Course Notes - 15.08.25 (updated 20.08.25)

🗓 15th August 2025

✍ From Tom, Course Manager

Course Conditions & Weather 🌦️

We’ve had very little meaningful rainfall recently, so the course continues to play firm and fast. To help protect the turf, we’ve introduced Preferred Lies on fairways, as grass cover has thinned in some areas. The forecast remains settled for the next 10 days, so we’ll maintain our regular watering programme to keep the greens healthy...please see above!

Greens Update ⛳

We continue to water the greens and surrounds 5–6 times a week. Next week, we’ll:

• Apply a light sand dressing.

• Verticut and aerate the surfaces in advance.

• Over-seed stressed areas.

• Apply a liquid organic seaweed soil conditioner to improve plant health.

Project Updates 🗒️

Autumn Hollow-Tining

This autumn, we plan to hollow-tine 2–3 greens and surrounds.Why hollow tining?

• Removes thatch & organic matter – physically extracts plugs of soil, reducing moisture-holding layers that can harbour disease.

• Improves rootzone structure – allows sand or rootzone mix to replace removed soil, enhancing drainage and oxygen flow.

• Reduces compaction – more effective than solid tining at opening up dense soils.

• Longer-lasting benefits – drainage and firmness improvements typically outlast those from solid tining.

Solid tining is quicker and less disruptive, but hollow tining tackles the underlying organic build-up—making it vital for long-term turf health.

Brook Along 9th Hole

We’ve begun clearing growth in and along the brook beside the 9th hole, as well as removing fallen branches. This should improve winter water flow and help prevent blockages that could cause the brook to overflow.

Ongoing: Tee Area Works

We’re continuing work on the 1st/4th and 5th tee areas. Topsoil and rootzone are being added and levelled, after which the areas will be seeded and/or turfed to complete the renovations.

Driving Range Mounding

A contractor has begun constructing mounding at the top right corner of the driving range field. We plan to expand this mounding using materials from the construction of our new range building (pending planning permission). Ultimately, the mound will be shaped and planted to serve as a barrier for range balls near the 1st hole.

We want to stress that all materials used are sourced from our property and not brought in from outside properties.

📝 Next update: End of August

Thank you for your continued support and care for the course.

— TN