LGC Links Committee COURSE NEWS
One thing that is certain about winter golf is that the days are shorter and the hours of play greatly reduced. This means that our Greenkeeping Staff have even less time to prepare the course in the mornings so that you can enjoy the rest of the day.
The Greenkeepers must therefore be afforded absolute priority in the early morning – this applies more so in the winter but is just as relevant throughout the year. We have a greenkeping staff second to none in this area and this can be seen in the quality course they have prepared, a course that is regularly praised by visitors and envied by our near neighbours.
During the past few months the Course Policy Document has been prepared and approved by the Board of Directors. There is a copy on the Notice Board and it is also available on the club website. If you have not read it please do so as it sets out where we want the club to go in the future and how we hope to get there. Incorporated in this document is the bunker audit.
During the next few months work will be carried out on the 15th hole in line with the Course Audit of 2008 (copy in folder in casual bar) and in line with the recommendation of the Sussex County Golf Union Representative. Vegetation along the Rife will be removed (some of this work has already been carried out) and the bunkering revised to provide a more challenging drive for the bigger hitters and a trickier approach.
The work will also define more clearly the Rife as a hazard. A copy of the Course Audit is available on the Notice Board. During these works there will be minimal disruption to play and notices will be displayed advising of any disruption.
The 16th back tee is to be re-turfed and a mat has been provided while the work is carried out. The work that was carried out a few years ago was unsuccessful and a different type of grass is to be used this time and at the same time some of the trees to the south side that block out the sun and shelter it from the wind are to be removed. On Health & Safety grounds we also need to improve the sightline for players coming down the 15th.
Last winter the 3rd green remained in play during frost conditions as a trial to see what damage, if any, resulted from it’s use. This trial was frowned upon by the experts but we felt that it would, once and for all, give us some genuine evidence for the use of temporary greens during periods of frost. Let me say at this point that nothing would please the Greenstaff, the Board or the Links Committee more than to able to leave all of the greens in play no matter what the weather!
However, the comments made by our Course Consultant in his end of year report read “3rd green has now recovered but some central areas are still weak. It has however taken most of the growing season to see full recovery from damage due to play in hard winter conditions”. Our Course Manager confirms that “twice as much treatment was required on this green as any other green on the course”.
We will continue to keep the vegetation under control and are in the process of taking advice from Natural England to see where we can improve our approach to environmental matters while retaining our main purpose as a well used golf course.
During the winter there is the everyday work of presenting the course to its best advantage by cutting, raking, aerating, etc.. One or two areas need resting from the constant traffic over them and you will see these as you play. You can play your ball from these areas but please keep off them as much as possible to give them time to recover. The usual winter slitting of fairways will take place as will turf repairs at points around the course – mainly on green surrounds. As spring comes, there will be seeding and dressing on walkways.
Practising on the course is prohibited 1 ball only and please remember to replace divots and repair pitch-marks.
Throughout the winter we will endeavour to keep you advised on what is happening day to day so please read the notice boards before you play and remember that golf is after all only a game and if we are able to go out and enjoy this superb links course during the winter we are fortunate indeed.
Tony Bence
Director & Chairman of Links Committee
January 2012