CONFERENCE GUIDE
One of Queensland’s premier golfing establishments is set to host the 2019 Toro AGCSA Golf Championship.
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risbane Golf Club, host venue for the past three consecutive Isuzu Queensland Opens, will be the stage for what is set to be a hotly contested 2019 Toro AGCSA Golf Championship on Sunday 23 June. A full field of superintendents and turf managers will descend on the Yeerongpilly course to vie for the Red Jacket, with 2018 champion Tony McFadyean (Nedlands Golf Club, WA) returning to defend the title he won for the first time at Royal Wellington Golf Club. Brisbane Golf Club is home to course superintendent Mitch Hayes who is closing in on seven years in charge there. Originally from Grafton, NSW, Hayes has had an interesting turf management journey to date, one that took him to South West Rocks and Townsville golf clubs before heading to the US to undertake an internship through The Ohio Program. Stationed at Quail Hollow for 13 months, it proved to be the experience he needed to set himself up for an eventual return to Australia and the role at Brisbane. Hayes runs with a crew of 12 that includes assistant superintendent Peter McNamara and together they manage perhaps the most unique greens in the Sunshine State. After being devastated by the Brisbane River floods in 2011, between 2013 and 2015 the club converted all greens from 328 to Champion ultradwarf couchgrass, the first and only club to date in Australia to use the variety. 50
Brisbane Golf Club is the only course in Australia to boast Champion ultradwarf couchgrass greens
In total, six greens were completely rebuilt down to the sub-base, with contouring changes made on almost every green. Champion’s tight, dense canopy, its smoothness and ability to generate excellent speed were all characteristics that the club coveted and according to Hayes it has delivered in the years since. “It was definitely a risk to go with Champion, but it is one that has definitely paid off,” says Hayes. “For me, Champion is a much better grass. The canopy is so tight and you can get good speed out of it and smooth ball roll. The members here like fast greens and with this grass you can deliver that expectation in this climate. “We aim for 4kg of actual N per 100m2 per year with the Champion. In summer I spilt that 50/50 with granulars and foliars. This time of year, with the Champion shutting down, we increase foliar inputs of nitrogen, calcium, silica, iron and pigments to maintain colour.
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 21.3
“Winter in Brisbane can be wet at times so we typically run a monthly preventative fungicide programme; nothing elaborate, just basic fungicides to provide broad spectrum control. White helmo and pythium blight are our biggest diseases on Champion during winter.” In addition to converting to Champion, other works at the same time included installing a 1.2m collar of zoysia matrella around greens to stop encroachment. A number of fairways, such as the 5th, were also recontoured, extra drainage installed on others and select bunkers also refurbished. The 8th, the last hole to be completed, saw the biggest changes and in addition to the greens conversion the fairway was heavily reshaped and the existing water body extended to the front and side of the green. Elsewhere around the course, tees and fairways are a mix of green and blue couch. The older fairways have had large patches