COURSE NEWS 16th MARCH
Tree Surgeons have been at work
It’s been a dry but cool week, with a couple of overnight frosts and 4 mm of rain. The ground is still cold so growth remains limited, but we managed to get a cut on the greens on Thursday. The approaches have been verticut, and they and the tees are looking very good. Elsewhere Gavin is really pleased with the quality of the turf on the relaid chipping green - it’s full of bents and fescues, the fine grasses we try to encourage. It won’t last, sadly - there is just too much invasive coarse grasses in the local environment. The Ventrac has been busy on the cut rough. All cut heights are still at winter settings, but the course is near to being ready for the season. All tribute to Gavin and his team for getting us there after a busy and testing winter.
The tree surgeons have been in this week. They’ve dealt with the fallen tree by the 2nd pond, which was rather larger than it looked. They also shaped the trees on the left of the approach to the 12th and at the left end of the culvert on 13. There was a considerable amount of brash after they had finished; which has now been burnt. There are also some hefty logs in the copse by the sheds which are available, but beware! - they are much too heavy for individual removal.
Over the years we have accumulated large amounts of spoil from all the drainage and other works, and we have arrived at a position where we literally don’t have space to tip more. That’s a problem because we need to clear out several ponds - initially the 2nd and 3rd, but they all need doing from time to time. The farmer who takes our hay harvest has taken several loads of spoil from the tip by the service gate (for a modest fee), and plans to take more in the summer which should tide us over for the next couple of years.
We have now fulfilled our minor capital wish list. A replacement electric hand mower is on its way and, with a bit of local help, Gavin has found a general purpose road van, which will be very useful.
There is a growing concern about the rapidly increasing cost of golf capital equipment. Machines we last purchased for £30-£40,000 are now up to double that, and more. Gavin does a great job extending the working lives of our machines but eventually the capital programme will take the hit. Gavin also plans to trial a robotic fairway mower (on the practice ground), but he anticipates we would need a fleet of them to maintain the course.
Course Committee
The tree surgeons have been in this week. They’ve dealt with the fallen tree by the 2nd pond, which was rather larger than it looked. They also shaped the trees on the left of the approach to the 12th and at the left end of the culvert on 13. There was a considerable amount of brash after they had finished; which has now been burnt. There are also some hefty logs in the copse by the sheds which are available, but beware! - they are much too heavy for individual removal.
Over the years we have accumulated large amounts of spoil from all the drainage and other works, and we have arrived at a position where we literally don’t have space to tip more. That’s a problem because we need to clear out several ponds - initially the 2nd and 3rd, but they all need doing from time to time. The farmer who takes our hay harvest has taken several loads of spoil from the tip by the service gate (for a modest fee), and plans to take more in the summer which should tide us over for the next couple of years.
We have now fulfilled our minor capital wish list. A replacement electric hand mower is on its way and, with a bit of local help, Gavin has found a general purpose road van, which will be very useful.
There is a growing concern about the rapidly increasing cost of golf capital equipment. Machines we last purchased for £30-£40,000 are now up to double that, and more. Gavin does a great job extending the working lives of our machines but eventually the capital programme will take the hit. Gavin also plans to trial a robotic fairway mower (on the practice ground), but he anticipates we would need a fleet of them to maintain the course.
Course Committee