained on all expenditure”, in order to ensure the club’s financial viability and secure employment. Management also argued that the current remunerative package for the workers concerned is competitive and is enhanced by a number of job benefits. This was noted by the assessor in his report.

The Court found: “In circumstances where a plea of inability to pay is upheld in an independent assessment the onus is on the party disputing the accuracy of the findings to fully make out their case.”

“On the information before the Court there is nothing which could undermine the findings of the assessor. Accordingly there is no basis upon which the Court could recommend concession of the Union’s claim.” (LCR20087 - Kevin Duffy, chairman)

Full determination is available on www.labourcourt.ie

Fiona Brown Johnson runs Profile Training and Development providing HR and Employment Legislation training and support to small and medium size organisations. Fiona can be contacted through the Members Free HR helpline on 086-8551369 and [email protected]

B y F i o n a B r o w n J o h n s o n


News

Norway’s Suzann Pettersen earned a six stroke victory with a stunning final round of 64 at the Ladies Irish Open supported by Fáilte Ireland. The world no.3 scored rounds of 71, 63 and 64 to finish at 18 under par for the tournament ahead of Spain’s Azahara Munoz.

With her course record 63 on Saturday and eight under par round on Sunday, Pettersen blitzed

the rest of the field with a score of 17 under par. It was her second Irish Open victory after a five-stroke win at Portmarnock Links in 2008. Having tied for 23rd at Killeen Castle in 2010, she was delighted to have shown her class on The 2011 Solheim Cup course. “I just really like the way this course is playing, a little bit firmer. I played great with my putter and it was really nice and hot.” Said Pettersen. The 30-year-old from Oslo had started the final day tied for the lead with Dewi Claire Schreefel from the Netherlands, who slipped back into a share of 16th with a 77. Pettersen holed a tricky fast, downhill putt from 12 feet for birdie on the par-four 11th and then rolled in a 20-footer on the par-four 13th to get to 16 under, three clear of England’s

Melissa Reid. Reid’s challenge ended with a double bogey on the par-five 15th, which Pettersen then birdied, before holing another 20-footer for birdie on the par-three 16th. Had Pettersen holed from inside 10 feet on the 18th she could have tied her own course record, but she finished with a par in front of a packed gallery, collecting her 12th worldwide career victory and a €60,000 first prize. “I didn’t think I had to go 17 under but I tried to take my own, I think it was a course record yesterday and on the last there I tried to at least give myself a chance to tie it,” Pettersen said. “This is my second win in the Irish Open. Last year I was very disappointed with the way I performed so it was nice to come back and perform to my standard. “I definitely like what I see right now. It won’t be long before we come back. It just shows that

there’s going to be a lot of birdies made out there in The Solheim. I think it will be a great match overall.” Pettersen is guaranteed a place in Europe’s Solheim Cup squad next month,

either from the Ladies European Tour points’ list or from the Rolex World Rankings, Irish-born American Alison Walshe, who shared the first round lead, finished tied for third with Reid on 11 under par, but would have claimed second but for a double bogey on 17. Stacey Lewis finished best of the American Solheim contingents on four under while crowd favourite Christina Kim had a disappointing end to her tournament with a final round 77 to finish on two over. Amateur stars, the Maguire twins, finished best of the Irish, with Leona on one over and Lisa

one shot further back on two over, giving the sisters a top 50 finish. Leona’s round of 72 included a hole in one on the par three sixth using a six-iron. Ireland’s only other player to make the cut, Martina Gillen, was unfortunately disqualified for an incorrect drop on the par-three 16th.

Pettersen gives a Master Class at Killeen Castle

Photo by Tristan Jones

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GreensideNews

Testing for Sand Depth

American Golf Course Superintendent, Craig DeJong of Hendersonville Country Club uses a home made implement to check for sand depth in his bunkers. “Luke Sweeterman, our Equipment Technician, fabricated us a tool to measure the depth of the sand in all of the bunkers. It was used to show us where we were less than 5” deep. Four bunkers were indentified as needing additional sand. (Greenside bunker on #1, greenside bunker on #6, left greenside bunker #15 and the right greenside bunker at the practice area.) We used a mechanical rake and water to help the sand settle and firm up. It will take a few good rain events for the consistency to equal the other bunkers on the course.”

Cad É Sin - What is it?This old implement was discovered in a farm shed. The farm in question contained a beautiful manicured garden and included a lawn tennis court. We think this tool was used to aerate or decompact the ground but we are not sure. There are two hose pipes feeding into a central piston chamber. The bar that goes into the ground has a point at the end which includes a nozzle. We would like to hear if anyone knows what this is.

Witch WarningNow that Halloween is only a few weeks away, there have been reported sightings of witches around the country. A local authority in a remote part of Ireland is taking the necessary precautions in warning people of the hazards that may lie ahead on this lonely country road. Beware of the witch!

The Syngenta Contact+ fungicide active for turf, Medallion TL, has gained approval for use by turf managers in Ireland. Medallion TL quickly targets disease pathogens on the leaf surface, and has the same effect on Fusarium disease spores in the thatch layer and the soil surface.

Medallion TL is approved for use by golf course superintendents across all areas

of the golf course, as well as professional groundsmen of managed amenity turf - including soccer, rugby, Gaelic football and hurling pitches. It is the additional activity in thatch and soil surface that gives Medallion TL its Contact+ credentials. “The disease threat is ever present in the thatch layer, with spores living on decaying material and roots and waiting for the right conditions to flare up. Medallion TL gives us a powerful new chance to stop that occurring.” Said DR. Simon Watson, Syngenta Technical Manager. In independent trials Medallion TL was still giving over 99.5% disease control when assessed at the end of February, three months after the end of a spray programme through late autumn and early winter - even under very high disease pressure and testing conditions

of prolonged snow cover. On untreated turf in the trial over 25% of the area was affected by Fusarium, with serious implications for playing quality and spring recovery. Medallion TL should be applied at a rate of 3.0 l/ha in a water volume of 125 - 500 l/ha, with up to four applications per year. Medallion TL will be supplied in the unique Syngenta S-pac for easy handling and efficient rinsing and recycling. Colman Warde, is the Ireland Country Manager for Everris (formerly known as Scotts) and distributors of the product.

Key points:

• medallion Tl is a turf fungicide with a bio-inspired mode of action

• Contact+ activity targets disease pathogens in leaf, thatch and soil surface

• Reducing pathogen numbers lowers the risk of disease attack

• Trials have shown highly effective, long-lasting results

For further information on Medallion TL visit the free Syngenta turf management website www.greencast.ie

Syngenta’s Medallion TL approval for Ireland


Trade News

“A very very big thank you to everyone for supporting our Open Day” said Richard Campey. “We have been overwhelmed with the turnout with guests from around the world attending, and interest shown from all sides of our industry.”

Over 300 people attended the 25 year celebration demo day from across the sporting spectrum with representation from a whole host of sports and

educational establishments. Groundsmen and greenkeepers from golf, football, rugby and bowling clubs, private facilities, colleges, universities and local authorities came along to congratulate Campey Turf Care Systems on their achievements over the past 25 years and to view a full range of sports turf maintenance machinery. Despite the vagaries of the British weather the sun shone on demonstrations of a variety of established and new machinery from renowned brands including Vredo, Dakota, Koro by Imants, Raycam and Omarv. These continued throughout the day with only a short break during the seminars and talks given by the STRI, IOG and Premier Pitches Managing Director, Carl Pass and Dave Saltman of Pitchcare. Support for the occasion came from clubs as diverse as Manchester City Football Club, DW Stadium, Port Vale Football Club, Stockport County Football Club, Bolton Old Links Golf

Campey Turf Care Systems Celebrate 25 years in Business

Club, Burnley Council, Chester Golf Club and many more.There were also representatives from UK, Ireland and European suppliers and distributors, consultants and Greenkeeping Federations as well as visitors from USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The generosity of those taking part in the auctions raised over £5000 which will be donated to Cancer Research UK.

Left: John Campey, Stephen Basnett (New Holland), Brian O’Shaughnessy, Geoffrey Scott, Brian Robinson, Lee Morgado, John Condron (Bryson Tractors).

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Trade News

Fertimixer from CropcareCropcare has recently launched their Irish manufactured fertiliser mixer. It has a capacity of 1350 litres and is driven by a petrol engine.

It is very useful for mixing soluble fertilisers, and can be used to mix large quantities of chemicals (e.g. weed killer for fairways). With a mix rate of 600 litres per minute it can mix a large quantity of fertiliser at one time. As well as saving money by making the use of cost effective soluble fertiliser convenient, it allows for specific fertiliser mixes, focused on exact nutrition needs of your golf course to be used. Mixes can be stored overnight in the Fertimixer, rather than leaving them in a sprayer, meaning that they can be agitated well before refilling to sprayer. The fertimixer can be stationary or on a mobile trailer, so the nearest water source can be used to refill the sprayer, saving time travelling back and forth to the workplace.The pump can be detached from the mixer and used to pump out any flooded areas on the course. In these times of tighter budgets with less available labour the fertimixer can be an important tool for any golf course, also where weather and traffic time constraints are a factor.For a demonstration call Cropcare on 01 2874485

Scotts Professional become EverrisIn February 2011, the Scotts Miracle Gro Company sold its Professional Division to the ICL Group. Executives from Scotts Professional and ICL Specialty Fertilizers announced a new name for the global professional business: Everris.™.

Representing the term “Ever Rising”, the name Everris is symbolic of the new company’s commitment to further enhance the technologies, products and services it offers to horticulture, agriculture and turf & amenity professionals worldwide. In addition to its English meaning, the name also represents the French, Italian and Spanish terms for “green”-“vert” and “verde.”

Irish Renovation Day at Belvedere CollegeCampey Turf Care Systems gave an informative Renovation Open day at Belvedere College on 29th March last. The new rugby pitch is quite spectacular and Head Groundsman David Geraghty was absolutely blown away with the change.

“It is the speed at which this pitch has recovered from what can only be called extreme renovation processes, that is so remarkable. Within only three weeks we were cutting the new grass. After five

or six weeks the pitch was in immaculate condition and fully operational again”. Dignam Landscapes kindly supplied five Deutz Fahr tractors with drivers to use for the two days required to carry out the work. The first stage was to remove the surface top layer complete with any poa-annua or organic material, leaving a smooth level surface. Koro-ing has revolutionised the way pitch renovation is carried out and has now become a generic term for this form of removing old, tired sports surfaces. A Koro by Imants 2.5m Top Maker was used in this instance. Top dressing followed, applied using the Dakota 410 and 412 dressers. To incorporate the dressing and aerate the underlying soils, a Koro 1.9m Recycler worked through the soil pan to create a mixture which would drain more effectively and provide an environment to encourage microbial activity which in turn would promote a healthy root zone. To get through the necessary workload in the limited time available an Imants 2.2m model was used to relieve any deep seated compaction. Levelling and amelioration the top into a fine tilth ready for seeding was achieved using a Koro Speed harrow 4100, leaving the surface in an ideal condition to maximise germination. A Vredo 2.5mt Seeder and a Raycam 1.8m Dimple Seeder were used to apply the seed.


Trade News

Toro reveals its Next-generation Greenmowers

Toro will be launching the new Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 and TriFlex Hybrid 3420 greensmowers this September. This is the first such Toro mower to feature an all-electric cylinder drive system.

Many new benefits include Toro’s unique Flex double A-arm suspension system, which ensures the dual precision adjustment (DPA) cutting units fitted as standard float effortlessly across course contours. Keeping the units parallel to the ground, this feature provides consistency and quality of cut.

Even weight distribution across all three wheels, together with redesigned balloon-style tyres, make tyre tracks virtually invisible. A clippings capture system also leaves the course clear of stray clippings for a cleaner cut and healthier turf. Workshop managers and those servicing these mowers will love the ease of serviceability. A unique lift-gate footrest provides easy access to the central cutting unit, so there’s no need to put the traction unit on a lift for routine reel maintenance. The TriFlex 3400 and 3420 units are equipped to do much more than greens mowing. With the quick-change cutting units, it’s possible to cut greens or fairways then switch to spiking or verticutting minutes later – all with no tools required. The 8-, 11- and 14-blade units also allow operators to choose the correct cylinder and matching clip for the job, from a 1/16-inch to 1-inch height of cut. Both mowers are powered by a Kubota 24hp/17.5kw diesel engine. Providing up to 3hp to each reel, the 3420 delivers ample horsepower to handle a full spectrum of cutting applications. A stored energy feature also eliminates clip marks at start-up, plus gives improved braking power and safety when cylinders are disengaged. Moreover, hybrid technology almost eliminates hydraulic leaks. To find out more about the new Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 and TriFlex Hybrid 3420 greensmowers, visit www.toro.com/golf/newgreensmasters. Alternatively, contact your local Toro dealer or call distributor Lely Irl on + 353 87 6820183.

John Deere shows new mowers at IOG SALTEX 2011John Deere’s new walk-behind greens mower and wide area front rotary mower will both be featured on the company’s stand at IOG SALTEX 2011 in September (stand no. T42).

The SL Series PrecisionCut walk-behind greens mowers have been designed for golf courses, tennis courts, cricket squares, bowling greens and other fine turf areas. The mowers feature low noise and vibration levels, a 4hp petrol engine and easy bedknife-to-reel adjustment. The 180SL, 220SL and 260SL replace the previous C Series models, and feature a standard 11 blade, 127mm (5in) diameter reel with true cutting widths of 46, 56 and 66cm (18, 22 and 26in) respectively. The mowers employ a fixed-head version of the patented SpeedLink technology now incorporated on the cutting units of all John Deere PrecisionCut machines. This innovative design allows height of cut adjustments to be made much more quickly and easily, from just one side of the mower. In addition, a new patented front roller bracket makes it equally simple to change the front roller when required.

The latest Series II 1600 Turbo WAM out-front rotary mower features as standard a Stage IIIB (Interim Tier 4) 57hp diesel engine to meet emission standards; a fully adjustable high-backed air suspension seat to improve operator comfort; and run-flat tyres on the castor-action gauge wheels, to reduce downtime and increase productivity. With its 3.25m (128in) overall cutting width and proven mechanical 4WD system, the 1600T WAM offers the ultimate in power, manoeuvrability, traction and operator comfort for large scale commercial mowing contractors, local authorities, golf courses and other public and private institutions. Additional improvements for 2011 include more efficient hydraulics and deck motors, a two-post folding ROPS and Service ADVISOR diagnostics for extra serviceability.

www.gcsai.org 56

Trade News

St Andrews Links Greenkeeping Team visit Barenburg Ballybunion Golf Trial

Grass seed breeder Barenbrug recently accompanied the St Andrews Links greenkeeping team on an exclusive visit to its greens and fairways trial at Ballybunion Golf Club in County Kerry. Research and development manager Jayne Leyland provided the group - led by Gordon Moir, the director of greenkeeping

at the ‘Home of Golf ’ - with a valuable insight into the progress of the company’s second Irish trial. Ballybunion deputy course superintendant Mike Hartney and his team proved welcoming hosts, with Barenbrug’s regional sales manager in Ireland, Neil Pettican, and manager for Scotland, David Greenshields, together with course superintendants from the region, joining the group. Complementing Barenbrug’s groundbreaking golf green differential input trial at Druids Glen Golf Resort in County Wicklow, this second trial at Ballybunion is investigating the performance of 24 current and in-development mixtures and monocultures for greens and fairways under the influence of a links management programme and environment in indigenous sand. Gordon Moir says the visit was of real educational benefit to the team. Ballybunion’s Mike Hartney says the club was delighted to welcome Gordon and his team to view the trials. “We were honoured that the St Andrews Links team were interested to visit the Ballybunion trials. It was a good opportunity for us both to enjoy an open exchange of thoughts, ideas and information - of particular use was comparing their specific goals and interests to ours. It was also very motivating for us in terms of our trials work, knowing that they were coming to inspect and appreciate the plots.”

For further information on Barenbrug’s products and services call +44(0)1359 272000, email [email protected] or visit www.barenbrug.co.uk.

The St Andrews Links greenkeeping team at the golf greens and fairways trial, Ballybunion Golf Club

STRI invites Greenkeepers to the Future of Sportsturf ManagementSTRI Research 2011 is a new event being launched this year by STRI. The event is free, will be held annually and has been designed to give sportsturf managers an opportunity to see, firsthand, the innovative products, machinery and techniques that are being developed that will directly influence the world of sportsturf management over the coming years.

The one day event is being held on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 at STRI’s research facilities in Bingley and will follow the successful format used at research events worldwide, which splits the research focus into separate demo areas, referred to as ‘stations’. The event for 2011 is focusing on turf management for golf courses, with seven separate stations, giving an insight into new products and methodologies for disease and nutritional management, new grass varieties, aeration, overseeding and amendments, rootzone properties and the latest technology and machinery. STRI is currently working with a number of companies on R&D sportsturf projects and has invited a selection of these companies to support the event, based on their focus on current research, and their investment to help improve the future quality and management of sportsturf. The companies attending this year’s event are Bayer, Everris (formerly Scotts), R&K Kensett, Ransomes Jacobsen, Syngenta, Becker Underwood and Sherriff Amenity. “We’re expecting the event to be booked up very quickly and if demand for this type of event exceeds the maximum capacity we will look to hold more events in future years,” said Carolyn Beadsmoore, head of sales and marketing at STRI, “we’re hoping that greenkeepers and course managers will attend from all parts of the UK and Ireland and are offering a heavily discounted rate for B&B at local hotels for those needing to travel.”

Those interested in attending the event should contact the Sales & Marketing Team at STRI by calling 01274 565131 or emailing [email protected]

Kubota (UK) Ltd has added the new GR2120 to its lawn tractor range. Packed with advanced features, the 21hp diesel powered mower features a tough but easy to operate all-wheel-drive hydrostatic transmission ideally suited to the demands of large home and small estate users. A key feature of the GR2120 is the unique Kubota Glide Steer system. Redeveloped for this new model, Glide Steer delivers a combination of manoeuvrability and turf protection. This is achieved by the system disconnecting drive to the inside rear wheel as the front axle approaches its full lock of 70 degrees. The GR2120 is fitted with a high-efficiency 48in (1.22m) triple-rotor deck. Designed to discharge clippings directly into the collector, the deck will cut and collect grass of up to 102mm in height. The deck offers a minimum cut height of just 25mm.

Kubota GR2120 Ride-on Mower The integral 450 litre collector has the capacity to allow long periods between emptying. Optimising this capacity is made easier on the GR2120, thanks to a newly developed electronic ‘collector full’ sensor system alerting the operator only when the full collector capacity has been utilised. Fitted with a gas-strut assisted

discharge system, the collector can be quickly and easily emptied without the operator having to leave the seat. The new mower is a direct replacement for the highly regarded GR2100-II and is available now. Retail price, to include power steering, all-wheel drive, 48in deck, collector and diesel power, is £8,285. For more information about the new GR2120 and the rest of Kubota Tractor and Groundcare’s product range, call + 44 (0)1844 268000, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.kubota.co.uk


Trade News

GCSAI Trade MembersThe GCSAI thank each and every one of our Trade Members for supporting us throughout

these challenging times. Please support them when purchasing goods or services.

Company Name

Advanced Landscape Services

Amenity Turf Supplies

Anthony D’Arcy Ltd

Aquaturf Solutions Ltd

Barenbrug UK Ltd

Bayer Environmental Science

Breslin Brothers Ltd

Campey Turfcare Systems Ltd

Cropcare Ltd

Dar Golf Construction Ltd

Drummonds Ltd

Eddie B. Connaughton Ltd

Emerald Lawns

Enrich Environmental

Everris (Formely Scotts)

Goldcrop Ltd

(Re) Golf Design

Harris Turf Improvements

Horta Soils Ltd

Irish Grass Machinery Ltd

James Coburn & Son Ltd

JFB Golf Supplies Ltd

John Deere Ltd

John Lindsay Professional Sportsturf

Leinster Turf Equipment Ltd

Lely Ireland Ltd

Major Equipment International

Martyns Grass Lawns Ltd

National Agrochemical Distributors Ltd

Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd

Reel-Tech

Sanrose Ltd

SOL Golf Course Construction Ltd.

Spraychem Golf Ltd

Summerhill Instant Lawns

Tacit Golf Course Equipment

TurfCare Group

Unichem Ltd

Whites Agri

Contact

Karl Dooley

Shay Phelan

Patrick Murphy

Stephen Daly

Paul Warner

Kenny Liddell

John Breslin

Brian O’Shaughnessy

Rose O’Donovan

James D’Arcy

Rosalyn Drew

Eddie Connaughton

Colin Sherrard

Kevin McCabe

Colman Warde

Mark Booker

Jeff Lynch

Mark Harris

Priscilla McFarland

Michael Smyth

William Cartmill

Frank Byrne

David Hart

John Lindsay

Derek Inglis

Richard Harris

Eibhlin Murphy

Brian Martyn

Liam McMahon

Peter Driver

Barry Drennan

Bernard Kinsella

Michael O’Leary

Yvonne Ritchie

John Cribbin

Giles McDonagh

Pat Galavan

Niall Dunne

Jer Doran

Telephone

087 9402650

087 2765259

0402 38261

086 0838747

00441359 272000

00441223 226680

087 2772770

087 9274521

01 2874485

087 2573550

041 9838986

01 6283300

01 6852655

086 8392508

087 7799527

087 9580110

086 8239991

087 2540166

048 38852888

01 8624188

048 40662207

087 2374285

00441949 860491

048 38339229

086 8308033

045 526170

094 9630572

093 38012

01 8437808

00441473 276368

087 6388955

053 9137208

064 7751006

01 8293990

087 2749860

087 9441174

045 409330

01 8351499

01 8438521

Email

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.gcsai.org 58

President’s Report by Damian McLaverty, Ballinasloe Golf Club

Alan Mahon (Communications Manager)Rathjarney Piercestown, Co. Wexford.Tel/Fax: 053 9158606 Mobile: 087 6260889Email: [email protected]

Damian McLaverty (President)Ballinasloe Golf Club - 086 8301048Email: [email protected]

Michael McFeely (Vice-President & FEGGA Rep)Westmanstown Golf Club - 087 234 2051Email: [email protected]

Jason Podris (Hon Secretary)Galway Bay Golf Resort - 087 1222697Email: [email protected]

Bobby McDermott (Education Officer)Foxrock Golf Club - 086 2627839Email: [email protected]

David Behan (P.R.O. & G.T.C. Rep)Naas Golf Club - 086 8269242Email: [email protected]

Tom Carew (Treasurer)Craddockstown Golf Club - 087 6260182Email: [email protected]

Michael Loughran (Immediate Past President)Hilton Templepatrick - (0044) 797 4229343Email: [email protected]

Michael F. O’Connor (SW Rep)Killarney Golf & Fishing Club - 087 1276764Email: [email protected]

Damien Coleman (NW Rep)Galway Bay Golf Resort - 087 6666131Email: [email protected]

John Egan (NE Rep)Rathfarnham - 086 3470388Email: [email protected]

Trevor Dargan (SE Rep)Woodenbridge - 086 1721640Email: [email protected]

GCSAI Website:

www.gcsai.org

Contact Points

A Cáirde,Since my last report Irish golf has dominated the world sporting headlines, with Rory McIlory and Darren Clarke winning the U.S. and British Opens respectively.

At home we will have hosted the Irish Open in Kilarney, the Home

Internationals in Rosses Point Co Sligo and the Irish Ladies Open at Kileen Castle. This month we will be staging The Solheim Cup also at Killeen Castle, and The Junior Solheim Cup in Knightsbrook, Co Meath. To all the Superintendents, Mark Collins (Killeen Castle), David MacIndoe (Killarney Golf & Fishing Club), Ronan Carey (Knightsbrook), and all the greenkeeping teams involved, you should be proud of your achievement in hosting these events and putting Irish golf and greenkeeping on a world stage. On behalf of all Irish greenkeepers I would like to congratulate you not only for the achievement in hosting these events but also for showing the professional level that Irish greenkeepers are capable off. At a regional level I would like to thank the North East and their chairman John Egan for inviting me to their golf outing in Killeen Castle last July. It was a super day out, and a real treat to have the Solheim Cup on display during the prize giving - the look on Mark’s face as we posed for photos with the Solheim Cup was worth the trip alone. Thanks to you Mark and to all involved - the course was superb. I hope to visit all the regions over the coming months and meet as many members as possible. Our Presidents Cup will take place on Friday the 7th of October in Castlemartyr Golf Resort, Co Cork. I visited this course to launch the Presidents Cup and I can assure anyone who is lucky enough to make their respective regional team that they are in for a serious challenge. Trevor Norris and his team have the course in fantastic condition. To our sponsors Everris (formally Scotts Professional) and their Irish manager Colman Warde, I thank you sincerely for your continued sponsorship and loyalty towards Irish greenkeeping. I am looking forward to, what I know will be, a fantastic event in a great venue. As always, it will be keenly contested, and, without any bias at all, can I say “come on the North West”. Looking forward to seeing and meeting as many of you as possible in Castlemartyr and may the best team win.I hope the summer has and will continue to go well for everybody.

Is Mise le MeasDamian Mc Laverty

Getting the opportunity to hold The Solheim Cup was a real treat when I visited Killeen Castle


Greenside

the 2011 solheim cup - gcsai sept 2011 lres.pdf · solheim cup preview 18 sportspitch maintenance...

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