Buggy Policy

We are currently preparing a draft Buggy Policy. The purpose of this document is to establish a standard for the safe operation of all ride-on buggies operated on the golf course. The document also sets down the criteria to be applied and conditions to be met when the Club considers applications for buggy use. Once fully adopted, all buggy users will be required to read and sign the policy before using a buggy.

Driving Range Ball Dispenser

A new driving range golf ball dispenser has been purchased and is due to be installed during December. The new machine will be located in the same place as the old machine but will include a new payment system. Hard plastic credit card style cards will be made available to members who can then pay for credits to be loaded onto the card. Credits are deducted from the card at the ball dispenser. Individual tokens will also be available for the machine for those not wishing to purchase multiple credits.

Pitch Marks

A large number of unrepaired pitchmarks are currently visible on the greens. These blemishes not only disrupt the smooth rolling of the ball across the surface but also provide a catalyst for turf disease and weed invasion. Please be diligent in the repair of your pitchmarks, good greens depend on it!

Open Forum Meeting

Members are advised that an Open Forum is being held in the clubhouse on Thursday 28^th November at 7.30pm. We would like to give Members some initial information with regards to plans for possible further significant course improvements on the back 9, but would, of course, welcome any questions you might have with regards to the course in general. As previously, we will be delighted to take questions on the evening, but if you have anything specific you would like to raise, a little notice will give us time to make sure we have all the information with us to respond your queries fully on the evening.

Course Update

Project Work

This winter we have a number of construction/renovation projects planned across the links with the aim of further improving the quality of the golf course.

The 8^th tee will be levelled, new irrigation added and re-turfed. The existing turf from this tee will be used on the side of the 11^th tees, an area that is subjected to high wear. A temporary tee mat is in position on the 8^th hole and will be in use until March next year. Similar levelling work will take place on the 15^th yellow tee. No tee mat will be needed in this area however as alternative grass tees will be used instead.

Bunker renovations will take place on holes 3 and 8. This will entail rebuilding the revetted wall and topping up sand levels. Larger scale bunker renovation work will take place on the 17^th hole. The two bunkers on the left side will be completely reshaped with the aim of drastically improving both visual and playing characteristics.

A path extension is underway on hole 12. This work, which includes drain installation, is being done to further fine tune traffic management in an area that is subjected to high levels of wear and tear. Some planting of Marram grass has taken place nearby to ensure the new path section remains out of site when viewed from the tee.

We have almost completed our first winter project. Reshaping and contouring of the walkway from the right side of the 10^th tee has been undertaken to widen the access towards the 11^th tees. This area had become rather worn over the last two seasons due to the way the ground contours caused a bottleneck when players were exiting the green complex. A considerable amount of material has been removed from the end of the mound in this area and shaped to ensure consistency with the surrounding land. Green surrounds quality turf has been used to give the best match with the surroundings. Turfing work has been extended up to and beyond the 11^th tees which means the whole area will need to be protected while the turf beds in. All players are being directed to the left of the 10^th green and the 11^th hole is being played from the ladies tee.

Barn Owl Conservation

We recently had a visit from the Barn Owl Conservation Network who installed a new owl box. We currently have a pair of owls in our existing box and we hope the new accommodation will attract more of these beautiful birds.

Maintenance Week Update

I am happy to report that all planned work on the greens has been succesfully completed. The weather has been kind and with 9 holes closed each day we were able to get everything done by lunchtime today. The greens will need some time to recover from the intensive operations but the tine holes are mostly all filled already. There is quite a bit of sand still visible on the greens but we hope this will grow out over the weekend allowing us to shift our focus to surface refinement from next week.

Maintenance Week

Maintenance Week  

Our annual autumn maintenance week runs from Monday 23^rd – Friday 27^th September. We will carry out a number of vital operations to the putting surfaces with the aim of decreasing the amount of organic matter present in the upper profile of the rootzone. We plan to core the greens using a 13mm hollow tine, deep scarify in two directions, over seed and top dress. Weather permitting; we will apply around 3 tonnes of dressing to each green. This procedure is a fundamental part of our course maintenance plan and represents the single most important week of the year from a greenkeeping perspective. To enable the work to progress uninterrupted, restrictions will be in place with 9 holes open for play only on each day until the work is complete.