Occasional Mutterings Nov 08

GREEN COMMITTEE NEWSBRIEF

Since our last newsletter work has progressed on the course which has mainly centred on the use of an excavator to maximise its usage during the hire period.

Most of the ditches have been cleaned out to aid the flow of water off the course. The slopes on the banks have also been recut. The ditches have had a total overhaul and existing land drains have been rodded.

The small mound on the left of the 11th fairway has been removed in order to make maintenance of this area easier. The contours of the mound had a detrimental effect on our rough cutting machine. The fairway can now be widened and trees planted in the area.

A number of bunkers have been reduced in size or removed.

The fairway bunker near the green on the 3rd hole was removed because drainage in this low lying part of the course proved to be difficult and consequently the bunker regularly filled with water.

The fairway bunker on the 17th was removed to give a greater landing area for tee shots. This bunker, together with the adjacent mound, was originally in the rough on the right of the fairway and as such was designed to catch a pushed shot from the tee.

Some years ago the poplars were planted on the left side of the fairway, near the 18th tee, which effectively moved the axis of the fairway further to the right. As the area occupied by the bunker has now become the ideal position for the tee shot, to give the best angle into the green, the Committee felt that it was not fair to a large number of golfers, particularly when the hole will become more difficult when the GUR is removed on the right.

The Committee has reviewed all the green side bunkers and considers that some of them are too large to ensure proper maintenance and presentation.

The green side bunker on the left of the 14th and also the one on the right of the 16th green have both been reduced in size. The reductions have been made to the rear of the bunkers and most wayward shots to the green will still be caught by the smaller traps.

The 14th bunker has also been brought a little way round the front of the green to tighten the entrance. Other bunkers will be considered for alteration in the future.

It was originally planned to create an open ditch across the 3rd fairway to improve the flow of water from the 4th, 5th and 6th holes by linking up the existing ditches on both sides of the fairway. Following a brief survey and discussions with many members the major response was that it would create too severe a hazard as it was at the landing area of the tee shots for the majority of golfers. Subsequently we have identified blockages in the underground pipe work and the flow has been improved.

The extensive areas of GUR around the recently planted trees have also been reviewed and most of them will be progressively removed before the start of the playing season next year. Some have already been removed, notably the area to the left of the 5th fairway and to the right of the 11th fairway near the green.

The GUR areas were created to comply with the conditions of the grant for their planting from the Forestry Commission. This required that while the small whips were in their early stage of development the grass in the copses should be left to encourage the growth of the trees. Cutting the grass short has a detrimental effect on tree growth due to the competition for nutrients.

As the trees are becoming more established and we have been cutting back the rough in these areas, the need for the GUR has diminished.

When the grass inside these areas dies off in the winter it will be cut lower, to rough height, and the small trees will have spirals or brown covers attached to allow relief from them without penalty. Could we remind members to keep trolleys out of these areas to avoid damage to the trees.

A review by Alistair Beggs (an STRI agronomist and adviser to the R and A) strongly recommended that most of the Manchester poplars on the course be removed. These particular trees have a short life span and being shallow rooted cause damage to drains. They also stunt the growth of many new trees planted nearby and create leaf drop on to greens and tees resulting in patches of fusarium. The trees identified for removal are marked with a blue cross and as many as possible will be removed this winter.

During the worst of the winter weather it may become necessary to rest certain holes, particularly on the front nine, which is heavily utilised. This will be especially necessary when the trees are being felled.

Various methods of protecting the fairways in winter have been considered, such as teeing up or the use of small mats, but our preferred action, as in previous years, will be to drop off into the rough. This action allows the fairways to recover quicker at the end of the winter.

Members are requested to carry their clubs whenever possible during the winter to minimise damage caused by trolleys. Directional signs and roped off areas should be observed.

The Green Committee together with the members of staff are committed to improving the course and making it a fair test of golf for all levels of ability.

The Committee under the Chairmanship of John Hughes comprises of a further five club members -- Jack Talbot, Graham Burgess, Tom Trafford, Mike O'Brien and Irving Glassman -- in addition to the Head Greenkeeper, Trevor Clark and his Deputy, Jon McMullen.

If you have any concerns or suggestions please feel free to contact us.

November 2008