Greens Report
Greens Report December 2023
Over the last month we have experienced very wet weather which has lead to the course being closed more often than normal so I will devote this report to the work that is underway to make the course drainage more effective.
The climate over the past few years has changed significantly leading to uneven periods of heavy rainfall which challenge the drainage on the course. It is probably true that the course was drier years ago and although the total rainfall hasn't changed significantly the way it is distributed across the seasons appears to have changed creating extreme wet spells.
There are two main drainage outlets on the course which run into Basford Brook. The majority of the back nine drains through the ponds on 14, 15 and 16, under the road behind the 16th tee and then along the ditch on the 6th which flows through the wetland and into the brook. Most of the front nine drains through the lakes on 8, 9, 17 and 18 and into the ditch that runs in front of the 7th green. These two ditches take a large share of the water from the course and during very wet conditions they will be full of water. The level in these ditches is dictated by the level in the brook which during these periods is high and even though there appears to be little flow the reality is that there is considerable flow which is draining large parts of the course.
The drainage of most of the course does not depend on the level in these ditches as the water flows through the many lakes and wetlands and then on to the main ditches. It is the flow into the lakes that dictates the dryness of the majority of the course not the flow through the ditches. The key is to keep the drains and ditches clear so that water can flow. Over the past few years we have been using a digger to keep the ditches clean and this is having a clear effect on the dryness of the course, but of course there are many other drains which are kept clear by rodding them through every year.
Some of the drainage is through the wetlands on the course and it is important to have good flow across these areas. Wetland areas on the course are ecologically important but also serve to facilitate the flow of water on most holes. We are restricted in what we can do in these areas but endeavour to keep a pathway clear for water to flow. One area to receive attention is the large wetland by the 16th green. The drains have been cleared here and there has been extensive work done on new ditches which also creates better definition of hazards approaching both sides of the hole. We should see an improvement in the boggy area to the left of the green as a result of this work. Similar work has been undertaken on other wetlands and we are starting to see the benefit of this work. Extensive work is also being done on the 17th where the lake has been widened and areas of vegetation have been removed in front of the tee. This will have the effect of giving better definition to the hazard area as well as improving the appearance of the hole.
The dryness of the course depends on the level of the water table during wet periods. This is the level that water settles in the ground and If this is level or even above the turf then we will experience boggy conditions. Over the last few years we have lowered the water level in many of the lakes on the course by controlling the outlets from them to the ditches. In general the levels have been reduced by about a foot which has the result of lowering the water table and the effect is apparent in front of the 14th green and to the left of the 17th green as well as many other areas.
A major area of concern is the wet band across the 1st, 9th and 18th. Although there has been some improvement on these holes the drainage across the banks on these holes is not adequate. This is caused by a band of impermeable clay about a foot thick which will not allow water to flow to the drains even though these have previously been shown to be clear. We will shortly be verti draining these areas which should improve the situation but it is likely that further action will be necessary to solve the problem. It is impractical to remove the clay so one alternative is to lay suitable drains across the area to allow the water to penetrate to the existing drains. This will involve an outside contractor but may be necessary eventually.
It is clear that a great deal of work has been done over the past few years to improve the course drainage and I believe we are seeing the benefit of this in many areas of the course. Drains are running freely and many of our problem areas are becoming drier even in this difficult climate. However we need to tackle some of the more difficult issues in order to get our course more playable during wet periods. This will inevitably involve some investment but the benefit of this should be clear as the course will be available for play more often. Compared to other courses in our area we have been open more during this period and with the continuation of the good work we should see this trend continue.
The climate over the past few years has changed significantly leading to uneven periods of heavy rainfall which challenge the drainage on the course. It is probably true that the course was drier years ago and although the total rainfall hasn't changed significantly the way it is distributed across the seasons appears to have changed creating extreme wet spells.
There are two main drainage outlets on the course which run into Basford Brook. The majority of the back nine drains through the ponds on 14, 15 and 16, under the road behind the 16th tee and then along the ditch on the 6th which flows through the wetland and into the brook. Most of the front nine drains through the lakes on 8, 9, 17 and 18 and into the ditch that runs in front of the 7th green. These two ditches take a large share of the water from the course and during very wet conditions they will be full of water. The level in these ditches is dictated by the level in the brook which during these periods is high and even though there appears to be little flow the reality is that there is considerable flow which is draining large parts of the course.
The drainage of most of the course does not depend on the level in these ditches as the water flows through the many lakes and wetlands and then on to the main ditches. It is the flow into the lakes that dictates the dryness of the majority of the course not the flow through the ditches. The key is to keep the drains and ditches clear so that water can flow. Over the past few years we have been using a digger to keep the ditches clean and this is having a clear effect on the dryness of the course, but of course there are many other drains which are kept clear by rodding them through every year.
Some of the drainage is through the wetlands on the course and it is important to have good flow across these areas. Wetland areas on the course are ecologically important but also serve to facilitate the flow of water on most holes. We are restricted in what we can do in these areas but endeavour to keep a pathway clear for water to flow. One area to receive attention is the large wetland by the 16th green. The drains have been cleared here and there has been extensive work done on new ditches which also creates better definition of hazards approaching both sides of the hole. We should see an improvement in the boggy area to the left of the green as a result of this work. Similar work has been undertaken on other wetlands and we are starting to see the benefit of this work. Extensive work is also being done on the 17th where the lake has been widened and areas of vegetation have been removed in front of the tee. This will have the effect of giving better definition to the hazard area as well as improving the appearance of the hole.
The dryness of the course depends on the level of the water table during wet periods. This is the level that water settles in the ground and If this is level or even above the turf then we will experience boggy conditions. Over the last few years we have lowered the water level in many of the lakes on the course by controlling the outlets from them to the ditches. In general the levels have been reduced by about a foot which has the result of lowering the water table and the effect is apparent in front of the 14th green and to the left of the 17th green as well as many other areas.
A major area of concern is the wet band across the 1st, 9th and 18th. Although there has been some improvement on these holes the drainage across the banks on these holes is not adequate. This is caused by a band of impermeable clay about a foot thick which will not allow water to flow to the drains even though these have previously been shown to be clear. We will shortly be verti draining these areas which should improve the situation but it is likely that further action will be necessary to solve the problem. It is impractical to remove the clay so one alternative is to lay suitable drains across the area to allow the water to penetrate to the existing drains. This will involve an outside contractor but may be necessary eventually.
It is clear that a great deal of work has been done over the past few years to improve the course drainage and I believe we are seeing the benefit of this in many areas of the course. Drains are running freely and many of our problem areas are becoming drier even in this difficult climate. However we need to tackle some of the more difficult issues in order to get our course more playable during wet periods. This will inevitably involve some investment but the benefit of this should be clear as the course will be available for play more often. Compared to other courses in our area we have been open more during this period and with the continuation of the good work we should see this trend continue.