POA Reduction Project
The project got underway in October. This project is in conjunction with enlarging the dams at Steenberg to improve water sustainability, by using less water and having a larger holding capacity on site.
Reducing the POA annua footprint on the golf course and storing more water on the property allows the golf course to have more extended water security in the worst-case scenario.
The benefits of having a kikuyu golf course vs a POA annua golf course are the following:
- Kikuyu does not require as much water as the poa annua.
- Kikuyu has a deep root system where the plant is more drought tolerant.
- Kikuyu is disease resistant compared to poa annua.
- Playability on uniform kikuyu outweighs poa annua.
- Kikuyu doesn’t require as much fertilizer compared to poa annua.
During the poa reduction project, the following steps are to be taken:
- The turf is to be stripped on one par 3 at a time. (All four par 3’s included in the project)
- Poa annua material to be discarded and mounding created right of the 2nd hole, driving range, and potentially back right of the 16th green.
- Poa areas are to be rotavated and prepped for Kikuyu sprigging once the sprig is harvested.
- Sodding around features, such as bunkers etc.
- Fertilise.
- Grow in.
- Water management.