COURSE REPORT 1st FEBRUARY 2012

Winter Programme of Work

The bunker improvement programme continues. The reconstruction of greenside bunkers on the 3rd and the 16th of the Medal course is nearly complete. Work has now started on the re-building of greenside bunkers on the 2nd, 5th and 6th of the Ashludie course. Following on from that, work is planned to improve the greenside bunkers on the 5th, 9th and 15th on the Medal course.

Removal of overgrown gorse has also been undertaken, with an area in front of the 13th tee on the Medal cut back to improve visibility.

The programme of tree management continues with work being done to remove trees to the left of the 16th and 17th holes on the Medal course; copses of good trees will remain. Felling of other trees in a poor state of repair continues, with a number having been brought down by the recent storms. The trees recently blown down to the left of the 15th on Ashludie have adversely affected the ‘dogleg’ nature of that hole, and plans are being made to plant trees to restore that feature.

Tree planting will continue on different parts of the course with over 1,000 trees to be planted as mixed woodland on the ‘dump’ site to the right of the 14th on the Medal course, thereby improving the appearance of that area.

Summer is nearly here – no mats!

There will be no need for mats from 1st March onwards. It is intended that there will be full greens, proper tees and no mats from 1st March onwards (assuming the weather behaves). The Links Board hopes that March will be a good golfing month, in preparation for the forthcoming golfing season.

VISIT AND COURSE INSPECTION BY RICHARD WINDOWS - STRI

The annual visit and course inspection by Richard Windows, agronomist from Scottish Turf Research Institute, took place on 24 October, 2011.

In summary his findings were that the greens were in good order, showing improvement from a year ago. He recommended different aeration procedures for the greens compared to past years. Instead of severe verti-draining of greens in the autumn, he recommended more regular solid tining of greens with 8mm. tines throughout the year. This type of aeration (sometimes referred to as ‘pencil tining’) causes virtually no disruption to the putting surface. This should be seen as excellent news, since the verti-draining done in previous years caused the greens to be extremely bumpy, and, although deemed to be necessary, was not popular with anybody attempting to putt.

It was also recommended that the fertiliser be changed to increase the phosphate content, since the lack of phosphate was causing weak patches on some greens.

Both of these new policies are now in operation. The Links Board are pleased with the improved grass cover on greens, with the 9th green on the Medal (one of the weaker greens) showing a considerable improvement over the past few weeks.  

To view this report in full please click on the link below:

STRI report - October 2011

 

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COURSE REPORT 18 OCTOBER 2011

 

Course Arrangements

During the winter the following arrangements will be in force for the Medal course -

October 2011 - Full measured course with yellow tees. Preferred lies in operation from 1st October onwards until further notice.

November – Yellow course with ‘proper tees and greens’, but not a measured course for handicap purposes. No mats required.

December, January and February – Shortened course with mats.

March – Yellow course with ‘proper tees and greens’, but not a measured course for handicap purposes. No mats required.

In future, it is intended to have a full course on the Medal (white and yellow tees) from 1st April to 31st October. There will be white tees at week-ends and on the first Wednesday of the month, and on Wednesday 20 June 2012 for Links Championship Qualifying.

All of these arrangements are subject to weather conditions.

Winter Programme of Work

Part of the winter programme has started with the bunkers on the 13th on the Medal course; the next stage is to re-build the left hand greenside bunker. The roots of gorse bushes have been removed from the area between the 11th tee and 12th tee on the Medal.

Other parts of the winter programme due to start shortly are –

Fill in fairway bunker on right on 7th Ashludie

Level the back of the 17th tee on the Medal and re-turf.

Lower height of path on 14th Medal to improve visibility from the tee.

Re-instate area south of 14th green Medal by re-seeding.

General re-turfing of poor areas on both courses.

The 9th green was solid tined to alleviate compaction, since this green required time to recover before winter. Although this caused a little disruption to the putting surface, it has substantially improved since.

All of the other greens will be solid tined from the end of October onwards. The Links Board apologises for any disruption to the putting surface, but this is essential aeration work to avoid the problems of compaction.

Tree management will start at some point during the winter, but will depend on ground conditions. The plan is to remove areas of trees which are causing shade on tees and greens; this will start with the trees to the left of the 16th and 17th on the Medal. Copses of good trees will remain. Tree planting will continue on different parts of the course with over 1,000 trees to be planted as mixed woodland on the ‘dump’ site to the right of the 14th on the Medal, which, in time, will improve the appearance of that area.

Flooding issues

There are a number of areas prone to flooding on the golf courses

• Pockets of water lying on a number of Ashludie fairways
• Sandy’s Flats on the 9th on the Medal
• 6th green and surrounds on the Medal
• Flooding caused by the burns bursting their banks

Consideration has been given to long term solutions for the flooding problem, such as major re-contouring of large areas of the course such as Sandy’s Flats and the 6th green. These are extreme measures, which would be disruptive to play, and which would be costly in terms of resources of materials and labour. If the present pattern of wet weather continues, these potential solutions may have to be considered. However, in the meantime a number of shorter term measures are proposed to deal with flooding issues.

It is the intention that fairways will be tined this winter, but priority will be given to those areas with flooding issues, so that the spiking will alleviate compaction, and will allow water to drain more quickly. Areas with grass which has died due to lying water will have the turf lifted, the ground will be re-contoured, and new turf over a sand base will be laid. The re-contouring will be done in such a way that it dos not unduly ‘flatten out’ the undulating Links fairways. Sandy’s Flats and the area around the 6th green on the Medal have been tined and dressed with sand. In both areas there has been built a small ‘sump’ for water with a drain cover, and this allows water to be collected and then pumped away, when flooding occurs. It is hoped that this will allow water to disappear more quickly when heavy rain occurs. At the time of writing there has been an improvement to these areas, and it is hoped that the treatment given has had some impact on making these areas drier. In the longer term, drainage systems may be required for the 12th hole on Ashludie and the 6th and 9th holes on the Medal course. This matter is currently being investigated to establish its feasibility.

 

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LOCAL RULES FROM 30 APRIL 2011

 

Relief can be taken from staked / tubed trees (free lift and drop within one club length of nearest point of relief not nearer the hole).

  

 

Relief can be taken from aeration holes on greens (place at nearest point of relief not nearer the hole).

 

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