Work on 6

Work has also been undertaken on the sixth bunker. You can see from the architectural redesign plans that the bunker has been enlarged to improve the shot difficulty from a poor drive down the left hand side of the hole. To compensate the approach has also been shifted across the same amount to help the ball roll in from the right.

Bunkers 6 and 3 have been excavated the same time so all bunkers can be lined at the same time to reduce stone contamination which is especially bad on hole 3. We hope to move down to the 5th hole after this. You can see that the bunker has got quite a lot bigger. The bunkers will be lined next thursday and hopefully be back in play shortly after.

Course Maintenance

Course maintenance is being undertaken this week. Most of you understand why this process is undertaken so I wont bore you will the biology / greens managemnt lesson, I have just attached some pictures. The greens are in good shape so we have undertaken a small renovation to make sure we keep on top of thatch levels to ensure top quality playing surfaces. Tines are 8mm and should take a couple of weeks to recover. Greens will also get fertilised with some composted turkey litter and overseeded with a new variety of creeping bent grass. The main improver is the sand dressing. We target 200 tonnes per annum and we hope to get 50 tonnes on the greens at renovation time. This means we just need to a have light and frequent applications thereafter. Topdressing is the key to ensure smooth, fast and free drainaing surfaces. Thanks for your patience, Daniel

Hedge on Ten

For those of you who thought I was making it up!!! the regrowth of the hedge on the tenth has begun. We hoped the coppiced wood will regrow into a thick dense hedge which support a variety of wildlife on the estate if managed correctly. The evidence of that process beginning is below.

moving forward

Should now have a linked twitterfeed for this blog - lets see

follow us at twitter @blgcgd

Dan

 - might take a while to go through I imagine!

Augusta doesn't have a thing on us !!

Course is looking great for the masters event and for this time of year

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Gorse

Over the last few years we have undertaken extensive work managing the gorse on the golf course. The work initially looks very brutal and many members think we have taken the gorse away. The plant is very resilient and cutting it low down encourages new, healthy growth which flowers well and looks stunning. Below are some pictures of some old unmanaged gorse on the back of the 10th hole and the wonderful views today of the gorse we worked on two years ago on the side of the 3rd tees from the 6th fairway. Not only did we improve the view from the 3rd tees but the colour of the gorse at this time of the year is wonderful

work begins

Work on the redesign of the golf course started today with the reshaping, lining and sanding of the 3rd greenside bunkers. The bunker on the right will just be improved with the lip being re edged, however the left hand bunker has been widened towards the edge of the approach. This will tighten the entrance into the green. Pictures and information about the work will be updated regularly so please check for updates.