We have continued with our Winter work,sanding path ends,traffic control and working to clear ditches.The gorse area near  the 6th tee heron has been reduced in height ,this will stimulate new growth and keep it manageable as Gorse is an important plant for wildlife .

                                               last years gorse now regenerating

                                                  this years gorse cut and ready for regrowth

                                                        ditch work near the 6th Hawk

                                                                 6th Hawk

                                                                    3rd  Vixen

We had some road planing left so we were able to extend another path through a wet area on the 1st Hawk ,Sean and Craig seen here adding road planings

During October we sprayed selected areas of our Environmental rough with a product called Rescue which takes out some of the coarser grasses like rye grass.By removing these species we will encourage the finer leaved grasses,this will help in finding and playing your ball  and produce  a higher quality rough with an improved visual appearance.The product is relatively expensive so it will be a case of spraying areas when we are able to through the coming years as well as continuing with our normal environmental rough management.Those areas sprayed can be seen as they have a discoloured appearance now but this will change as we go into the spring.

Rough  9th vixen sprayed with Rescue

Many of you will know my Deputy Sean Eady who has been with me for over six years, both as a work colleague and friend.He will be leaving us at the end of January to become the Head Greenkeeper at Ballards Gore Golf Club.He will be missed but I know that he will take up the challenge there and take Ballads Gore forward.We wish him all the best for 2015. 

2014 has been a challenging year for various reasons but we have come through it and I hope you have enjoyed playing the course and will continue to do so.As we come to the end of 2014 I would like to thank all those who have followed this blog and to wish all our members and visitors a Happy New Year through into 2015.

On behalf of the Greenstaff I would like to thank the Seniors Captain and all the seniors and Ladies for the invitation to play in Your Christmas Turkey Trot on Wednesday 10th December .It was a bright and breezy day and good fun,with the course playing well after all the recent rain,followed by a Christmas dinner.Sean and I won a couple of  prizes in the raffle and Craig had one par on his card so we went home happy.

The wet weather through October and November restricted the type of work we would normally be carrying out through this period.Our attention therefore turned to other tasks around the course.Ditch work was carried out on the 4th heron removing overhanging branches,bramble  and debris,allowing easier access and ball retrieval.

                                                          blocked by bramble

                                                                      cleared

View from 3rd Hawk along cleared ditch

The prolonged wet spell meant many bunkers required to be pumped out so that limited raking could be achieved 

 The use of pumps through the winter period in wet and muddy areas has a detrimental effect on parts which require periodically to be replaced

As the ground conditions becomes to soft for our machinery  we have to revert to trusted old fashion methods to get the job done  this is especially the case on the Driving Range.Here many hands when available can make light work in hand- collecting the balls.

Craig  emptying his ball collector

We have removed the bramble around the Pond on the 4th vixen to tidy this area which is in view from the entrance road on the course

                                                                              before

after

Our very recent work has been the extension of two paths,the 6th tee path heron and the 3rd tee path on the Hawk,these will direct golf traffic away from the front of the tees and wet areas.The ground conditions were to wet for us to use our tractor and trailer to remove the spoil so this will be removed once the ground conditions allow us to use our machinery.As we are able we will fill in the worst of the potholes allowing better access around the course and enabling golfers to keep there trolleys on the paths.

Below a selection of photos of the work

                                                        edging out the marked path

                                                                       digging it out

                                  adding and raking out the road planings(rainbow for extra effect)

using wacker plate

Hopefully improving areas like this