Bowling Green Maintenance

Regular weekly maintenance of the green.

Keeping the bowling green in first class condition for the playing season is an all year round team effort. During the growing season it involves cutting at least three times a week at between 4 to 6 mm in order to have a really good bowling surface. 

Fortunately we have three teams of club members who volunteer their time, and weather permitting we manage to keep the green in great shape for roll ups and matches. Green maintenance occurs during the mornings and briefly comprises swishing the grass to remove any excess worm casts, then cutting with the large mower whilst another team member cuts the perimeter with the smaller mower and trims the edges with a special edge cutting wheel. Finally the green is swished again for a perfect playing finish. 

In addition to this we engage the services of Avonmore, a firm of green specialists. They attend to the green throughout the year treating the grass with moss killer, fertiliser and pest control as needed. 

They have a range of specialist machines to scarify the lawn to remove excess thatch, a slit tine and solid tine machine to spike the surface and a hollow core machine which removes small cores of soil which are then filled with a sandy top dressing to improve the drainage of the soil. 

As part of the treatment at the end of the bowling season approximately six tons of top dressing is spread across the surface of the green to fill any bumps and dips that have occurred during the playing season. This tends to happen especially around the edges where bowlers congregate awaiting their turn to bowl.  The green is also regularly brushed and maintained, removing any debris and damage caused by little digging critters and foxes. 

We are very grateful to all the club members who participate in the regular weekly maintenance of the green. If you are interested in becoming part of one of the teams please let us know. 

Chris Fairful, Green Co-ordinator  & The Green Team.