Course Update
Just prior to the AGM and the Course Review we shared a Course Update describing the planned pre-season work on the putting greens. Part of this during the week beginning 22nd March was the deep scarification of the putting greens. This requires specialist machinery that is usually hired in. This year we hired both the machinery and operators themselves. Unfortunately, for to reasons beyond our control the machinery stopped functioning during it’s second day on site. Fortunately we were able to use our own machinery to carry other important work such as aeration, applying fertiliser and rolling. The deep scarifying work will now be completed week beginning 20th April, which was already scheduled as a course work week. As this part of the work is completed by the contractors the rest of the green keeping team will be following up with top dressing, brushing in, and crucially over seeding with pure bent grass seed.
This is identical to the process that proved so successful for us last year.
The over seeding process will make a massive difference once the greens subsoil and top layer have been properly prepped to receive it for germination. As the average temperature increases in both air and soil this seed will grow through with strength and produce excellent putting surfaces for the rest of the season. As ever, if everyone playing the course can help to maintain the greens by repairing pitch marks that will be greatly appreciated.
The work on the RHS 1tth greenside bunker is nearing completion. This has taken a little longer than expected as the drainage required more ground work and materials but this part of the renovation has now been completed. The areas around the bunker are nearly ready for turf to be laid, the lining placed and sand to fill.
As noted above the likelihood is that the 11th bunker’s completion will be around the beginning of the course work week, 20th April. During this week the entire team will be largely dedicated to ensuring the work on the putting greens is fully completed. Due to the delay in completing the 11th bunker it has been decided to postpone the work on 14th fairway bunkers to the end of the season to avoid potential disruption Instead following the course work week there will be some astro moved into position ready to lay on some areas of the back 9 paths, starting with the LHS of 11th.
Finally, we are pleased to confirm the next phase of the course drainage works will start in earnest from late April. Mole ploughing will be used across the back 9 and important tree clearance work between the 4th and 8th holes will be completed week beginning 4th May. More detail on this will be in our next update.