March course news

We’re beginning to see a little grass growth but as always, this is very limited at this time of year.  We’re behind last year in growth potential terms but ahead of 2015 when growth was minimal in January and February.  The fairways have been cut for the first time this year and we’ve sprayed them with iron to control moss.  The first tee has been turfed and is rooting well and the 8^th tee and 6^th medal tee are well established and ready for a first top dressing.  Our aim is to get these tees in play as soon as possible but the weather over the next few weeks will dictate just how early this happens.  Three of our stonier bunkers have been dug out and lined with clean soil to prevent stones coming to the surface.  (Left of the 2^nd fairway, 1^st left on 16 and the big bunker left of the 17^th green.)  Our original plan to turf the bare area on the 18^th green didn’t work out because the turf on the putting green was breaking up when we cut it.  We’re using deep plugs from the putting green to renovate the area instead.

March work programme

The greens will be top dressed in the next suitable weather window and we’ll be doing what we can to encourage early grass growth.  Air and soil temperature are the main limiting factors for early season growth, so hopefully we’ll get a relatively mild spring this year.  Renovation of the green surrounds will continue with top dressing fertiliser and over-seeding.  Work will start on the extension of the putting green next week.  Over the next two or three weeks we’ll be having a bit of a blitz on bramble cutting.

Weather summary for February

February was relatively mild with an average temperature of 6.7°, well above the 5° long term average.  The maximum temperature was 17.5° on the 20th, the second warmest February day we've recorded, the highest was 18.1° in 2012.  The minimum temperature was 0.7° on the 11th.  Total rainfall was 23mm, well below the 36.2mm average for February.