Our Annual Autumn maintenance took place between 21st – 23rd October 2024 and gave us the opportunity to Hollow Core the greens and surrounds . This practice was carried out to remove a large percentage of organic matter, relieve compaction, increase root development, improve drainage and provide the material to create a playing surface for our new contingency first green and approach. By removing the accumulated fibre it allows us to exchange the poorer soils to a better one through a straight sand topdressing helping to firm up all surfaces providing true links like conditions.

We also took the decision to apply Chewings and slender creeping fescues which offers the best solution for year-round performance. A combination of a drop spreader and vredo disc seeder was used to apply the fescue seed before we worked any excess seed into the holes using  switches to cover the seed within the holes with our indigenous dune sand topdressing. This provided the seeds with the correct growing medium and some protection from the elements. We Overseeded with around 200kg of Fescue and the seed should germinate within the next month due to the slightly cooler conditions. To achieve maximum seed establishment and rapid surface recovery without creating a flush of growth that would negatively affect playing characteristics we applied a granular feed called C Complex 4-3-4+5CaO+3MgO . We chose this product as it has proven to be effective in aiding recovery while maintaining turf health and vigour without any negative effect on playability.

Fescue is the most appropriate species to links sites across the UK and with adequate management will provide characteristics that are typical of links golf here at Royal Aberdeen. The practice of overseeding is a vital aspect of what we are trying to achieve at and will now remain part of our annual maintenance at least twice a year.

The Maintenance procedures were carried out at this time of year when the air and soil temperatures are ideal allowing recovery times to be kept to a minimum. This short term disruption will give us long term benefits giving us firm and true surfaces all year round.