Further to the report produced in September, as advised below is an update on the progress of plans outlined or work done as weather situations meant a change to the anticipated workload.
All winter tees are now in place and have been covered with new Astroturf.
This included the moving of 2nd hole tee box to a new place to the right of the main tee. The new yardage is 245 yards and this will maintain the par 4 status. Thanks go to David Gisbourne for his work liaising with Yorkshire Union & England golf to get the project across the line and the details were confirmed and uploaded onto WHS last Thursday.
We have contacted several irrigation providers and are collating pricing to determine the next steps.
We hired a Vertiquake machine from 11th - 18th November and this machine break's up all the compacted soil when it is driven over the ground to a depth of 14 inches. We used the machine on all the greens and were able to do some fairways, the 3rd hole from the tee to the ditch and the 5th / 17th fairway. It has proved to be a worthwhile project and we will look to hire it again in the future.
We have had a significant amount of rain and because of this, we decided not to get machinery onto the course for planned digging. This work will be reviewed and possibly be actioned early spring when conditions are better and less damage to the course.
Following the extensive rainfall, we are mapping areas that are wet and this will allow us to identify key areas to work on with drainage in the future as the weather improves.
The planting of the ‘hedge’ at the back of the 6th green was completed and the bushes are now settling we believe they will take and begin to grow and create a good colour background to the area. We have had a donation of further Azalia bushes from Liam Ridgill and these, although smaller, have been planted on the mound on the 3rd hole as you go over the ditch to the right.
In the coming weeks, the greens subcommittee will be reviewing the Course development plan, updating it with what’s been achieved, reviewing what’s to do, and if we have different thoughts on changing some aspects of the plan.
The plan is nearly 5 years old and we believe we have achieved a lot of improvements to the course we set out to do, improved lots of areas it now needs an overhaul for what we want to achieve in the short term - midterm - long term.
As always with project plans, no ideas are bad ideas and if there is something you believe will improve the course please write to us or speak to Mark and let us know your thoughts
Week commencing 23rd January, the greens team and volunteers are going to the BIGGA exhibition at Harrogate to look at new ideas, and new equipment and listen to several presentations on what we can do to improve the course as chemicals are removed from the supply chain and new processes introduced.
Finally, an update on the Christmas Tree regeneration project. We received 10 trees this year and these have been planted around the course, as they grow and flourish, we may look to move these to other areas to change the shape and look of other holes.