With the Isuzu Queensland Open set to tee off in three days, we chatted with The Brisbane Golf Club superintendent Mitch Hayes, about what to expect of the Yeerongpilly layout.
Name: Mitch Hayes
Age: 30
Nationality: Australian
Media Contact Information: Mitch Hayes is available to speak to media during the 2017 Isuzu Queensland Open.
Golf Course/Turf Management Career:
• Brisbane Golf Club, Brisbane QLD. 2012 – current
• The Ocean Course – Kiawah Island, Charleston South Carolina. 2012
• Quail Hollow, Charlotte, North Carolina. 2011 – 2012.
• Townsville Golf Club, Townsville QLD. 2009 – 2011
• South West Rocks Country Club, SWR NSW. 2008-2009
• Grafton Golf Club, Grafton NSW 2004-2008.
Association involvement:
• Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association – Member
• Queensland Golf Course Superintendents Association – Member
• Golf Course Superintendents Association of America – Member
Turf management qualifications:
Trade Certificate in Turf Management – Hunter institute 2007.
Diploma of Turf Management – Melbourne Polytechnics 2017.
Previous Tournament Experience:
• PGA Wells Fargo – Quail Hollow. 2011 & 2012
• Crump Cup – Pine Valley. 2011
• US PGA Championship – Ocean Course, Kiawah Island. 2012
• Isuzu Queensland Open – Brisbane Golf Club. 2016
• Fiji International – Natadola Bay. 2017
The Brisbane Golf Club Staff and Tournament Personnel
The Brisbane Golf Club course management: 15.
• Peter McNamara & Tom Appleton – Assistant Superintendent
• Christian Wilson – Course Foremen
• Andy Vining – Head Mechanic
• Mitch Bakon, Dale Mazzucco, Anthony Sanchez & Arthur Briand – Greenkeepers
• Andrew Crawford, Chris Kelly, Brock McLachlan, Dominic Maclean – Groundsmen
• Eric Moore & Cooper Edmunds – Apprentice Greenkeepers
Volunteers: 7.
• Brett Morris – Amgrow (Former BGC Superintendent)
• Peter Woods – Living Turf
• Chris Johnstone – Globe Australia
• Peter Abel – Globe Australia
• Ben Marshall – Toro Australia
• Brendan Clark – Epar Australia
• Diamon Tucker – Turfcare Solutions
Course Information
Course Specs:
• Holes: 21
• Length/Par: 72
• Slope rating: 130
• Scratch rating: 72
• Annual rounds: 65,000 – 70,000
• Tournament course configuration: Yeerongpilly Course (members course) – holes 1 to 18.
Turf varieties:
• Greens: Champion Ultra dwarf
• Surrounds: Nallabor Couch
• Tees: Nallabor Couch
• Fairways: Blend of Nallabor Couch and QLD Blue Couch
• Roughs: Blend of Nallabor Couch and QLD Blue Couch
Total maintained area of fine turf: 50Ha
Bunkers: 84
Greens age/construction type: 1-5 years – USGA Specification
Average size of greens: 500m2 – 1.2Ha Total
Irrigation system: Toro Electric/Hydraulic – Toro Sitepro controller.
Tournament Preparation
Projected tournament heights of cut (correct as of 16 October 2017):
• Greens: 2.75mm
• Surrounds: 10mm
• Tees: 10mm
• Fairways: 12mm
• Roughs: 50mm
Projected tournament course preparations:
Greens: Single cut and Roll each morning. Maintain 11ft on Stimp meter
Surrounds: Single cut each morning
Tees: Single cut each morning
Fairways: Single cut each morning
Roughs: N/A
Bunkers: Base level and Broom faces each morning
Watering: Hand water greens as required to maintain 20% moisture within soil profile.
Turf management practices carried out in the lead-up to the tournament:
• Course largely maintained to Members standard. Only additional maintenance outside of set programs was mulching of key gardens.
• Greens, Tees and selected areas on Fairway were solid tined.
• Greens nutrition – Monthly slow release granular fertiliser and Wetting agent applications. Weekly foliar fertiliser and Plant Growth Regulator applications.
• Slow release granular fertiliser applied to Tees, Fairways, Aprons and Primary Rough, Additional foliar and plant growth regulator applications and Monthly Wetting agent applications
• Greens, Tees and Aprons –were Groomed and Dusted at fortnightly intervals.
• Mulching of Key Garden beds
Machinery Fleet:
• Greens: 6 x Toro Flex 2100 walk behind
• Tees/Collars: 2 x 3420 Toro Tri-Flex
• Fairways: 1 x Toro 5010-H & 1 x Toro-7000
• Rough – 1 x Toro Sidewinder, 1 x Toro 360, 1 x Toro 4700
• Transport vehicles: 4 x John Deere Gators, 2 x Club Car Carry-alls, 1 x Toro Workman
• Rollers: 2 x Toro 1240
• Additional equipment brought in for the tournament: Supplied by Toro Australia – 1 x 5010-H Fairway mower, 1 x 3420 Tri-flex tees and Aprons mower, 2 x Toro Flex 2120, 1 x Toro Workman utility.