Abridge Golf Club
Winter has arrived!
Good morning all I hope you are all keeping well?
As I write this update this morning its pouring with rain and a strong wind blowing! so I'm pretty sure Winter has finally arrived?
The weather has been balmy this year. The wettest Summer for years, the driest warmest Autumn on record, which has meant we have been cutting wall to wall pretty much twice a week, and then straight from 12 degrees C to get frost and snow this week ! I cannot remember snow this early in the Winter? At least so many of you have been able to play your Course.
Most of you listen, understand and appreciate the problems weather can bring, its frustrating some people make their own minds up as to how we should be dealing with the management of the Golf Course given the extreme weather changes!
The humid conditions have been a 'perfect storm' for disease despite treating the greens with various fungicides, tonics and turf hardners 14 times since the middle of August! Normally, by early October, the grass plant has stopped growing but having to cut so often it can cut the preventative chemicals off the grass leaf after a few days. Thankfully the colder weather tends to do the job for us, showing yet again the power of nature. A few members have asked why have some courses not had disease? ( though nearly all I know have ) Does everyone get the flu or a cold at the same time?.... no.......exactly its the same thing.
Leaves are falling quickly and we continue to try to keep the course clear of them.
I think he has missed one!
In between all this we have rebuilt the 4th Tee, sorted a couple of leaks out at the 4th/5th pond and reshaped and re directed the ditch leading from the 5th tee into the 4th pond.
New redirected ditch at the 4th and 5th holes
We have also started our Winter tree projects. Firstly clearing the rest of the scrub where the Buggy park use to be. This area is being developed into an Orchard sponsored by BIGGA as we won £1500 for all the great Ecology work we have started. It will be called 'The BIGGA Orchard' and will have Apple, Plum, Pear and Cherry trees.
Other Scrub and Tree clearing will be carried out over the Winter at The Irrigation Lake, the left hand side of the 2nd Hole, left hand side of the 5th hole, between the 6th and 7th fairways, the right hand side of the 11th hole and the left hand side of the 15th hole. As you are all aware we have a applied for a tree grant to replace trees where necessary as per our Ecology Tree report we had done but more of this once we have the money through .
Other Winter work will include 2 new Winter mats, one near the White tee at the 7th hole and the other will be at the Red tee at the 13th Hole. We are also trying to solve the drainage issues in the 11th fairway bunker and re turfing some of the worn Bunker edges.
So plenty of work for my Team to do !
We have started our Bunker report working with Will Swan who as you know designed our New putting greens. v More of this once the report is received.
Please be aware that our Greens iron is still not repaired , I am assured it will be back to us by Wednesday 27th November
Greens Iron waiting to be repaired
The Development Fund Committee will be meeting this coming week to discuss options for next years projects. There are a few ideas in but please email any ideas you may have. to:- devfund@abridgegolf.com and we will discuss them .Once again a massive thanks to those members that are part of this great Fund
Welcome to all our new Members that have joined Abridge the last couple of months.
Finally I hope you all like the new Course Information Signs to let you all know Course conditions, Trolley and Buggy rules and special works going on on the Course.
Keep warm and dry.
ENJOY YOUR COURSE ENJOY YOUR CLUB................IT'S YOURS REMEMBER!
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