Looking at the recent forecast it would appear that summer has arrived. If you look at the growth patterns of the grasses and plants we are approximately three weeks behind where we were last year. Fortunately the course has held up well to the cold, dry April and has also stood up to the heavy rain storms in May. As you know there are some wet pockets remaining on the course. Such areas will cease to be a problem over the coming days. We are expecting a mini heatwave next week which will help us to ensure that the course is prime condition for the Fairhurst Cup competition on the 5th & 6th June.
As previously mentioned the spring months have been somewhat challenging. The team as always have worked extremely hard and it is very pleasing to hear such wonderful feedback from the membership and guests. A greenkeepers work is never done and we are fully prepared and set up for another busy season. To help us keep a consistently great golf course we have again employed a summer casual. For those of you that are unaware, our summer casual splits his time between the course and the bar. When I say bar I mean serving customers not drinking. We have also been extremely fortunate as the committee and the General Manager agreed for the purchase of a new machine to add to our existing fleet. I would like to personally thank all those involved in the process. The new machine enables us to cut the semi-rough and the rough in tandem. Beforehand we would have to finish one task, physically change the cutting height on the machine, and then head out to complete the other task. This machine will without doubt make us more efficient and subsequently improve the quality of such playing surfaces.
With the playing surfaces in mind, I would like to ask you all to help us take care of your course. By this I mean, please always repair pitch marks and kindly discard of broken tee pegs appropriately. Please do not leave them lying on or to the side of the tees. Throw them into the scrub or use the tee peg collection boxes that have been provided for you on the par 3’s. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you repair your pitch marks. This is basic golf course etiquette.
I would like to finish by wishing you all the very best of luck in the upcoming competitions and hope that you all continue to enjoy the course.
Warm Regards
Christopher Ball