As predicted, the overhang from the frost and snow the previous week affected course availability well into this week - to Thursday, to be precise. The other local courses were similarly affected but they don’t all apply the same access standards - and nor do they have identical geology. More than one of our more sheltered greens (e.g. 7) still had a frozen layer 2-3 inches down on Thursday. Those conditions mean we have to keep traffic off the affected greens but the unexpected overnight frost firmed the surface, making it playable.

Unsurprisingly we’ve not been able to run machinery over the ground, but the winter conditions have halted grass growth i.e. no need for mowing, so that’s not been a problem. The team have continued pruning, etc. and have also dug out the delapidated steps to the main tees on 15. This is in preparation for a contractor to install some good quality steps. The work starts on Monday and will take around 3 days. In part this will inform our thinking on future course improvements, specifically paths, which is an item we’ve circled for years without reaching any conclusions. Our current redtrack versions are not attractive, as well as being costly and time-consuming to maintain, especially where there is a slope. Resin paths are the best in class when built properly but they are also very expensive. Nevertheless we observe that they are being introduced on some of the better local courses; our ambitions for the course long-term creates a pressure to keep up.

The forecast for the next several days is reasonably dry, although with less drying wind than we’d wish. Gavin is planning to get on with gravel banding, starting with the top of 15. He will then put more bands into the walkways, using larger stone in wider bands.

Course Committee