The drainage work is now nearing completion, as you will have seen in previous reports, there have been several issues with what we had to dig out, clearly, this has hampered progress which in turn has frustrated the contractors and members alike in delivering the project causing delays that were unfortunately unforeseen.
However, as I type this report, we have completed the 6th and 7th holes and are nearing the 2nd. With this, I would like to put on record what a great job Danum Plants Ltd have done and we will undoubtedly see the benefits of this work for many years to come.
As you will all know, we have also had problems with members damaging the work done, by walking on and taking trolleys across the drainage runs. Considering the guidelines and processes we put in place to stop this, it was very disappointing and was unacceptable and disrespectful to all involved
As a consequence, we have had to level and re-seed both the 6th & 7th Fairways again to try and ensure that they will not leave any dips and hollows as they grow the grass back and recover. This took us over 2 days to rectify this so was both times consuming and was an additional cost to the project with the time spent along with the extra cost for the seed that could have been avoided.
As a consequence, we will be roping down the 2nd and 6th Fairways to replicate the 7th Fairway to hopefully keep members away from the drainage runs, we have also posted signs advising them of what they should be doing to alleviate any further damage as I will not be able to level & re-seed going forwards.
If this does not work, we may need to review the situation and close holes until we feel they are improving and grass growth is coming through albeit this will be the last resort.
As for the rest of the course, Fairways and the Rough have been cut almost daily, and a big thanks to both Allan Beaumont & Alan Puddyford for their support in the unpaid hours they do to help. This along with Peter Rowbotham & Alan Palmer, John Allison and David Gisbourne, who do other necessary work in all other areas of the course make sure that I am able with Lee to concentrate on the Greens, Approaches and Tees.
Again, we have as part of our 2 weekly cycles, spiked, scarified, aerated and fed all the greens and we are seeing great results now and they are nearly back to their best following the poor weather we had at the early part of the season.
As advised last month, I was going to my old club to use their grinding machines to sharpen the blades on the mowers, this month I was able to do the Tees mower.
The next few weeks sees us preparing the course for the Club Championship along with the major competitions for August & early September.
In the coming weeks, we will be sitting down with the Greens Committee to begin discussions on what our plans will be for the Winter Maintenance Plan
The work plan will depend on the decision that members take at the meeting to vote on the proposed change of the current layout.
As always if anyone has any spare time and would like to help in any way, you are most welcome to come and join us.
Should anyone have any questions on what goes on, I am always available to have a chat to explain why we do certain things the way we do.