The men’s Australian Open makes a highly anticipated return to Royal Melbourne Golf Club this December, with the iconic Composite Course hosting the tournament after a 34-year hiatus. Starting in the 17 October edition of The Cut, Royal Melbourne links crew members Michael Clavin (West Course assistant) and Mat Isbester (East Course assistant) kicked off a series of regular updates that will provide an insight into course preparations as the tournament nears.  

Read on below for the latest update...

Another week has flown by as we edge closer to tournament week with just 30 days to go! The final of the Club Championships was held on the Composite Course last Sunday, with a typical Melbourne mix bag of weather. The team did a fantastic job preparing the course to a high standard, with a big effort going into bunker presentation leading into the weekend. The greens were firm and smooth for the morning round, but matches were interrupted later in the day with a 32mm downpour! The last of the matches was completed at 8pm making a long day for those involved.

As for our Open preparations, product applications across all surfaces are continuing at high frequency and this week has been no exception. This week’s schedule included:
•    Monday: Two applications – the same fungicide and wetting agent mix used on fairways last week was applied to the tees, while phosphite was applied to tournament fairways.
•    Tuesday: A busy morning involved two foliar applications on the fairways targeting couchgrass health. Due to compatibility issues, we ran two separate treatments, one a treatment including calcium and kelp, another a humate application. 
•    Thursday: Insecticide and penetrant applications were made to greens and surrounds targeting pest and insect prevention.

 With a focus on reducing water holding and encouraging deeper rooting ahead of the warmer months, we’ve continued using the TopChanger on selected green surrounds and low-lying areas that tend to retain moisture. 

Tournament builds will commence on Monday (3 November) with the scaffolding platform for the 18th hospitality area among the first to be erected. Connecting a water supply to the various hospitality, catering and toilet facilities has been underway this week. Cutting back and uplifting treelines is continuing to provide the best possible access for gallery and tournament build. 

With turf growth increasing, our attention is turning to finer details including spot sanding and surface repairs across all areas, tidying bunker edges and refining green surfaces to ensure full coverage and the smoothest playing conditions possible. The team’s excitement is building by the day, working hard and eager to see how the pros take on the course we’ve worked so hard to prepare. 

Michael Clavin (Assistant - West Course) 

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO READ EARLIER RMGC COURSE UPDATES

Week 1 (17 OCTOBER): Exciting (and busy) times ahead for RMGC crew READ...
Week 2 (24 OCTOBER): Welcome rain freshens up Composite Course READ...