Do the rain dance
The hottest summer since 2016 has been a challenge for every golf course on the Costa Del Sol. Keeping grass happy in 35ยบ and above day after day with no rain was no easy feat and things were looking grim at the end of August.
Fortunately at that moment we had the second irrigation pump installed and what a difference it has made.
The system needs to maintain 8 bars of pressure to work properly and this was a struggle to do so with only a handful of sprinklers open. With two pumps now working together it can move the 250,000 litres of water needed daily to keep the playing areas green.
Also, a leak in the main valve opposite the clubhouse has been repaired. Situated a meter below ground, it wasn’t easy to get to, but for the last couple of years it has been getting worse and only a matter of time until it breaks completely.
Below is a photo from September showing how the grass is recovering nicely from the increase in water.
Maintenance work
October is a month where the reduction in temperature allows us to do some essential maintenance work. One of these includes spiking and sanding the greens.
28 tonnes of fine silica sand was delivered last week and has made its way out to the greens and tees. The sand helps to fill holes and divots providing a smoother surface as well as increasing the drainage so water can get down to the root system of the grass.
It will also be used to prepare the remaining tees for turfing over the coming months.