Alfreton Golf Course thrives under expert care and Origin Amenity Solutions

By Alistair October 6, 2024 07:41

Nestled within the beautiful landscapes of Derbyshire, Alfreton Golf Course has become a hallmark of quality and excellence, noted for its superbly maintained greens. Established in 1892 and offering golfers a challenging 10-hole, 18-tee, par 69 course, Alfreton’s reputation is in part a testament to the meticulous work of its head greenkeeper, Andy Ryder.

Since joining the club in 2021, Andy, who brings over 45 years of greenkeeping experience, has made a significant impact on the course’s upkeep, leveraging his long-standing relationship with Mark Robinson, technical sales representative at Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS).

The greenkeeping team at Alfreton is small but dedicated, consisting of two full-time staff, one part-time member and a committed volunteer. Despite the size of his team, Andy has successfully elevated the course’s standards, a feat he attributes in part to his collaboration with OAS. “I’ve worked with Mark for almost 20 years and have complete faith in him,” Andy shares. “I just ring up and get advice from Mark whenever I want. Whatever he recommends, I use because I know from experience – it works!”

OAS is the primary supplier for Alfreton Golf Course, providing a diverse range of products that have been incorporated into the greenkeeping programme. Traditionally, Andy relied on granular fertilisers, but with Mark’s guidance, he has transitioned to using liquid treatments as well. “I’m old school; I’ve previously only used granules, but Mark recommended liquids to me, which we are now using. I’m still learning but appreciate the advice and range of products available from OAS.”

At the heart of the annual maintenance schedule is a detailed soil study conducted at the end of each year on samples taken across three greens. The results of these studies, sent away by OAS for thorough analysis, form a tailored nutritional greens programme. “It’s usually just a case of tinkering with our programme to give the soil what it needs but each year Mark advises what I need to be using,” Andy explains, highlighting the precision required in maintaining top-tier greens.

One of the standout products Andy and the team use is Microdyne, an all-in-one organic formulation packed with micro- and macro-nutrients, chelated irons, amino acids and biostimulants. “This is an unbelievable product,” Andy enthuses. “We used it for the first time this year and mixed it with the Nutri-Link system. After the third application, my reaction was ‘woah,’ it makes such a difference.” Microdyne was integrated into the programme at the start of the season with Nutri-Link Base, which promotes sward density, wear resistance and disease tolerance.

Throughout the mid-season, Andy continues with Microdyne but mixes with Nutri-Link Green, a formulation that ensures rapid leaf absorption and enhanced green-up for excellent surface presentation, and Nutri-Link Revive, which helps alleviate stress, improves plant recovery and stimulates microbial activity. “The combination of these products has made a noticeable difference in the health and appearance of our greens,” prides Andy.

From April to August, the team applies Breaker BioLinks Wetting Agent, a complete immersion technology wetting agent to give consistent soil moisture and reduce the risk of dry patch. This is paired with Symbio CMS Shoot, an organic fertiliser and biostimulant that supports cool season growth and Abiotic stress reduction. “The combination of Breaker BioLinks and CMS Shoot has been instrumental in maintaining the greens’ quality through the hottest months,” a proud Andy explains.

As the season draws to a close, preparation for winter becomes the focus. The team uses Microdyne mixed with Breaker BioLinks Wetting Agent to ready the greens for the colder months. The winter schedule for Alfreton Golf Club takes place from October to March and focuses on disease prevention, another critical aspect of greens management. To combat turf diseases, the 20/20/30 Mix is used once a month, a non-pesticidal tank mix combining Turfite Elite, Liquid Turf Hardener, Seamac Proturf and Mantle®. “It’s really effective and a great management tool to prevent disease,” Andy advises. He alternates this with Harmonix, a turf bio-control fungicide that offers broad-spectrum contact fungicidal activity, and Fiata Stressgard®, a powerful bio-stimulant that activates plant defence mechanisms and enhances turf health, resilience and overall performance. Fiata Stressgard® is a new product to the UK market and “another great new tool in our armoury to produce a plant less susceptible to disease.”

Cold Start fertiliser, part of the OAS Fine Turf range, is applied at the end of March to jumpstart the greens post-renovation. “It’s a great product that we use to give our greens a blast after renovation, getting them going for the season ahead,” Andy notes.

Renovation is a significant part of the maintenance routine at Alfreton Golf Course, carried out twice a year. The team cores out the greens and replaces them with a 70/30 mix of sand and soil ensuring a smooth surface. Top-dressing every six weeks helps maintain this smoothness, keeping the course in top condition.

Andy is also particular about the choice of grass seed, selecting the R range from OAS. He overseeds the tees and divot fill every week with a 50/50 sand compost as it produces hardy grass that can withstand regular cutting. “R8 produces resilient grass that can be cut down to 4mm, making it ideal for our needs,” he explains.

Reflecting on the current state of the course, the club is pleased with the results achieved through a carefully planned programme. “It’s an accumulation of the full programme; I couldn’t isolate one product,” Andy stresses. This holistic approach, combined with the expert support from Mark Robinson and the quality products from Origin Amenity Solutions, ensures that Alfreton Golf Course continues to offer golfers some of the best greens in Derbyshire.