The Course

Since my last report the drainage work has continued at a steady pace completing the 10th, 11th, 7th, 9th, 17th and 13th. The weather has been kind to us also allowing the contractors to move around the site in a tidier manner.

The contractors have been installing the drains to the greens and we have been sand banding the green levelling off the rootzone and putting the turf down.

The work so far is going well concentrating on the Greens that are the worst first. Once the work is complete on all the greens, they will then move onto the main runs from the greens to the positive outlets (the 9th and 7th is the only outfall that has been connected so far).

The 14th will be the next green to be started, the 5th will be the next green after that If the green is dry enough and then after that the 3rd and 4th will be drained. The remainder of the greens will then be worked on with the contractors likely to be onsite until christmas. The work is all currently on time and on budget.

This work that is being carried out is to help drain the greens and problem approaches only. Once this work is complete, I will draw up a five year plan for all the workings across the course and included in this will be other drainage work and schemes to improve all areas of the golf course.

The leaves are continually being picked up across the golf course with 3 days out of the 5 dedicated to leaf collecting for two men with the greens being blown daily.

The 6th Pond R/H/S has been shaped with the bank to the right of the pond being turfed, the remainder of the edge will be soiled and turfed when we purchase in bulk later in November/December for turfing some of the main drains across the fairways.

The 6th Pond L/H/S which was an eyesore has been desilted with the reeds and pond weed removed. We have also re-graded the banks after removing the dog wood and Tree Stumps that had been left over the years. It may look a mess around the banks at present but if this week proves drier then i will be able to tidy up the whole area making it look like the pond on the R/H/S.

We have also completed the 13th Path and sprayed the greens with a preventative fungicide application. Please do not be too alarmed if we do get fusarium, as with the amount of work happening to the greens this winter and with the amounts of sand to be applied it will be more then likely that we will get heavy attacks however this will not effect play in anyway as we are off them during the winter. Continual spraying of fungicide would only be a waste of money as they will recover before we are playing on the greens again.

Finally I would like to thank the volunteers who are helping us out on the golf course; it is greatly appreciated and is allowing us to get on with other jobs across the course. If anybody else is willing to give some of their time up please come and see me at the maintenance facility.

Many Thanks

Andy Wood

Course Manager