Golf Course Superintendent at Galway Bay Golf Resort/Olympic Course Rio 2016/ Dromoland Castle/ K Club/Pres. GCSAI 2017-2019/
@RandA
Scholar. views my own
A little video explaining why we are closed today even after grass frost has cleared. The ground is frozen down to 2 inches this morning. Turn sound up to listen to the frozen ground.
#greenkeeping
It will be 13 years in a couple of weeks since I left college and started work at Galway Bay. Pictures like this remind me of how lucky I am to be here, wow 🌞🌞🏌️♂️🏌️♂️
Sick of saying and hearing it at this stage. Golf is safe. Golf helps those who play it. Golf was never the problem. Golf should not still be closed. Everywhere else is open or opening. Why can’t we? Thing is, we can, and we should.
#bringbackgolf
#200acres
There r over 400 golf courses in Ireland. That is 400 outlets for people to exercise and relieve stress safely in a controlled environment.The government need to let us prove again how worthwhile golf can be for one’s mental health. Golf can be a leader in our recovery.
#letusplay
There is a crisis in Greenkeeping with lower than ever numbers entering the profession and many more leaving it. Here is a reason to get involved or stay …….. Happy Friday
Yesterday we spent 48 labour hours flymo-ing, edging, blowing and raking all 126 bunkers on the golf course.
This morning. Without exaggeration at least 50% of them are like this.
Dear Golfer, Do Better
#greenkeeping
With no heavy frost this morning it can be difficult for golfers to understand why we keep our greens closed. We do so to protect them from damage caused by traffic on the surface during a partial thaw. See the video attached explaining the dangers.
#greenkeeping
What an amazing week in
@GolfDromoland
last week. A hugely enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Very proud to assist my brother
@PaulColeman8
in hosting a professional golf tournament, a dream we both share and he has now fulfilled, with class and professionalism.
@LETgolf
Helping out in Dromoland this week. Extremely proud of my brother
@PaulColeman8
for holding his second
@LETgolf
Irish Open. The golf course was amazing and a credit to him and all his hard working staff. Well done guys
A significant investment in equipment has brought the golf course at Galway Bay Golf Resort to another level as the conditioning of playing surfaces continues to improve
@TheToroCompany
11 years ago I put a number plate on my office wall in work. Whilst I didn’t think it would be so long before I added to it. It was worth the wait……… there is also plenty of space for more!!! Up The Banner
#allirelandchampions
Around this time in 2014 one of my favourite ever photos of
@galwaybaygolf
was taken by Alan Mahon. It went on to be on the cover of Greenside Magazine and win an international award for Best Cover Photo
Having received 2 inches of rain over the weekend, today we are mowing the whole golf course without leaving a mark. Why? Regular aeration, robust sanding programme and a brilliant team!!
#greenkeeping
Tomorrow will begin the justification for why golf should never have been closed. We will once again show how we are leaders in providing a safe leisure space for our members/guests. We’re back!!!
#golfisback
Credit Photos to
@GaryByrne_
In what has been an incredibly challenging few weeks with weather I think we may actually see some settled weather coming. Please acknowledge the challenges your greenkeeping team have trying to keep golf course open in this horrendous weather we have been enduring
#greenkeeping
We have recently returned 6 acres of mown rough to naturalised areas. This increases biodiversity and also creates beautiful grass paths and excellent definition on the golf course. The Golden Tall Fescue really shines this time of year.
#greenkeeping
Getting out for a walk in the recent fine weather has been so important for our well being. Why can that walk be not on a golf course playing golf? In a controlled environment. It will be soon. Let’s make sure it happens. Spread the message
#bringbackgolf
100 ton of sand, 370kg of seed and several hours of hard graft later our autumn greens renovation is over. Double verti-cut followed by a 19mm solid tine. Pot seeded with 100% fescue after. Cheers to all the lads for putting the shoulder to the wheel this week.
#greenkeeping
Producing a great event takes great leaders. Great leaders Plan, Organise and Control. Brian McDonagh and Paddy Keane of
@LahinchGolfClub
showed those qualities this week and more. What an amazing golf course and golf club. I was honoured to be part of it.
@DDFIrishOpen
We are always striving to not only improve playing surfaces but also the overall experience for our members and guests. This week we worked on re-connecting the golf course with the Atlantic Ocean, and thereby increasing the “wow” factor
#greenkeeping
Spring Aeration
Double verti-cut, 5/8 inch solid tine to 3 inch depth, 100 tonnes of sand applied, 375kg of seed pot seeded. And 2 inches of rain in 4 days. Great work by all the team to get this end result. Let’s hope for a busy season ahead.
Normally I post nice pictures of our golf course here. Not this time. Over the last 6 weeks we have had 11 divots taken from greens. On what planet is this ok? Why would people do this? It beggars belief to be honest. It’s is also disheartening to our hard working greens team.
Great work by the team today. 18 greens top dressed with 100 ton of sand , solid tined after and drag matted in fully. Just before the rain came down!!! Hopefully conditions allow us to complete Pot Seeding tomorrow
Great credit to
@GaryByrne_
and his team of Tom, Gary, Claudio and John. Their tireless efforts have produced amazing results for our members. Well done guys 👍👍💪💪
Today is the final of our Captains Prize. For those playing it’s their Open Championship. Therefore we treat like it is ours too.
#presentation
#greenkeeping
A patch of Poa surrounded by Bent/Fescue. Antractnose only really affecting the Poa. Lowering Nitrogen inputs over the years and using a spoon feed approach has had its benefits.
#naturalselection
#greenkeeping
Our winter sanding programme continues today. Finishing off green surrounds and approaches. Solid tining after , working the sand into the profile. Doing our best to make the golf course playable right through the winter for members and guests
#greenkeeping
So from May 2020 to September 2020 we had 25,000 rounds of golf. All socially distanced, all controlled, all safe. Zero Covid cases as a direct result. We have proven we can do it. Can it be proven that we can’t?
#bringbackgolf
Greenkeeping as a career often gets left out of the conversation when deciding what path to take in life. Here’s a few reasons why it should be considered…..
#greenkeeping
Soil Temperatures finally dropping to single figures, giving the turf a chance to slow down. Hand mowers out for the winter now on greens. The fescue is loving the 6mm HOC and we are loving the short lived sunshine!!! ☀️☀️Very happy with turf density
This year we have introduced a wildflower meadow to improve our interaction with the local environment as part of a pollinator project. Adding fabulous colour at this time of the year
#greenkeeping
Our greenkeeping team have been working hard this week on greens renovation. This will make sure the greens are in great shape for our members when we re-open
7 days after 5/8 inch hollow tine and 85 tonnes of sand later the greens are coming on great. Heavy rain was our friend for once last week 🙈☔️ lasers being put down by
@GaryByrne_
Great day at the Fegga conference and International Summit in Galway. Always nice to meet our American colleagues and friends
@GCSAACEO
and
@GCSAA
President John R. Fulling Jr.
@GCSAI15
@rbarajas001
Today is International Thank a Greenkeeper Day. Thank you to my excellent team Gary, Tom, Claudio, Jimmy, Paddy, Paul and Jon. Hard work pays off. Well done.
#thankagreenkeeper
@ATPI21
@GCSAA
Our winter programme in full swing this week as we apply 450 ton of sand on fairways and greens surrounds/approaches. Solid tining Green surrounds after with a 5/8 inch tine and dragging in sand. Making our course playable all year round.
#greenkeeping
25 years ago a team from
@CLGEireOgInis
travelled to Wexford with great hope. Having emerged as All Ireland Champions, tonight we remember the great times and memories that created. Thanks to
@myleftfoot21
for helping me with the trophy.
#greattimes
Disease pressure very high with all this rain. Antractnose in particular. Spraying a macro and micro nutrient package along with seaweed to try get the grass plant power through this period of stress.
#greenkeeping
The recent dry/warm spell really showed the value and qualities fine fescue grasses bring to the greens. They loved it. Fantastic density also.
#greenkeeping
Just 3 weeks since greens aeration and recovery has been excellent. We also got a brilliant strike from Pot Seeding on the greens. All that after the wettest March on record!!
A links course is not just a golf course located beside the sea. It should have large dunes and be naturally sand based. That is why
@galwaybaygolf
is a Headland golf course. Just as dramatic as a links though!!
Earlier this year we made some course improvements by way of removing gorse plantations that we felt were affecting the experience for the golfer and disconnecting them from the ocean view. Before and after pictures below. Which we are very happy with.
#greenkeeping
It has been an incredibly difficult few weeks/months with rain, cold, wind etc. Let’s hope this break in the weather is a sign of a change for the better ☀️☀️