Tuesday, 2 January 2018

Course Update 02/01/2018


Course Update 02/01/2018

Apologies for the delay since my last update, but I have been busy with the two tees on the 5th & 6th, tree work on the 1st, building new bridges, gorse clearance and employing a new Deputy. I very much hope you have had a good festive period and like me, are looking forward to a successful 2018.

Just thought I would start with a quick re-cap of 2017.

I took over temporarily in March and handed the reins for a few months while the Head Greenkeeper's position was advertised. Having applied, and then going through a thorough interview process along with other candidates, I was delighted to be appointed to the role. 

I have added three new faces to our team this year, including my new Deputy Matt who has come from Remedy Oak and has previously worked at Wentworth and Ferndown. He started today and is keen to help the rest of the team and I, to continue to raise the bar in terms of course presentation.

With the course, we have many ideas that I would like to achieve, which will all take time but you may have seen a few through the year from run offs to improved fairway surfaces to different cutting lines. I was very pleased with the surfaces during the summer and feel the greens are in the best condition I have  seen them in for years. My main enjoyment from this year has been the fairway conditions, as I have said in one of my previous blogs, we have changed the maintenance practices to the fairways which they have never had before and have benefited from greatly. I am also pleased  that the Committee have supported my plans for grass boxes to be added to our fairway mower. This means we can collect the grass clippings and not just leave them on the fairway to rot down and cause problems. Removing the grass clipping will also help tidy up the fairways visually but will help with thatch, drainage and bringing back the finer grasses to them.

The staff and I have enjoyed the positive and appreciative comments coming from members and visitors, it goes a long way to boosting staff morale so thank you to those who take the time to do this. We are also pleased that some visits this July by a number of review panellists have seen us climb a number of places in all lists and whilst much much more remains to be done, It does help show just what a great course we have and how we are on the right path with it.

NEW TEE BUILDS

As you will all have seen the tees we have built have gone well. There are some finishing jobs to be completed but we are 90% of the way there now.

5th

I am very happy with the way the new tee has blended in with the existing teeing platforms. It may not be the biggest of tees but it fits in well and gives us that extra teeing ground we need in the winter months. The fescue/Bent turf purchased in that we have used for the teeing ground is of excellent quality and will bed in lovely in the coming months. Another interesting point of note is the turf around the tee, (and also the end of the path) has been harvested from the practice ground where we have found some beautiful grasses where we apply no fertiliser at all. 


6th

I am also very happy with the way this tee has gone. A slightly bigger project than the 5th but everyone likes a challenge! I was asked several times, 'why have you removed all of the turf and not just added to the existing tee?
  • The new turf would not match the existing turf. (grass species)
  • The levels in the existing tee weren't good enough.
  • The old tee turf had had to much wear from a busy summer.

We are currently installing an oak sleeper edge along the tee which will have a path material up to it. As you will have seen in a recent email from Ed, the options for the whole of this path are currently being assessed.  


WET WEATHER

With the weather that we have been having over the past week you will be aware that we have had trolley and green restrictions in place. We do try our best to keep these to a minimum but we feel it will benefit the course in the long run as we will avoid major damage and avoid high traffic areas becoming slippery and unsafe. Once a dry 24 hours comes along, I will get the course back fully open as soon as I can.

Its not looking to good for the rest of this week with the rain and then getting colder for the weekend. but hopefully we will have some respite soon. Please keep your fingers crossed!



NOT LONG TILL THE SUMMER



Just thought I would add a pic to cheer you all up and remind you what the course looks like in the summer!!









Many thanks for reading and may I wish you a great golfing 2018, from me and all the Green Staff.


Friday 1st March

Course Update At last the bunkers on 10 &11 have got sand in I hear you say!!! We feel the same, there has been a lot o...