Greens 5 & 8

As we approach April and the traditional start of the new golfing season, I am receiving more questions from members as to when play will resume on the 5th & 8th greens. 

Members are right to ask and I feel that I have addressed their concerns in a consistent manner. However, for those of you who still feel out of the loop, I will try to explain!

The 5th green has had a soil analysis done (along with greens 4, 6 & 8) to test for nutrient levels and soil pH. I wanted to determine if this green had any nutrient deficiencies. The results show no abnormalities. 

So I have had every green from 1-9 sampled to check for organic matter percentages. This will tell us if there are underlying thatch problems that need to be addressed. I am still awaiting those results but I will keep you all informed via the blog. 

I am convinced however (but am happy to be proven wrong!!) that the trees to the left of the 5th green are causing shade issues. This causes decreased, slower growth compared to the more exposed greens. The general principles of Photosynthesis dictate that grass needs adequate sunlight for basic growth and I feel this is being affected in this area. Tree thinning work over time will alleviate this. We aim to get this green back into play in the next 2 weeks.

The 8th green, likewise, has had soil samples taken for testing. The problems with this green are more clear cut. It is constructed upon clay. Clay naturally retains water and has poor drainage characteristics. We aim to tackle this problem by hollow coring (removing cores of clay) and backfilling the holes with sand. In addition, we will verti-drain this green soon, and also backfill the holes with sand. 

To give you an idea of the soil profile at the 8th, I removed a plug with the hole cutter. The photo below demonstrates this to good effect: 

I have also left a couple of these plugs at the back of the 8th green for you to look at during your round.

At this moment in time, I do not wish to risk the long term playability of this green just for the sake of a couple more weeks. The persistent rain that we are experiencing obviously doesn't help but hopefully we shall get a prolonged dry spell soon! It will be in play just before Captain's Drive In and thereafter, the hard work shall begin on this green. Please bear with us for the time being.

Have a great weekend.