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At Royal Queensland Golf Club, preparation for the PGA Championship is a meticulous process for Golf Course Superintendent Adam Mills and his team. Working alongside Mills and the RQ Team are GTS Director Chris Chapman and Head Agronomist, Paul Spencer. GTS and RQ have been working together to obtain the data needed to develop a turf management program according to the nutritional deficiencies, seasonal changes and tournament standards that are expected to be met.
Data Collection for Turfgrass Management
Data is collected throughout the preparations on green smoothness, trueness, firmness, and moisture levels. Closely monitoring these levels allows for cultural practices to be fine-tuned to ensure the playing surfaces are firm but receptive.
Samples from across the course are consistently collected for nutrient analysis and assessment of the organic matter content (thatch) is conducted. These results identify any areas that need special attention and a strategic plan for nutrient and thatch management is developed for optimal turfgrass management.
Deficiency Corrections
In September, the greens underwent a mini-renovation using the Maredo GT230 HiSpeed-Corer to reduce the % organic matter with minimal disruption to the playing surfaces.
During this mini-renovation, the RQ Team applied the necessary nutritional products to correct deficiencies and promote recovery. These products were determined using the results from soil nutrient analysis. To further assist with improving the soil health and to build an agronomically correct nutritional base, granular humic acid and gypsum were uniformly blended with the sand used to topdress the greens.
You can read more about Terralift granular nutritional products HERE.
Supporting the granular product applications is a program of carefully selected liquids. The liquid program has 2 goals:
Produce a strong, healthy root system growing in dynamic soil profile that will support overall turfgrass performance.
Apply turfgrass nutrients that will assist with conditioning, strength, and colour to produce the results required for the tournament.
Read more about the Greenway Turf Solutions liquid products HERE.
Read more about the Greenway Turf Solutions bio-stimulants HERE.
Environmental Monitoring
At Royal Queensland Golf Club, managing unpredictable weather requires a blend of experience, precision tools, and proactive measures. As this year's tournament proved, the weather can be one of the most influential factors impacting on a golf tournament.
With the support of GTS RQ have successfully installed a Spectrum WatchDog Weather Station with the Turf Disease Alert Package.
The weather station provides real-time insights into moisture levels, temperature, and disease risks, which is invaluable for adapting turf management routines. By closely monitoring these metrics, adjustments can be made to irrigation schedules. Fungicide applications and timely nutrient applications can be carried out all based on the actual conditions rather than just forecasts. In addition to the weather station, the TDR 350 moisture probe further helps to keep a close eye on soil moisture, especially on greens and fairways, to ensure uniform firmness and playability, rain, or shine.
Learn more about our Analytical Services and view the range of Spectrum Environmental Monitoring Tools HERE.
Conclusion
In the final weeks leading into the tournament, the focus is heavily on aesthetics and detail work. In 2024, this proved to be exceptionally challenging due to the high level of rainfall received leading into the tournament (as well as during the tournament). Delivering a course in these conditions that offered a world class standard of play showcases the hard work and dedication of the entire team.
It is a collaborative and dynamic approach that makes this tournament a success. The GTS Agronomic Team has greatly enjoyed working with a highly skilled and dedicated team of turf managers utilising advanced monitoring tools to ensure the course is in peak condition.