Friday 26 February 2016

A monumental effort from Ryan & James

This week has been a back breaking week. Ryan & James (and me too!) have shifted nearly 25 trailer loads of logs from the 4th & 7th holes. In addition, we have shifted 8 piles of woodchips too. It's fair to say we are a bit tired this week!!


The logs had to be moved quickly and without causing too much damage to the course. Therefore, we have created a number of tidily stacked log piles in and around the woodland between 4, 6 and 7. They are out of play, have been moved away from holes 4 & 7 and will serve as habitats for insects and small animals.

It is interesting to see how the area between the 4th and 7th has developed over the last few weeks. Enjoy (or not!) the photos below:





We hope to clear the remaining debris next week. Most of the logs that remain are just too heavy to lift between us and so we will use the bucket of our front loader tractor to assist.

We have also turfed over the 4th fairway bunker and it looks pretty ok really.


All greens have been cut this week. Greens 1-7 and the chipping area green are in fairly decent order. Greens 8 and 9 are showing the effects of a wet winter due to their poorer drainage capabilities.

It was a welcome dry week - the first we have had all winter. Better late than never! Hopefully, we will get the chance to get some mowing done next week as long as it remains dry. We will also re-turf the 7th white tee next week.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather/your golf/both!

Friday 19 February 2016

Breaking news....18th tee turfed!!!!


Well then. What can I say? We had a delivery of turf this week and we had a dry day after it which allowed us to get the turf laid without rain halting play.

I have felt that someone was having a bit of a laugh at our expense with regard to the 18th tee. The appalling weather of the last 2 months has continually scuppered our hopes of getting it turfed. However, it is now down and a good 4-6 weeks should get the turf rooted in nicely for the new season.


The ground frosts of late have helped counter the wet weather and enabled us to get golf out on the course. The temporary greens have been just too wet to cut so apologies for any inconvenience.

We have started work this Friday preparing the area by the 1st tee that will become a stunning memorial garden. Once complete, it will be a fitting tribute to founder members and those who are sadly no longer with us. 

Please be patient and we hope to get this finished soon.

I will keep my fingers crossed for a dry weekend of weather. If you do get chance to play, enjoy it (if that is possible!). Regardless, have a great weekend!

Saturday 13 February 2016

Path work started


This week we have taken the opportunity to start work on the new path by the 1st tee. We excavated the soil with a mini digger. 

As our tractor is away for repair, we have no trailer to load material into so we had to use our utility buggy. Doing this still gets the job done but it just takes more time. 


The need to press on with the work meant that one person was always using the mini digger and another was always tipping. Sometimes not having a useful bit of kit like the tractor & trailer can add so much extra time to a project.

Despite this, we managed to get much of the m.o.t. base down and we should finish this early next week.

We have been asked by members about course closure due to rain. Since January, we have not, until this week, had more than 2 consecutive dry days of weather without the third day being a day of rain.

Consider this with us being hit by 24-25 inches of rain this winter, it is hardly surprising why the course has been closed frequently and why we have been prevented from getting winter project work completed sooner.

We work in an uncontrolled environment that is exposed to the elements. There is no roof keeping the rain off. We are greenkeepers not miracle workers!!

We are also just as disappointed that we have to close the course and that the drainage capabilities of fairways & rough areas are not sufficient to deal with unprecedented rainfall. 

We hope dry weather arrives soon. It has really been the most miserable winter. 

If you do play this weekend, enjoy your golf!!!

Frost on golf greens - please watch & understand

http://youtu.be/zkoWWrHzuAg

Friday 5 February 2016

Storms before the calm


The winter just gets, well, wetter. 24 inches have been bequeathed to our golf course from the very kind Mother Nature. 

So unfortunately, the golf course remains a tad wet. The greens have held up really well to the persistent cats & dogs. Getting to them is the challenge at the moment. 

We are just praying for a dry period at the moment so that our work can continue uninterrupted and also so that members can get out and play some golf.

In the meantime, the 4th hole has been much improved due to the tree felling carried out by a local contractor. The poplars that have been removed were coming to the end of their lifespan anyway. Now, this hole provides more bail out from both the 4th & 13th tees and it is hoped that golfers will enjoy the improved playability and fairness of this hole.



We will do our best with the clear up of logs and debris as soon as possible. There is a fair amount of clearing still remaining. 16 trailer loads of logs and all the original piles of wood chippings were cleared early this week. However, more arrived soon afterward!! 




The bunker between the fairway and approach on the 3rd hole has now been removed and levelled. This will now open up this side of the hole and encourage golfers to play more down the centre and right of this hole - and away from the houses on the left boundary edge.

We also managed to finish the turfing of the first fairway bunker on the 3rd hole. It looks absolutely fantastic and the bunkering that has been completed on the 3rd hole this winter really gives this hole a modern, strategic dimension.



Please rest assured that although the golf course still has work remaining to finish, this will be completed in due course and the improvements to the golf course over the last 2 years will undoubtedly transform the playability, maintenance and aesthetic appeal of the golf course.

Have a great weekend!



Early season greens renovations

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