Erewash Valley Golf Club, a members-owned course in Stanton by Dale, is renowned for its challenging layout and scenic beauty. Founded in 1905, this historic club, which expanded to an 18-hole course by 1907, is nestled within 165 acres of prime parkland, offering tree-lined fairways, enchanting views, and the famed ‘Quarry Holes’.

Maintaining the high standards expected of such a prestigious club requires constant attention and expertise—qualities that Christian Johnson (CJ) has in abundance. CJ joined Erewash Valley as Golf Course Manager in June 2021 with a wealth of experience gained from Kedleston Park Golf Club, Chesterfield Golf Club, Coxmoor Golf Club and Stanedge Golf Club. Upon his arrival, he found that the greens were already in good condition, but there was still room for improvement. Determined to elevate the playing experience, CJ turned to Mark Robinson, a Technical Sales Representative from Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), with whom he had a long-standing professional relationship.

“Mark has been my trusted advisor for many years,” CJ says. “He understands the needs of our course and has put together a nutritional greens programme that is giving us great results.” This partnership has proven instrumental in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the greens, ensuring that they meet the expectations of both members and visitors.

The comprehensive nutritional programme designed by OAS is at the heart of these improvements. CJ’s goal is straightforward. “I need a programme that keeps the greens consistent for the players, and as healthy as possible. The OAS products work well. They have raised the standard of the greens which are growing at a nice rate, and the colour is good—nice and green, with no yellowing, like you can get with some products.”

CJ is supported by an experienced greenkeeping team, which consists of five full-time and two part-time members. The team follows a meticulously planned renovation schedule, conducted twice a year in March and September. A critical component of the pre-renovation phase is the application of OAS’s Cold Start Granules, which are used at the end of February to prepare the greens for the intensive work ahead. CJ explains, “Cold Start Granules are a great product that gives the turf a boost before our renovation works. We apply it and let it settle in for two weeks before we hollow core. It gets into the plant before we do any major work, aiding recovery and giving it a kick-start. This is a great product with impressive results.”

As the season transitions into summer, CJ shifts focus to a liquid feeding programme that sees the team applying every ten to twelve days from May through to September/October. It includes Microdyne, an all-in-one organic formulation packed with micro and macronutrients, chelated irons, amino acids, and biostimulants. CJ explains, “The programme starts with Microdyne combined with Nutri-Link Base and Nutri-Link Green, which promotes sward density, wear resistance, disease tolerance and enhanced green-up for excellent surface presentation.”  This nutrient-rich combination is crucial for maintaining the lush, healthy appearance of the greens throughout the warmer months.

Following this initial treatment, and after a ten-to-twelve-day gap, CJ’s team applies Breaker Bio Links, a wetting agent that ensures efficient water management. “Breaker Bio Links is especially useful during dry spells,” CJ explains. “It drags the water to the root of the plant instead of staying on the surface. We haven’t had any dry patches this year, which is impressive considering the warmer weather.” Symbio CMS Shoot is incorporated into this treatment – an organic fertiliser and biostimulant designed to support cool-season growth and improve seed germination.

The third application of the summer regime is a mix of Nutri-Link Root and Nutri-Link Revive, which together boost root development, alleviate stress, enhance plant recovery and stimulate microbial activity. “The programme is about ensuring that the greens are in peak condition for our players, even during the stresses of summer,” CJ emphasises.

As the summer gives way to autumn and winter, the greens require a different kind of care. To protect them from the harsher conditions and disease, CJ relies on the 20-20-30 tank mix, a non-pesticidal blend combining Turfite Elite, Liquid Turf Hardener, Seamac Proturf, and Mantle®. This mix has become a cornerstone of the winter maintenance programme. “I’m most impressed with how the greens have performed over winter using this product,” CJ says. “They have kept their colour and prevented an outbreak of Fusarium disease. We’ve seen hardly any disease, which is a vast improvement. 20-20-30 has really helped our greens. We haven’t suffered turf loss. It’s the best I’ve seen the greens look.”

CJ and his team also focus on maintaining the tees, regularly using OAS R9 grass seed and R8 on divots which they sow with an 80/20 soil and sand blend. The durability and hard-wearing nature of this mix produce excellent results. “It’s a reliable solution that keeps the tees looking great even with regular play,” CJ comments.

The results of this meticulous approach to greenkeeping are evident to anyone who visits the Erewash Valley course. The greens are consistently vibrant, healthy, and resilient, providing a playing surface that meets the high standards expected by the members. CJ’s collaboration with Mark Robinson and Origin Amenity Solutions has been crucial in achieving this level of excellence. “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” CJ says reflecting on the success of the programme. “We always get really good results by following Mark’s advice which is why OAS is our primary supplier.”

If you would like to speak to OAS call them on 0800 138 1722