Update on the work to the practice green.

Work has continued on the practice green with the Installation of the irrigation pipe The playing surface has been levelled ready for seeding.

The course is continuing to improve with regular mowing taking place. Sand topdressing applied to the greens last week has helped firmed the putting surface.

Hollow coring 6th, 7th & 8th greens.

With milder weather moving in this week it is an ideal time to carry out hollow coring to the 6th, 7th & 8th greens. These three greens have been laying wetter than all the other greens. You can see from the photos the amount of cores removed. Once these were cleared away,scarifying, over seeding and top dressing with sand were carried out. This work will help to dry and firm the surface. Depending on how the greens react to this process will determine if this needs to repeated later this summer.

Greens aeration this week

We have started to spike the greens. This will allow much needed air into the root zone encouraging root development through the Spring. We will follow this up with a light roll to smooth the surface. Once we get some good grass growth we will look to apply a sand topdressing.

Practice chipping green.

This week we have continued construction of the practice green and bunker. It's still soft from the winter rain so progress will be slow!

Maintenance Update April 2013

It’s turning out to be a difficult Spring. I recorded -6 degrees on the 31^st March and the cold spell looks to continue this week with minus temperature each morning. The photo below is of the course just over a week ago then a comparison picture taken today.

As I stated in my last report I will be carrying out scarifying and topdressing to the greens. I have held off doing too much to the greens for the last couple of weeks as the cold weather is putting them under stress. If I did press on with the Spring maintenance I feel the putting surface would take a long time to recover. At present, the surface is good albeit a little bumpy due to high foot fall over Easter. I have checked the long-range forecast and it does look like there could be some improvement in the weather next week (but we will have to wait and see).

The course has dried out well and I have now lifted the trolley restrictions and ride on golf buggies can now be used. The fairways have good grass cover, they just look brown from the frost and wind damage (see second photo). This will mow off once we get the Spring growth. Winter rules will remain for the time being but please check with the Pro shop before playing.