February is shaping up to be a dry month, for a change. We’ve had 18 mm of rain thus far, whilst the last 3 months have averaged 87 mm (3.5”). The improving conditions have allowed us to get the mowers out. The whole course has had a trim, not yet to summer heights but it’s good to see signs of approaching spring. We’ve left the fairways at 16 mm (summer, 13 mm): the long rough - thanks to the Ventrac - is at 38 mm vs. 50 mm minimum in summer. By observation it seems use of individual playing mats is becoming increasingly popular.

Greens, tees, collars have all been given a cut. It’s been several years since the cold has brought growth virtually to a stand-still as it has recently, but currently the forecast temperature is well into double figures by the end of the week.

Gavin has completed (re-) gravel banding on 15 and will switch to the walkways this week. He’s also sorted the drainage on a couple of bunkers and hopefully found a solution to both the very wet patch just over the road on the first (a collapsed original clay drain that takes the roof water from the barns) and the flooding in front of the 8th black tee. That was caused by roots blocking the drain which runs under the copse behind the 8th tee and out over the 7th fairway. The roots reached a remarkable distance. It’s a problem that will arise repeatedly as the trees mature.

The new steps on 15 have been finished off with root zone and turf.

People have been observed walking the course when it has been closed because of adverse conditions. Please note that 'closed' means 'closed'! It's not just to protect the course: if the walker suffered an accident it's very possible no-one would know there was someone out there - until the course reopened.

Course Committee