I think we would all agree that summer is finally here, and what a few weeks it has been with just 2mm of rain falling since the 7th of December, and no forecast rain in sight for some weeks to come.  As of the 23rd of December we have totaled 810mm of rainfall for the year, which is still down on West Gippsland's average but significantly more than the last few years.

GREENS
Ive been really happy with the greens health over the past month and particularly pleased with how they have held up in the past few weeks with the much warmer and drier weather. This time of year often sees significant and fast growth on our greens, as the mix between heat, damp soil, and constant irrigation makes for optimum grass growing conditions. It may seem logical to think that greens would become faster and firmer during the hotter months, and that may be true for high budget clubs that can keep their greens on a knifes edge by sending out multiple staff to hand water greens on a daily basis. Our situation is much different, as we don't have the capacity to spend all day, everyday hand watering greens with just the two full time staff that we have.  This means we need to apply enough water through our sprinkler system to ensure the greens are getting enough to survive mostly on their own.  As Ive mentioned in previous reports, we have made slight adjustments to our management of the greens with the decrease in staff to ensure there is less pressure on both staff and the grass. This is magnified even more this time of year when public holidays see staff away on several days, and when you add a four week forecast that sees no rain in sight, we are effectively putting the greens in survival mode. This means less cutting/rolling, and a slightly higher height of cut.... It will also mean slower green speeds.
 I hope by continuing to explain why we are doing certain things the way we are, you will become more educated on why our greens are playing the way they are. Going by last Saturdays results, it appears the greens are to many of our members liking.

I've also been queried a number of times recently, and also many times in the past about why we need to hand water greens when we have sprinklers to do it for us. 
1. Most greens have areas that dry out more quickly than others (particularly high areas) These areas require more water to ensure they don't succumb to heat stress.
2. No irrigation system is perfect, and although sprinklers do a good job of watering our greens, they still don't apply even amounts of water over the entire green. The middle of the green is what receives the most water from sprinklers, while the outside edges receive less due to some sprinklers not reaching specific spots. Its these areas that require hand watering to ensure the entire green is receiving an equal amount of water. 
Another common myth that I hear from people is that you should not water greens during the heat of the day as it burns the grass. This is not the case, with the reality being that golf greens (due to being cut so low) would not survive the summer heat if it wasn't for applying small amounts of water during the heat of the day to cool the plant down. 

FAIRWAYS/TEES/ SURROUNDS
All santa ana couch areas are now in their prime growing conditions, as the mix of moisture still in the soil and warm temperatures have them jumping out of the ground.
We applied another application of growth regulator late last week as we head into the holiday period. Only having three days this week to manage our course is a challenge, so by slowing the growth rate of the grass down, it minimizes our need to be spending hours on mowers, and allows us to focus on greens which need the most attention this time of year.
As our santa ana surfaces go from strength to strength, its our areas that aren't covered in santa ana that begin to struggle in the excessive heat. Our 4th and 12th fairways, our 8th and 13th tees, and our 11th and 13th surrounds are just a few of our areas that are yet to be converted to santa ana. As is the case every year, its these surfaces that simply cant withstand the stresses of summer, and the signs of heat stress is slowly beginning to show in many of these areas. 

NEW HOLES
We have seen some really good progress with the new holes in the past month, with the warmer weather finally making it possible for some grass to grow.
The greens have come along really well in the past fortnight with a couple of significant fertilizer apps giving them the kick they needed. We are now cutting them 1-2 times a week depending on conditions. At this early stage we are cutting them at 10mm in height, which is significantly higher than regular greens. This is to give the grass the best chance to survive in its early stages.  The fairways are now starting to grow in and spread nicely, but as is the case with most sprigged areas, weeds will begin to grow as there is little competition from grass to stop them appearing. You shouldn't treat new grass growth for weeds until a month after you first cut it, and since we are yet to cut our new fairways, we are still a while from treating the weeds that have begun to appear. 

THANKYOU
As it is the end of the year Id like to take the opportunity to thank the many people that play a role in making our club what I believe to be one of the best rural clubs in the state.
Firstly to the board for not only their support of me, but for doing such a wonderful job on getting our club back into a financial position that now sees us with a future. As Di mentioned in her report yesterday, we are currently trading profitably, which is the first time we have been able to say that for a very long time. The board need to be congratulated for the great work they are doing. 
As always Id like to thank our pro Anthony, who is the face of our club and does a wonderful job on ensuring that all golfers are given the best possible experience at Drouin every time.
To Michelle and all the girls in the clubhouse who have put in a power of work, often with limited staff to accommodate all of our members and guests so well, well done!
To my boys, Ben and Rob, who have been fantastic support and played a vital role in presenting our course to the best standard we possibly can, i say thankyou and congrats on a great job. 
To our volunteers (I wont name you all) for their growing support for our club and myself, I say a big thankyou. With the departure of Matt Heaps in the middle of the year, and the decision not to replace him with another staff member, there was always going to be desperate need for volunteer assistance. I hope our members are just as appreciative as I am of their help.
Lastly thankyou to all of our members for continuing to call the Drouin Golf Club home. We dont have a club without you, and your support is greatly appreciated .Continue to advertise our club in a positive light, as there is lots to be positive about.

Id like to wish everyone a fantastic holiday period, and I hope plenty of golf is a part of your plans. 

Ryan Hammond
DG&CC Course Superintendent.