Course Update
As described in the previous course update work to clear the hazard on the right hand side of the 4th hole has now been completed. The work took a day or so longer than expected and we were very grateful for your cooperation whilst the course was non-qualifying. It is fair to say the clearance has made a big difference to the appearance of the 4th. Although removing the older trees and brush etc has left it tidier the primary reason for the work is it’s importance as part the wider drainage plans across this section of the course.
Around the time of the AGM some details of the plan were shared with you all based on the diagram above. This broadly shows the direction that water follows across this section of the front and back 9. The survey carried out by FRA, the water management specialists in August 2025, provided a lot more detail on this. One of their recommendations was to clear the area between the 4th/8th so the pipe that runs from there underneath the 4th fairway can be properly investigated (in yellow on the diagram below). FRA will be back on site to do this in the next few weeks.
Another recommendation from FRA was to redirect the water that exits the 10th hazard into the ravine on the left of 10th. The plan is to redirect this from the front of the 10th hazard with a new drainage system that will run under the fairway and handle the volume of water that is likely to flow down from the 8th, 4th, and 18th. Again this is described in the diagram above with the planned new pipe in yellow.
More detail on the drainage plans will be shared following the FRA survey of the pipe under the 4th fairway.
Greens over seeding and ironing
Every season all of our putting surfaces are over seeded with approximately 3kg of pure bent grass on each green. This would typically be done with a manual spreader that effectively throws the seed onto the surface. This year the process is being done using a piece of machinery that embeds the seed 8-10mm into the surface of the green. This not only means far less seed is wasted by being blown away or eaten by wild life, it also means the seed is likely to germinate and enhance the quality of the putting surface sooner.
The greens were ironed after the over seeding machine had been on them to smooth the surfaces out. The greens will continue to improve as a result of this important process. As ever, it helps everyone concerned about the quality of the putting surfaces when pitch marks are repaired. This is now referred to in each morning’s Club V1 course status update. However over the next few weeks these signs will be on the course as a gentle reminder too.
The next course update to follow Greens Committee meeting week commencing 18th May