Green keepers report

Work being done week commencing Monday 19th November;

• Spike 17th fairway (the extreme summer weather has left the fairways in poor condition. It is very important to aerate them by spiking. This will be done very slowly so that damage is limited. The 17th fairway will be used as a test).
  
  
• Tree surgeon will be felling both fur trees between the practice area and 17th green (this will let more light into this area. The practice area can now be made larger. Gorse will be planted to form a horseshoe around the 17th green).
  
  
• Carry on preparing gorse areas.
  
  
• Hire a turf cutter and cut turf on the driving range (an area down the bottom of the driving range was sprayed with Glysophate to kill the grass. This turf will be used to make the bunker edges on the new 16th green. More turf that has not been sprayed will be cut. This turf will be used to turf bare areas on the practice tee).
  
  
• Carry on replacing broken irrigation boxes.
  
  
• Install practice tee mat by 2nd tee for the winter 15 hole layout.
  
  
• Repair practice net on chipping green area.
  
  
• Turf bare areas on driving range tee.

As weather conditions are dry we can still get down there and work will be done and finished on the wettest part of the course 4/5/15th holes.

Work to do;

• Make 2 new gorse plantations on right of 4th fairway.
  
  
• Drain 4th right hand bunker (this bunker continues to flood when weather conditions are bad. A drain will be dug, piped, stoned and a sump will be dug out of the bunker).
  
  
• Cockleshell path by 5th tee will be tidied and topped up. Broken rails will be replaced. A new part of the path will be added. This will be close to the bank across the wood chip area. This will enable golfers to walk on the left side of the 4th green and leave directly towards the path.
  
  
• Tidy up and add more gorse to the gorse plantation on the right side of the 5th hole.
  
  
• Carry on with clearing and tidying up hedge below the 5th shelter.
  
  
• Burn all the branches etc from the 4th hedge work.
  
  
• Add more gorse to existing gorse plantation on right side of 15th hole.
  
  
• Make a new gorse plantation on right side of 15th hole.
  
  
• Fill in hole on back of 15th greenside bank.

Last week;

• All filled in ditches on 4/5 holes and bank work around the course have been turfed.
  
  
• Height of cut has been lowered from 10mm-7mm on the back of the 13th green. Height will be lowered slowly to greens height 5mm. By doing this slowly it will not stress the grass plant.
  
  
• All greens were spiked and turf ironed.
  
  
• All fairways were devoted, thank you to all the members who helped.

Peter Connett
(Head Greenkeeper)