Course Update
With the recent rise in temperatures, the grass across the course is growing rapidly. Our greens team is working diligently to maintain all playing areas to the highest standards.
Most importantly, the work on the putting greens is coming to fruition. The pure bent grass over seeded into the greens profile is germinating well, which will ensure smooth and true surfaces throughout the summer and into autumn.
The gallery above displays the 17th green during the over seeding process on May 12th, showing the 6mm troughs where the material was applied. For comparison, also included are images taken 12 days later on the morning of May 24th, which show the healthy grass being mown to 3.5mm.
Moving forward, our maintenance program will focus on a combination of mowing, vibro-rolling, ironing, and light top dressing to effectively control organic matter levels.
The gallery below shows just how much things have changed in the past week. We have gone from overnight temperatures of below 5 degrees Celsius that made watering counter productive to having to water twice a day because of the increases both daytime and overnight. Thanks go to the greens team for monitoring this so closely and ensuring the greens cope with the sudden change.
As referenced in previous Course Updates the RHS 11th green side bunker became a bigger project the first planned because of additional drainage work. The team have persevered and again, because the temperatures will now promote root growth the turf has been laid on the new front section. Please take extra care around the area for a few more weeks yet as it beds in.
The next phase of work around the penalty areas between 4th/8th holes will begin next week as the drainage contractors visit to survey the drain that runs under the 4th fairway and into the 18th. This will then inform planning for the development of the area. We hope to have feedback from the contractor in time for the next Greens Committee meeting and will share an update following this.
Important information on OOB on 10th/11th holes from Handicap Chair – David Round
With the new path being laid to the left hand side of the 11th hole it has been necessary to review the OOB stakes due to there being insufficient room to take a drop to the left of the path. Therefore the OOB stakes have been moved in slightly to the left hand edge of the path, leaving the path in bounds. A ball lying on the path may be played as it lies or free relief taken under rule 16.1 (drop within one club length of nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole) on the RHS of the path. Where the OOB has been moved from the old boundary/ditch between the public right of way access point and the 12th tee, the change is designated by 2no. parallel stakes.A similar change has been made to the 10th hole in the area of the laurel bushes where previously there was a small strip of grass between the path and OOB. From the start of the Laurel bushes the OOB stakes have now been placed at the LH edge of the path so all free relief is taken to the right of the path.David Round07862 029919