The ‘dry’ spell continues - we’ve had just 2 mm of rain this week - but we’ve had heavy dews most mornings and humidity has been high so there has been very little evaporative drying, which means the ground remains pretty soft. We need colder and windier weather to firm things up. It’s going to get much colder but also wetter next week.

Meanwhile the grass has continued to grow in the mild temperatures, so the course continues to need mowing throughout - including the greens, every other day. Gavin has also had to cut (hand mow) the rebuilt chipping green, which has grown a good 2” since it was laid. The new tees have yet to root through.

The repeat re-(gravel) banding on the first has been completed. The recently delivered contaminated load of banding gravel has been credited - we can use it to further dress the walkways. While replacing it Gavin has found yet another source for banding grit: it’s a 6mm sharp granite which will be ideal for the task - and it is £6/tonne cheaper. It comes from the quarry by the A55 approaching Colwyn Bay.

We’ve used some of the leftover turf to reshape the redtrack exit from the 5th bridge, and more to lift the ground approaching the 17th bridge to remove the wet hollow there (the grass colour will return!). The greens have been solid tined (to 2.5” depth) again.

There remains some reconstruction - bunker rebuilding and drain clearance - which we will try and get done before the end of the year.

Course Committee
17 November 2024