Greg’s Greenkeeping Blog April 2026

Greg’s Greenkeeping Blog – April 2026

By Greg Fitzmaurice, Course Manager  ·  April 2026

April has been a fairly typical spring month on the east coast of Yorkshire. Rainfall was low at just 15mm across the whole month, and cool easterly winds have been a regular feature. On the positive side, sunshine has been plentiful and the course has stayed dry, making for some really good conditions for golf.

Growth on the greens is just beginning to get going. The bent grass is the first to respond at this time of year, which does create a little unevenness in the surface, but the greens are continuing to perform well.

We’re holding off on top dressing for now. The intention is to wait until there is sufficient growth to allow the sand to integrate into the surface quickly rather than sit on top. Timing this right makes a significant difference to the end result, so patience is important.

One thing worth highlighting this month is the benefit we can now see from last autumn’s Acelepryn application. The treated greens are in noticeably better condition compared to the practice green, which was not included in the programme (below picture of practice green damage). The product requires very precise calibration and, as it stands, we have just enough to cover the 27 greens on the course with little to spare. Rather than see that as a limitation, it has actually given us clear, visible evidence of the treatment’s value, which is useful to carry forward.

There are a few weeds appearing within the sward on the greens, which is fairly typical after a winter of heavy foot traffic with little growth to fill the gaps. We will address these once the turf is actively growing and able to recover and spread.

Fertilising now is something we’re being deliberate about avoiding. An application at this stage would favour the annual meadow grass, which we have very small amounts of but are keen to keep that way. Feeding at this point would encourage it just as it begins to seed. Instead, we feed from late May onwards, when seeding is over and both the fescue and bent are actively growing. It is not always the most straightforward approach, but it is the right one. We have struck this balance well over the years and discipline is key to maintaining it.

The fairways are presenting very well. Growth is still limited at this stage but grass coverage is good, and the surfaces are in solid shape heading into the main season.

Almost all of the fairways have now been treated with selective herbicide. Getting this done before seeding has properly begun gives us the best chance of clean turf throughout the season and helps prevent further spread. The timing of this work is always a careful judgement. Daisy seeds much earlier than clover, but we have seen the clover waking up this month, so the timing of the application should be as close to ideal as possible.

All tees are now back in play. Thank you for your patience with the four mats we kept out on the par 3s through the colder period. That decision has proven to be the right one. With temperatures remaining low and growth slow to respond, those tees would have taken a significant amount of damage with no real chance of recovery. Having the mats in place gives them a much better chance of holding up well throughout the season ahead.

The approaches and surrounds are also in good condition generally, and it is pleasing to see the work put in over the winter beginning to show. The main challenge at this stage is the heavy wear in high traffic areas tight to the greens. These spots take considerable pressure from both foot traffic and trolleys and buggies passing through, and with growth still getting established, recovery can be slow. We will be looking to both protect these areas and support them with targeted fertiliser applications to encourage recovery.

We would ask all golfers to be mindful when moving through areas that are clearly worn or under pressure, particularly close to the greens. Small changes in where trolleys and buggies are routed can make a real difference to how quickly these areas recover and hold up through the season.

One other thing to be aware of in these higher traffic areas is patches of ryegrass. This is an aggressive growing grass that we manage on an ongoing basis to reduce its impact, but its presence does become more noticeable in areas that see the heaviest wear. Our programme of management is aimed at regular mowing and grooming, trying to refine and reduce it’s impact over time.

We’re pleased to welcome Ryan Varey to the greenkeeping team this month. Ryan joins us replacing Paul and has made a really positive start. He has the right attitude to greenkeeping and fits well into how we work as a team. As he develops his skills further, he will be a real asset to the club.

It’s worth taking a moment to recognise the team as a whole. The greenkeeping industry is currently facing a significant shortage of staff, with even high-profile vacancies attracting very few applicants. We are proud at Hunley to have a dedicated and committed group of people who continue to do a great job under what are genuinely challenging circumstances for the industry.

The irrigation system is now up and running for the season, and it’s pleasing to report that getting it operational has been a much more straightforward process than in previous years. That improvement is down to the work that has been carried out on the system over time and it makes a real difference to how efficiently we can manage the course through the drier months.

With the current tank leaking badly now, we’ve had to limit watering to during the daytime, shutting it off at night to limit the loss. This has meant we’ve had to focus our time away from other tasks somewhat as the greens are a priority.

We do have some positive news to share this month though. Planning approval has been granted by the council for the new irrigation storage tank and pump station. This is a significant step forward for the course and will give us much greater control over water supply during dry periods. We have a provisional installation date of the 1st June, so we now have a lot to do to prepare for that.

With the season now properly underway, the focus shifts to maintaining what we have built and continuing to refine surfaces as growth picks up. The greens will receive top dressing once conditions are right, and we’ll look to spot treat any weeds that haven’t been caught already, though this is well under control at this stage.

There is plenty to keep us busy, particularly work in preparation of the new tank installation. We will be installing all connecting pipework and 3 phase electric cable ourselves, however the course is in a good place and we are looking forward to a strong season.

Thank you for your continued support.