Course

COURSE HOLES NOW HAVE INDIVIDUAL NAMES & REVISED STROKE INDEXES

Each of the holes now has its own name.

In addition, scores recorded on each hole over recent years have been taken into account together with yardages/difficulty and there are revised Stroke Indexes to come into operation in the not too distant future, WATCH OUT FOR THESE CHANGES.

Hole 1: Cox Green S.I. 10 Hole 10: Carry S.I. 9

Hole 2: Railway S.I. 16 Hole 11: High Rise S.I. 1

Hole 3: Bunny Hill S.I. 6 Hole 12: Plateau S.I. 13

Hole 4: Offerton S.I. 18 Hole 13: Far Away S.I. 5

Hole 5: The Red House S.I. 14 Hole 14: Gully S.I. 15

Hole 6: Monument S.I. 2 Hole 15: Spa Well Gill S.I. 17

Hole 7: Wear View S.I. 8 Hole 16: Long Haul S.I. 3

Hole 8: High Marley S.I. 4 Hole 17: Copse S.I. 7

Hole 9: Grimestone Banks S.I. 12 Hole 18: Copperas Gill S.I. 11

Ron Forbister - Captain

COURSE PROGRAMME FOR APRIL 2008

Below is the intended course essential work program for the coming month. Please be aware of these planned activities that may affect the course conditions at that time.

WHEN	WHERE	WHAT	WHY	WHO
2nd April	Winter tees	Spike Overseed & top dress	Repair winter damage	Staff
2nd/3rd April	Winter tees	Turf worn areas	Repair winter damage	Staff
w/c 7th April	Greens	Fertiliser	To maintain healthy growth and root development	Staff
w/c 7th April	Greens	Pencil tine	To allow air and water to penetrate surface promoting growth	Staff
w/c 7th April	Greens	Spray (wetting agent)	To prevent dry patch	Staff

Daily/regular maintenance

Repair divots on tees (daily - par 3's only)
Greens cut (every other day)
Greens rolled (every other day)
Fairways mown as required
Rough cut as required
Semi rough cut as required
Pins changed (Tuesday & Friday)
Greens and tee surrounds cut as required
Aprons cut as required
Practice ground cut as required

Malcolm Harvey - Course Manager

LATEST ON THOSE COURSE GREENS

At the beginning of the growing season the greens went through an extensive scarifying programme to remove the rye grass from the putting surface. Rye grass had been previously introduced to the greens a number of years ago, however this is not a suitable type of grass for greens and does not ensure a true putting surface. This left the greens a bit weak in places. To improve the grass coverage on these weak areas a programme of overseeding, monthly pencil tining and top dressings was introduced, followed by an application of summer fertilizer. The greens were recovering well until mid August when the greens were hit by a fungal disease called 'Anthracnose'.

This disease is becoming more common on golf greens across the country and has a major weakening effect on greens through the autumn and winter. Diseased plants show general yellowing and thinning as the fungus attacks and rots the base of the plant. The disease can be caused by prolonged low mowing, particularly in late summer and autumn, and low fertility. A very dry spring followed by a wet summer would have added to the problem. However, as with all diseases it can be treated, but unlike most diseases that respond well to chemical attack, 'Anthracnose' often reoccurs after treatment.

Therefore, to combat this, the greens have been treated with 'Dacanil' (fungicide) and this will be followed up in 2 weeks with a further application of 'Dacanil' and 'Turf Clear', which has a main ingredient of 'Carbendazism'. This should ensure the disease is eradicated.

In addition to the treatment carried out above, the greens have undergone a programme of hollow tining, overseeding and top dressing as part of the September renovation work. Along with this, an application of fertiliser has also been applied and the height of the greens have been lifted to 6mm, both of which, will aid recovery and relieve the stress on the greens. A noticeable difference should be seen by the end of September 2007.

The spiking of the greens will continue throughout the coming months, this will aid water movement and aeration within the surface of the greens, thus also aiding recovery.

A meeting with an agronomist from STRI had previously been arranged for the end of September 2007. A report will be produced by the end of October 2007 which will include a soil analysis. This will be used to identify any deficiencies in the nutrient content of the soil which can then be acted upon.

Malcolm K. Harvey ( Course Manager), in conjunction with the GREENS COMMITTEE - 6th September 2007.

COURSE NEWS SEPTEMBER 2007 -No.8

Below is a list of the work to be undertaken throughout September.

Please be aware of these planned activities that may affect the course conditions at that time.

Daily/Regular Maintenance

• Divots on par 3 tees are being repaired daily

• All greens are being cut daily.

• The fairways are being cut Mondays & Thursdays.

• Semi rough is being cut weekly, Wednesdays.

• Pins are being changed weekly - Tuesdays & Competitions.

• All greens and tees surrounds are being cut - Tuesdays & Wednesdays.

• Aprons are being cut weekly - Tuesdays, Thursdays and possibly Sundays.

• The practice ground is to be cut twice weekly.

Malcolm Harvey - Course Manager

COURSE NEWS 2007 -No. 3

This is a list of the work undertaken throughout April, but it contains much of the work of the Greens Staff that is ongoing.

Greens

• The greens are being cut daily.

• The first green has been over seeded.

• All greens have been top dressed.

• All greens have had an application of a fertilizer.

• Greens have been sprayed with a fungicide following an outbreak of disease.

• All greens have been pencil tined.

Fairways

• The fairways are being cut weekly.

Tees

• The tees are being cut twice weekly.

• All tees have had an application of a fertilizer.

• Divots are being repaired weekly, apart from Par 3's which are being repaired daily.

Bunkers

• The bunkers are being raked on a daily basis and topped up where and when necessary.

Other

The perimeter fence around the course is being checked regularly and repaired where necessary

• The tees, green surrounds and fairways have all been treated with weed killer..

• Winter tees and worn areas have been over seeded and top dressed.

• Many thanks to the junior members who helped repair the divots on the fairways.

Malcolm Harvey - Course Manager

COURSE NEWS 2007 -No. 2

This is a list of the work undertaken throughout March, but it contains much of the work of the Greens Staff that is ongoing.

Greens

• The greens are being cut every other day.

• The greens are being spiked weekly.

• The greens have had an application of fungicide.

• The greens have had an application of a Spring fertilizer (4;0;8 +4%Fe)

Fairways

• The verti draining of fairways is ongoing.

• The fairways have been sprayed with a wetting agent/seaweed.

Tees

• The tees have been spiked.

Bunkers

• The bunkers are being raked on a daily basis and topped up where and when necessary.

Other

The perimeter fence around the course is being checked regularly and repaired where necessary

• Traffic management is currently being monitored and altered where necessary to limit the amount of damage caused by excessive use.

• The suckers growing at the bases of trees have been removed.

• The 150 yards markers have been painted.

• All seats have been placed around the course.

• The front of the 7th tee has been lined with timber.

Malcolm Harvey - Course Manager

This section relates to the most critical part of any golf club. Whilst the club endeavours to have the very best of facilities for members, guests and visitors alike, every golf club strives above all else, to produce and maintain the golf course in the very best condition possible.

There are links to the Course Layout and Scorecard, as well as detailed descriptions of the holes, some photographs (more will follow when the weather conditions improve), and some flash graphics depicting the playing of the first and second holes (again it is our intention to include graphics for the remaining 16 holes).

The course, both in condition and layout, provides a very enjoyable and testing examination of ourselves as golfers, but it is foolish to be complacent. It is necessary to continually strive to improve the course, so please contact the club by letter or e-mail with any ideas about the golf course. Thoughts on the condition of the course, any little areas which may need attention and any ideas which you think could help to make the course that little bit more special. It is your chance to be course architect, civil engineer or green keeper. All reasonable comments will be included in this section for consideration.

Many members have commented on the course improvements over the past year since Malcolm Harvey's appointment as Course Manager. These improvements , grass on fairways, fairways clearly defined, undergrowth removed where necessary, trimming of trees, bunkers dug out and re-lined, drainage improvements throughout the course; are a direct result of his appoint, the efforts of his staff and the diligence of the Green's Committee.

The notes below, in an article which I intend to update monthly, in line with the Course Manager's Report to the Committee, details the effort put in by those people to maintain our course in a condition appropriate to our needs and use.

Richard Thorpe WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR

COURSE NEWS 2007 -No. 1

This is a list of the work undertaken throughout February, but it contains much of the work of the Greens Staff that is ongoing.

Greens

• The greens are being cut twice weekly.

• The greens are being spiked weekly.

• The greens have had an application of fungicide.

Fairways

• The fairways are being slit spiked.

• The verti draining of fairways is ongoing.

• The ridge to the 10th fairway in front of the Ladies Tee has been removed and the ground levelled as requested at the last meeting.

Tees

• The tees have been spiked.

• For safety reason, the concrete slabs at the side of the 7th winter tee have been removed a side sloped to blend in with the rest of the tee.

Bunkers

• The bunkers are being raked on a daily basis and topped up where and when necessary.

Other

The perimeter fence around course is being checked regularly and repaired where necessary

• Traffic management is currently being monitored and altered where necessary to limit the amount of damage caused by excessive use.

• The 11 th and 18th greens have been drained using the Robin Dagger, which blows compressed air into the soil to relieve compaction and aid drainage. The holes have been filled with a water attracting granule.

• The perimeter hedge behind the 2nd green and along 3rd, 4th and 5th fairways has been trimmed.

• An electricity cable has been laid from the Green Keepers shed to the buggy container and i; awaiting connection by an electrician.

• The anti spill wall around the diesel tank has been repaired.

• The suckers growing at the base of trees are being removed on an ongoing basis.

In addition to this the three poplar trees to the right of the ninth fairway that were in danger of falling have now been removed.

Malcolm Harvey - Course Manager

TREES

A number of members, including myself expressed concern at the notice giving intention to remove the poplar trees at the ninth and also on what seemed the somewhat radical removal of undergrowth in the tree plantations that provided a habitat for the wildlife.

A recent article on Woodland Establishment by John Nicholson Arboricultural Consultant shows that there is a different view on this that some members may not be aware of.

'There is a tendency to assume that trees will remain in perpetuity if left to their own devices. Our experience over the last few years would suggest otherwise.'

'Neglected woodlands are quickly colonised by problematic vegetation, from rhododendron, to elm, aspen, sycamore, ivy, bracken and bramble; any of which can reduce the woodlands ability to regenerate making it unsustainable and fragile.'

'Positive management is required to protect golf's natural heritage. The gales which swept the country in 1987 brought home the message of how fragile a landscape may be when under managed or neglected;'

Richard Thorpe