Happy New Year.
So we start a new year and I wonder if at some point later in 2021 we will return to more normal conditions at the club with an open restaurant, fire in the fireplace, club matches and a full terrace?
Until then, we can all be happy that the golf course can be kept open despite the pandemic and that our club always takes pride in keeping it open as much as possible throughout the winter months.
On the golf course, we are very close to normal conditions like in the summer, but winter has arrived. This means that golf must take into account the course so that it can get through the many winter months in the best possible way when the grass does not grow and cannot repair itself from damage caused by disease, golfers and deer.
The first part of the winter has been mild and favorable for us. Two factors are particularly important to get through the winter well and that is how much disease there has been in the grass, primarily on the greens, and how wet and waterlogged the ground is and here I am thinking mostly of fairways and walkways.
We have finished 2020 very well. Despite countless grey days, we could well expect that there would be lots of rainfall like last year, which would soften the course and destroy the turf when deer and players trudge through it. Fortunately, that has not happened yet, although we still have to go until April before we see active growth again. The better conditions must also be attributed to our persistent project to improve our fairways with sand and reseeding. The surface has become much firmer than just a few years ago and now we also clearly see an “undergrowth” of small new grass plants of both a finer and denser growing variety.
On the greens, we also look back on a very normal autumn season. There has been the usual amount of disease, so I look forward to the next few months with confidence. You may want to compare it to other courses' greens, but when we maintain them without the use of pesticides, things have gone very well. Others also think so. The Danish Golf Union and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency have jointly produced a video that tells how we look after our greens in Dyrehaven.
The year 2020 also ended with us saying goodbye to Martin Hjort. On February 1, he will start as head greenkeeper at Værløse Golf Club. Martin has been with us for 12 seasons and has also served as the head greenkeeper for many years. He is a skilled and well-liked colleague and a good friend to whom we have said goodbye, but we are also proud that we can send him off to a management position in Værløse. They will be happy to have him.
Play on our course will continue on our course throughout the winter months. As it stands now, only the following winter measures have come into effect:
The driving range is open, but you must collect balls from the range yourself.
Flags on the greens may appear on some sunny days, but remember that they are collected by 2 pm.
Bunkers are demolished and maintained as needed
Use of scooters has been suspended until further notice.
So that we can still maintain a high winter standard on the field and so that we have some grass to play on until April, you are very welcome to help take care of the field by following this good, general advice:
Use a mat. Mats for loan or "for keeps" are hanging in the starter's house. You will not be able to adjust your handicap if you use a mat, but on the other hand you will not wear out the tees and fairways.
Keep your distance from the greens and green surroundings. Follow the white lines around the greens.
Fix those impact marks. They don't heal on their own. If you and your playing partners don't have a pitchfork, they can be obtained in the shop.
Enjoy.
Martin Nilsson, Chief Greenkeeper