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course renovation GOING BACK TO YOUR ROOTS The Koro Field Top Maker in action, which was used to renovate the fairway at Naas Golf Club in Ireland
Bare Lies as Naas is stripped naked In June, Naas Golf Club in Ireland took the unusual step of renovating a complete fairway, as Charmian Robson reports. Greenkeepers from all over Ireland turned out to see a dramatic transformation of a fairway at Naas Golf Club, County Kildare, using the Campey Koro Field Top Maker in June. Almost 2,000 square metres of fairway was renovated, with thatch and other surface debris removed from the turf down to a depth of 40mm using the Koro with Universe and Terraplane rotors. This was followed with sand spread using a Dakota 410 on a John Deere Gator. A Raycam recycling dresser re-incorporated all of the existing nutrients in the soil and a Shockwave 2.2m relieved any compaction to improve aeration. David Behan, course superintendent explains why he has taken such a radical approach to turf maintenance: “Only six years ago, ‘koro-ing’ was considered a ground-breaking technique in sports turf management terms, now it’s become standard practise for pitch renovation,” he said. “I have watched with interest and have felt strongly that this is something that golf courses could really benefit from.” A recent article on the success of koroing on a Swiss golf course at Blumisberg Golf and Country Club Course undertaken by course manager Ritchie Glynn, confirmed Behan’s belief that this is the way forward for effective golf course renovation and course management.
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“We have a 60-year-old fairway which suffers from severe thatch,” added Behan. “We installed new drainage lines using a trencher which has alleviated the surface water and improved the overall aeration and drainage, but I wanted to reclaim the quality of the playing surface.” Behan discussed possible options including koro-ing with Brian O’Shaughnessy, product specialist for Campey Turf Care. “By removing the thatch completely you are taking the fairway back to its original natural state. We can then overseed into perfect growing conditions and create a new top quality fairway,” said O’Shaughnessy. “For me, it’s all about the results,” added Behan. “We have gone-ahead with an initial 2000 metres of fairway using the Koro FTM with Terraplane® rotor and in the space of a day it was completely renovated. It’s now 12 days on and I am preparing to give the grass its first light cut. That is an impressive feat.” Finishing touches of the fairway renovation were completed with speed harrows and dragmats to create a perfect level surface for seeding. Overseeding was done with the new Vredo 1.8m Super Compact, using its unique double disc system which ensures maximum germination.
“By removing the thatch completely you are taking the fairway back to its original natural state. We can then overseed into perfect growing conditions and create a new top quality fairway”