Lake Work cont'

Work on the lake progresses.

Lake work

Work on the 5th lake goes up another notch on Monday. We have a twenty tonne digger arriving which will go in the lake leaving the thirteen tonner on the bank to clear up. This should rapidly speed up the project. We have also hired a 9 tonne dumper to take some silt from the far end much quicker. There is always something exciting about new kit turning up.

Hedge work

The final post on the hedge work at the golf club. For now the work is mainly finished and we just have to move the small trees and tidy the area so the long grass can grow in the spring and the hedge can come back in its own time. Looking at the speed of the gorse recovery it shouldn't be long.

Comparison picture to see how it has changed -

Some great information on hedgerow management

I would always like to think we are doing the best for the golf course, the wildlife and its members. I have provided a link for an excellent two minute video explaining why the hedgerow work is important and how it will make the landscape better in the future. Juts click on the link and watch video 2 on coppicing

http://www.hedgelink.org.uk/hedgelink/hedgerow-management.htm

The website (Hedgelink) is also a great resource for those wanting to know a little more about hedgerow management in the UK

10th hedge

Progress report - the work is getting there but it will take quite a while to tidy up the area and let it recover. We will also be moving all the small pines into nice shapes so that the edge of the woodland looks attractive. Hopefully with more light the trees will do a lot better. Put in a comparison picture to see if you like it

10th hedge

You forget what some areas of the golf course used to look like. The work on the 10th hedge will really imporve this area. Here are a few piccys of the area before any work started in 2008

Hedge on 10

Progress is hard work and slow but the results are very encouraging

Work on the 10th hedge is progessing brilliantly. It really does make the hole look much better and we will get a new health stand of blackthorn over time as well.

recycling christmas

Several members dropped off their christmas trees in the maintenance facility and this is a little video of us using the tree for recycling in the form of mulch which is used out on the golf course. I hope those that dropped off trees found it a worthwhile exercise and I hope that we will do it again next year.

hedgerow management

On the 17^th February will begin one of our final woodland task for the winter. We will be coppicing the hedge or thicket on the side of the 10^th hole by the halfway hut. The hedge has become degenerate in recent years and we feel that it is important to try to improve the ecological value of the hedge and its aesthetic look by undertaken some much needed management. It is one of the only hedges of this type on the estate and support wildlife that not many other areas of the course can support and so we need to improve it. This means it will need management.

Management plan

1. Our management plan for the hedge is detailed below.
2. Cut the hedge as low to the ground as possible, or to the previous level, whichever is lower. 
3. Trim the new growth for the next couple of years to encourage a dense structure.
4.  No weed control should be necessary as new growth should be vigorous enough to out-compete weeds. 
5.  Protection from grazing stock where necessary.
6.  Retain hedgerow trees and some dead wood where possible.

I hope that you understand that this management plan is essential to maintain the value of the hedgerow to the environment and to ensure the look and quality of the golf course is maintained. If you have any further questions please contact me at the club. 

hedgerow management

Vertidraining greens

This quick video shows the vertidraining of the greens. We are getting the tines down to a depth of about 8 inches. This work is vital, especially now as roots are starting to grow.  We know that the plant needs oxygen to and it is important we maintain a regular supply to help it survive the tough conditions that we subject it to.  It also helps vent the soil of carbon dioxide which can be damaging to plant health if allowed to build up. I understand that it does affect the playing conditions somewhat, so we have done nine greens last week and now they have recovered we will do the other nine today and tomorrow. They will be rolled after aeration to ensure the playing condition's are as smooth as possible, but please understand that if we do not do this work on a regular basis then the greens will steadily get worse and worse. 

The picture is a little poor but this shows the decline of the yorkshire fog and the fescue remaining. Hopefully it will come through and make the area much thinner and more playable. Might need an overseed though.

Tree work on 11

As many of you have seen, we have spent some time tidying the woodland on the left hand side of the 11th fairway. There are a mix of fantastic mature trees in this part of the golf course, but many silver birch have grown in there making it look unsightly. Silver birch are not a poor tree if allowed to grow in the right places, but in this woodland they have grown very tall and thin to "chase the light". The eradication of the trees in this area has made it look much neater and allowed the feature trees more light and room to grow. It will also help with airflow through to the 12th green, improving the year round playability of this green. Here are a few pictures from the middle section before and after.

A lovely day

(Click on image to see full landscape)The golf course looks great on a frosty morning. The course has stood up well over the winter. We have had some grey days recently and so this was a welcome bit of sunshine.

Lake work con't

The fish are being moved and placed in temporary storage in the very healthy middle lake

Long job but will be worth it.





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Location:Farnborough,United Kingdom

The lake drain down is progressing well. We should have a rough idea of the fish stocks by the end of the week and work to tidy the lake edge will begin next week.

If you ever wondered where all the fish have gone. Those which have been taken out of the upper lake are being held in the intermediate lake until the water level returns on the upper lake.