Head greenkeeper Jamie Melham is hailing the success of a tripartite venture to optimise turf health at one of the finest golf courses in Sussex, Highwoods Golf Club.
Jamie teamed up with specialist Consolidate Turf’s Rob Welford and the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), bringing into play his own 20 years’ experience to enhance the health and aesthetics of the golf course.
Jamie began greenkeeping at Dale Hill and Lamberhurst before joining Highwoods, where he has been for more than eight years, leading a six-strong greens team. His role involves not only course maintenance but also continuously experimenting with and refining turf management practices in his mission to understand the science behind turf health.
Jamie’s work with specialist Rob Welford from Consolidate Turf teed off three years ago and has helped transform nutrient management at the club. Rob’s expertise, support and use of Consolidate products played a key part in course presentation when Highwoods celebrated its centenary in 2024.
Prill size issue
Jamie had faced inconsistency in fertiliser prill size from a different supplier. Initially, Rob assessed the golf course’s overall plant health, leading to the transition from granular to liquid fertilisers for more consistent results, using Consolidate Plus to kickstart the greens early in the season – a successful approach for three consecutive seasons.
“I began by applying the products to the approach areas and soon extended their use to the greens,” Jamie explains. “I am now on a full annual package of liquids, including seaweed, potassium, magnesium and other nutrients, which are customised yearly to meet our need for growth, colour and overall turf health.”
Rob adds: “Like all our customers, Jamie has a bespoke programme. Use of our nitrogen source gives the turf an efficient food source to make the building blocks of proteins and amino acids to deliver healthy results on the greens without any of the associated drawbacks of conventional nitrogen sources.”
The liquids provide the control needed to deliver the correct dosage. We do leaf analysis to check the plant is receiving everything it needs. This is coupled with a programme for approaches and fairways, tailored for his individual needs and requirements in these different areas.
Consistent progress
For approaches, Jamie maintains a three-weekly treatment schedule, replicated in winter to prevent disease. “The results speak for themselves,” says Jamie, “with consistent progress across every area treated, including improvements in colour, grass strength and wearability, less disease and faster recovery.”
He’s now expanded these practices to the fairways, using Consolidate products across all key areas of the course and adjusting based on Rob’s recommendations.
Jamie also incorporates feedback from the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) into his maintenance programme. STRI provides annual soil analysis, which Jamie and Rob review to adjust the nutrient regime as necessary. The linkup ensures turf management practices evolve based on scientific data.
Structured, scientific turf management, Rob’s products and STRI’s analysis reassure the club’s board, allowing Jamie to focus on maintaining his own ambitious standards.
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