Notes from Course Manager David Murdoch

Winter Diary 2007/8

New path and contours behind 9th tee	Bunkers reinstated at 14th	Tiger tee at 12th

This winter marked the start of the 5 Year Course Plan. The 10th tee and surrounding areas have been completely revamped (pictured above, right). We wanted to improve the visual appeal of the whole area and re-route the path from the 10th tee car park, spreading the wear and tear. The area behind the existing 12th tee was developed to incorporate a new ‘tiger’ tee. (above, right) The new tee will be used for big Club competitions, county and certain open events. The winter programme also included work on a number of bunkers, either introducing new ones or revamping existing bunkers to conform to the traditional heathland style. Two bunkers were re-introduced at the 14th (middle photo above) while the two greenside bunkers at the 3rd, three around the 12th green complex (middle and bottom photos) and three at the practice hole were all completed.

Work on the bunker to the left of the 12th green	Preparing the base of the same bunker	Nearing completion in the bunker to the right of the 3rd

The 3rd (right, above) and practice hole bunkers largely remained the same; however, the three at the 12th were completely revamped in order to conform to a more traditional heathland style (above, left and centre) the bunkers at the 14th also conform to this style.

Sportscrete being applied	Work on the path from the 4th tee	Astroturf steps by the 2nd tee

Our bunkers have probably been the weakest part of the course. They are of poor quality and inconsistent due largely to silt and stones being washed through during heavy rain. We therefore introduced new drainage and installed stone bases which were then sprayed with a polymer called sportscrete (above, left) to create a firm, free-draining base. Sportscrete is reasonably new to this country and is very much at the trial stage at the moment but it should go a long way to stopping severe washout and contamination. If I’m happy with the results after the summer then we’ll use this procedure on all bunkers over the next few years. We are using a white, sub-angular, silica sand which drains well and compacts reasonably well.

While these major works were being done, regular course management was of course carried out. We scraped the ground at the 3rd to regenerate the heather. This involved scraping off organic material back to the mineral sandy, acidic soil beneath, ideal for spreading heather seed. We had planned to do areas at the 8th and 11th but postponed this work until next year because we lost time due to bad weather in December. Many areas of heather on the course were sprayed with herbicide in order to kill grass; we will be able to assess the success and longevity of this procedure as we move through the summer. Members will have noticed that we have completed work on a number of pathways. (The picture above, centre. shows the 4th path being dug out.) All sleeper steps and bridge crossings were covered with astroturf for the dual purpose of aesthetics and safety (pictured above, right). We were going to do a few trial astroturf paths, but in the end decided against it. However, we did cover the sleeper path from the 1st green to the 2nd tee.  

We had a difficult winter due both to our heavy schedule of work and a terrible sequence of staff injuries, which left us short-staffed for most of the winter. Members will know of Alistair’s terrible motorcycle accident - he was in a very bad way but I’m pleased to report that he is very much on the mend and has returned to work - the speed of his recovery has been incredible and is testament to his determined character. I’m very fortunate to have such a dedicated team of staff who have worked extra hard over the past few months in order to ensure that we completed the winter programme.