This past week has been one of the most testing periods of the season, with temperatures reaching between 35–40°C on Monday and Wednesday, combined with gale-force winds on Wednesday afternoon. Despite the challenging weather, the course has held up exceptionally well, and we are now looking forward to some much-needed rain forecast for next week.
Irrigation System in Full Use
Over the last 2–3 weeks, the irrigation system has been running at full capacity, as we’ve received only 6mm of rainfall in total during that time. Each night, approximately 500,000 litres of water is being applied across the course to maintain turf health and surface quality. Naturally, after months of cooler weather and now with the system running continuously, the maintenance team has identified several minor repairs that will be carried out in the coming weeks to ensure efficiency and reliability.
Turf Patching & Establishment
All turf patch areas are being watered daily to encourage establishment. As expected, some patches take quicker than others to settle and root, but the forecast rain next week will provide a welcome boost to their growth and long-term health.
Clean-Up & Volunteer Effort
A huge thank you to the maintenance team and Thursday morning volunteers for their efforts this week. After the severe winds, it’s fair to say the course was a mess, but the team did an outstanding job cleaning up and preparing the course in time for the Ladies Championships on Thursday. Your collective effort and pride in presentation were clearly reflected in the condition of the course on the day — well done to everyone involved!
The Waterfall — “Beecroft Cascades”
Did someone mention the waterfall? Over the past two weeks, Brian Ridge and Glenn Bell have been hard at work bringing this exciting feature to life. We’re thrilled to announce that “Beecroft Cascades,” as it’s been named, is now fully operational and free-flowing. A few final sealing works and landscaping touches remain, but we are now around 85% complete on this beautiful addition to the course. The plan is to run the waterfall during competition days and select corporate events, adding an extra touch of character and atmosphere to the course environment.
Construction Update
This week saw the final section of turf laid around the 5th fairway bunkers, totalling 1,000m². With this milestone complete, the focus now shifts to green and turf establishment, along with minor landscaping as we prepare for the official launch of the 5th hole in December.
Green Progress
The 5th green received its first cut at 5mm on Thursday, marking a major step in its grow-in phase. The 6th green is also progressing well, and we expect to see a green tinge appearing by Monday.
Ideal Growing Conditions
This time of year provides perfect growing conditions for our turf surfaces and the results are already visible. The Stage 1 surrounds, in particular, have shown a remarkable improvement in turf density and colour with the arrival of the warm season. The team’s consistent efforts in renovation, fertilisation and irrigation are truly starting to show across the course.
Looking Ahead
With the combination of warm weather and potential rainfall next week, we expect to see continued improvement in turf quality and establishment across all areas of the course. We’ll also begin addressing irrigation repairs, fine-tuning newly turfed zones and finalising the Beecroft Cascades in preparation for its official unveiling.
Final Note
A big thank-you again to our team, volunteers and Members for their continued support and patience during this busy period of growth and maintenance. The course continues to evolve beautifully and the hard work behind the scenes is paying off in both presentation and playability.
Good luck to everyone participating in the Club Championships this weekend and enjoy the course!
Michael Hedger
Course Superintendent
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