News
01/08/2005
THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Bromborough Golf Club’s Course Manager Richard Littler was originally offered a job as Deputy Assistant while he decided what he wanted to do with his life. Thirty years later he’s still there – and who can blame him! On the glorious summer day of our visit the course looked at its best and it was difficult to think of a more attractive working environment.
However perfect greens and fairways don’t happen by accident and Richard’s recipe for success is slitting, slitting, and then some more slitting!
When he arrived at Bromborough the club had borrowed a SISIS Deep Slitter and where it had been used the improvements were plain to see, particularly as it was during a period of drought. When Richard went on to become Head Greenkeeper, he purchased a 6ft SISIS Slitter, a 4ft. Multislit and a SISIS Spiker Slitter.
|
He says, "Regular deep slitting relieves compaction, improves water percolation and takes the roots right down. When our agronomist (from the Sports Turf Research Institute) takes test sections of turf, you can see the new root growth. Clean slits are left with virtually no disruption to the playing surface." The Megaslit is used on the fairways from October right through the Winter until the beginning of March. The Multislit is used on the greens, with 8in tines, again right through the winter months until January or February. Then the lighter Spiker Slitter comes into its own, used at least once a fortnight from February to late Autumn. The Multislit and Spiker Slitter are also used on the tees, as frequently as manpower will allow. Bromborough is an 18 hole, inland parkland course and is part of Lord Leverhulme's estate. Although relatively flat, there are many attractive gullies and water features. Conservation is important to the club, illustrated by the number of bird and bat boxes around the course. The ponds are full of interesting wild life and are used for study by Liverpool University. The course is more than 100 years old and has had to cope with many disruptions including being converted to a medical camp during the war and the M53 motorway cutting across it. 5 years ago all the greens were reconstructed to USGA specification and drainage was greatly improved. The decision was taken to re-use their own turf so some thatch was re-introduced, but guided by their agronomist, they are steadily reducing this problem by pursuing a policy of frequent aeration and scarification. Richard Littler is meticulous in his work and surveyed the market thoroughly to ensure he bought the best scarifier for the job. He chose the heavy-duty SISIS ROTORAKE 600 as he found competitive machines more difficult to handle. He says, "The Rotorake 600 is really user friendly and manoeuvrable. Anyone who can use a hand mower will find it easy to operate. It is a very effective scarifier and can be used to a depth of 2ins"
|
