Bega Bowling Club greens re-dressed

Mounds of top soil were added to the greens as part of a “shaving” and re-dressing project in place by the club. 

“We had a guy come down from Newcastle and he shaved 10mm off the top of it,” greenskeeper Ken Snowden said. 

“The grass has gone to Tura Beach to help resurface their greens.

“It grows from the vegetation not the seed because it’s a hybrid - so you peel it off, throw it down and it grows from that.”

Almost 20 tonnes of material was provided to the Tura Beach club as part of a free arrangement. 

Snowden said the club was welcome to the shavings, but asked the club to help in the process. 

Local clubs have been developing good rapport, with Merimbula helping to core the Bega greens. 

 Snowden said the grass roots were still well embedded in the Bega greens, where top soil has been added and will be levelled today by a laser guided tractor. 

“He will level it using a tractor with a laser-level to within a two millimetre tolerance,” Snowden said. 

The grass will come up through the levelled soil, before a final dressing, but it is almost a race for Snowden. 

“We let it grow through and the quicker that happens, the better for me.

“I’ve got five weeks now to get it back into play.”

Since the shaving and coring last week, the grass has already shown considerable growth, thanks largely to warm weather. 

“The grass really likes the soil and the heat,” Snowden said. 

“It actually grows the best on the north coast of NSW and in Queensland. 

“That’s why we have to do it now, it’s the only window we’ve got.”

Developments in technology are easing the work load, the greens at Bega are now scientifically tested, allowing Snowden exact knowledge of what fertilisers should be added.