​The Secret to Success in Greenkeeping

Have you ever wondered what it takes to keep our grounds in immaculate condition? Estates director, Alex Millar, gives us an insight into greenkeeping at Stoke Park; including his estates team, how they have coped with the adverse weather and provide suggestions on how to look after your grass this summer.

The golf course is split into 3 sets of 9 holes; Colt, Alison and Lane Jackson, each with their own unit of dedicated greenkeepers. In addition to this, there are gardeners, range staff, mechanics, estate project or building workers.

Looking after the golf course and surrounding grounds is an extensive task that requires time, effort and attention throughout the year. At the beginning of each year, fertiliser planes are put in place and a fungicide program is planned with prevention rather than cure as the main aim. As the year progresses the fertilisers are tweaked to add more or less depending on the weather.

A very late spring this year made the repairs on the front 9 holes slow to start, however the rainy weather hasn’t all been bad for the course. All of the new bunkers have really settled in well due to the warm, wet June.

When it comes to cutting the grass, the wet weather has made it difficult for the greenkeepers to get a neat cut this year. Alex compares the conditions for cutting grass to the difference between cutting wet and dry paper; wet paper will rip compared to a clean cut on dry paper. Hence, the grass surface has a white sheen to them where the grass has been pulled rather than cut.

On a final note, Alex has provided his secrets to success for looking after your grass:

1.Cut your grass when it’s dry... the cut will last a couple of days longer and be of better quality.

2.Cut in the morning... this will take off the dew to help dry the grass out.