(click on pictures to enlarge)
“All the hard work has been covered with snow!!”
Thursday
afternoon’s snowfall has left me unable to provide proof that my team has
been working hard on the course! They have of course, and good progress has
been made in, yet again, a week of inclement weather.
Work to
repair and discourage badger damage on the 12th & 13th
holes has been started and if successful will be continued to other areas.
These areas had to be cut away and chemicals applied to reduce the worms and
leatherjackets – these are the food source that the badger is searching for.
We then laid new turf. Our wildlife management team complete phase 3 of the
operation, setting up a system involving bangers and a ‘smelly’ substance.
The badger will trigger the bangers, which will do nothing more than scare
him/her, and in future will associate the smell with the loud bang! That is
the theory and first signs are that he/she is now concentrating on other
areas on the course!
Areas
on the Village greens 1 & 9 have been hollow tined and the holes filled with
a soil amendment material called Axis; this product is able to increase the
water movement through the surface layer.
Most
of the worn bunker edges on the Woodland course have been repaired; the
Village bunkers will be addressed next.
The
shrub beds at the entrance, clubhouse, 12th and 14th
have been weeded, cut back and re-covered with woodchips.
All the
sleepers on the course have been painted with a creosote substitute so take
care not to brush your clothing against them!!
Course
furniture refurbishment continues steadily – the snow is a perfect
opportunity to make good progress with markers and posts.
The daily course maintenance still continues whilst these other projects are tackled including cutting greens clearing tees, raking bunkers and divoting tees etc.
…………..Spring is just a few weeks away!
Spencer Hawkins
Course Manager