GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
JULY 2025
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Following on from the last Golf Course Superintendent’s Newsletter, which was designed to keep you up to date with all the important maintenance procedures which were scheduled to take place on the Indiana course during quarter two, we are pleased to be able to give you an update on the works carried out and to inform you of the schedule of works which shall take place through the third quarter of 2025.
QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE UPDATE
Cleaning of Desert Native Areas and Detailing of All Areas
Significant improvements have been achieved over the last quarter in enhancing the desert areas of the Indiana course, with key developments including:
- Hole 1: Cleaning of the entire contour of the green complex. The weeds have been removed from the outer perimeter, leaving incredible views of the cliffs.
- Hole 10: Cleaning and clearing of the river that separates the fairway from the green complex. All trees have been pruned and raised, weeds have been removed, and the area has been treated with herbicide.
- Hole 11: Complete clearing and cleaning of the right-hand side of the hole and behind the green complex. The trees and bushes have been pruned and raised, the dry riverbeds and rockeries have been cleaned, and some new cacti have been introduced.
- Hole 12: Progress and completion of details. The mounds behind the green complex and the rivers to the right of the women´s tee have been cleared. Cactus replanting has also been completed.
- Hole 13: Cacti and other plants adapted to the desert climate have been planted in the variable high and rocky areas of the hole.
- Hole 14: Complete reconditioning plus replanting within the desert areas around the tees. New cacti and plants have been planted, boulders have been placed on the lake shore next to the tee area, oleanders and cacti from our nursery have been transplanted, the wooden bridge has been repaired and varnished.
Hole 1: Cleaning and improving views on the green complex.
Hole 10: Completion of tree pruning with the area cleared of weeds and the reestablishment of the dry riverbeds
Hole 11: The desert areas have been completely reconditioned to the right of the hole
Hole 12: Cleaning and improving the overall presentation of the hole
Other important advances achieved in improving the presentation of the golf course include:
- Wooden stakes to define cart paths and protect the desert areas. We have introduced more stakes on holes 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, and some sections of holes that were pending. The programme will be completed by the end of July.
- Improvements to the width and utilisation of the 18th Championship tee box have been made. Cactus have been pruned to increase the tee´s playable surface area on the right side.
- The overall condition of the Driving range has improved. The fairway and rough have been split, verticalized and top-dressed to improve their health. Within a few days, the improvement in density, uniformity, and colour has been noticeable.
- Bunker improvement. Sand has been added and most of the course´s bunkers have been laminated, improving their quality and appearance.
- Irrigation improvements. The green complex on hole 1 has been completely renovated and will improve the appearance and quality of the turf.
- The turf on bunker slopes, previously in poor condition, has seen a marked improvement. Paspalum sod has been installed in areas where the grass lacked density and uniformity, significantly enhancing the overall quality and appearance.
- Paspalum contamination is being removed from all putting greens. To maintain optimal playing conditions and turf quality, only one grass species—Bentgrass—will be retained on the greens. Bentgrass sod is being used to replace contaminated areas as part of this standardisation effort.
- Conversion of fairway rough to Paspalum. A new conversion method using paspalum cuttings has been tested and has been successful.
- Aeration and topdressing operations are underway across the entire golf course, focusing on fairways and roughs. The team is verticutting with the Sisis unit, aerating and decompacting the soil using the Verti-Drain, and applying topdressing. These practices aim to improve soil structure and promote overall turf health, ensuring the golf course continues to meet and exceed quality standards.
- The original putting green has been overseeded with seeded Paspalum as part of a trial to evaluate the potential future conversion of greens from Bentgrass to Paspalum, should environmental or agronomic conditions necessitate such a change.
Fairways
The turfgrass in these playing areas is currently in excellent condition. Nevertheless, as part of our annual maintenance programme, we are conducting scheduled aeration and topdressing to further enhance turf performance. This essential work improves soil structure and overall plant health, contributing to even better presentation and playability.
During the summer months, fairway maintenance includes weekly mowing at a height of 10mm, foliar applications of nutrients and biostimulants every 3 to 4 weeks, and monthly applications of wetting agents and insecticides, among other practices.
Roughs
Overall, the rough is in good condition—showing marked improvement compared to the same period last year. It is withstanding the current high temperatures well, and the ongoing conversion to Paspalum continues to make steady progress. Areas still dominated by fescue are declining significantly under heat stress, which, while a short-term concern, is expected to accelerate Paspalum colonization in those zones.
Our objective remains to sustain rough quality throughout the summer. Beginning in September, we will initiate aeration and topdressing of the approaches to the greens to enhance both presentation and playability. Fairway roughs are also being aerated and top-dressed in conjunction with the fairways.
Greens
The greens have been in excellent condition over the past few months. The scheduled hollow-tine aeration was successfully completed, followed by mid-May topdressing of the greens and collars. This year’s aeration programme has progressed smoothly, with each stage executed without incident. Within two weeks of aeration, the holes had closed.
Our objective for the summer of 2025 is to maintain the greens at peak performance while minimising any unnecessary stress. To achieve this, we are applying a targeted programme that includes elicitors, liquid fertilizers, biostimulants, surfactants, growth regulators, trace elements, and localised irrigation using hoses. Additionally, we will carry out micro solid-tine aeration and verticutting, followed by light topdressing every 2–4 weeks. These practices will help manage thatch levels, improve surface firmness, and sustain optimal green speed.
Tees
The tees are currently maintained at an exceptionally high standard. To preserve—and potentially enhance—this level of quality, we will continue with targeted cultural practices. This includes re-aerating the tees using solid tines, followed by topdressing.
Tee maintenance is carried out almost daily, and the application of divot mix ensures rapid recovery. As a result, teeing surfaces are performing at an excellent level and are well-prepared to meet daily play demands.
UPCOMING COURSE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
Cleaning of Desert Native Areas and Detailing of All Areas
The golf course maintenance team remains committed to enhancing the desert areas. Our upcoming projects include:
- Thorough improvement initiatives for holes 7, 12, and 14. In these locations, we will clear desert areas of weeds, repair pathways and bridges, and replant with aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance native plants suited to Almeria’s climate. All existing olive trees and other trees will be pruned, and irrigation enhancements will be implemented to further improve turfgrass quality. Our approach will initially focus on these specific holes, with future expansion across the entire course.
- Continued improvement on Hole 1, specifically repopulating tee complexes with carefully selected plant material. Our goal is to eliminate invasive species, encourage native plant growth, and preserve indigenous habitats, thereby creating visually appealing and environmentally sustainable areas. This project or work will be carried out gradually. The first thing we will do is go over the entire hole, pruning and thinning trees and shrubs, clearing weeds, and applying herbicide treatments to the areas surrounding the cacti and rockeries.
- Consistent with our ongoing environmental initiatives, we will continue restricting access to certain native desert zones around the course. This strategy is vital for protecting and encouraging the natural development of native wildlife and plant species. Additionally, access restrictions will remain in place on all par 3 holes, and temporarily on select holes experiencing compaction issues, allowing for effective recovery and enhancing their presentation
Ongoing Course Improvements
Additional planned course enhancements:
- Academy short-game practice area upgrades, including the reconstruction of Palm Springs Creek featuring a functional water fountain. This project is scheduled tentatively for completion during the upcoming winter months.
- Golf course signage improvements, which have already seen significant progress. Completion of remaining signs is ongoing. The conditioning and improvement of the coloured stakes that indicate the distance from each hole to the green is the next priority.
- Upgrading the appearance and functionality of course furniture, such as wagon wheel chairs, ball washers, bins, and sandboxes. Substantial progress has been made, with remaining details targeted for completion.
- Irrigation and drainage enhancements across the golf course with the next irrigation upgrade scheduled for holes 17 and 18.
- Repairs and upgrades to roads, bridges, and wooden walkways. Projects include replacing and repairing wooden structures that are in poor condition.
2025 Greens Hollow Coring Dates
In the knowledge that all Property Owners and Members need to have as much notice as possible concerning particular aspects of the golf course maintenance schedule that may temporarily affect the playing conditions of the green’s surface, thus enabling them to plan particular holidays, accordingly, please see below the hollow coring dates in 2026.
- Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th of May
You will be able to keep up to date with the full tournament and social calendar, format and any additions, information of how to enter, and much more, by visiting either our official website desertspringsresort.es or by contacting the Resort Reception at Desert Springs.
We and the staff at Desert Springs are looking forward to seeing you on the Indiana course in the near future.
As always please remember to fix your ball marks and replace your divots.
Kind regards,
Ricardo Gonzalez-Carrascosa Almenara
Golf Course Superintendent
