Greens Blog: December 2017

1.     Winter Programme:

Works on this are progressing as follows:

·       New drain at the RHS of the 1^st green has been completed, with some minor turfing work required.

·       Red tee at the 14^th has been flattened & roped off. Turf will be re-laid when weather permits.

·       Green staff are clearing some of the smaller trees at the back of the white medal tee are ongoing to ensure more air/light into the area.

·       Works on the 18^th exit pathway has started.

·       Fine hollow tining on greens has been slightly delayed to the increasingly cold weather.

2.     Course Closures/Conditions:

·       Members will be aware the course has been closed on several occasions over recent weeks. This in the main has been due to inclement weather with extraordinary rainfall, followed by freezing temperatures. We have a duty of care to our members/visitors & are required to ensure playing the course does not present any foreseeable risks to them. Therefore, we ask that members recognise the course will only be closed where a series of dynamic risk assessments (undertaken daily) have determined opening the course would damage it or would be potentially unsafe for members to play.

·       We will endeavour to have the course open where at all possible & when it is we would ask players to be alert & diligent, avoiding any potentially slippy areas where possible.

·       Players should also ensure they have appropriate footwear with good spikes in them.

3.     Contact the Greens Team:

·       Members wishing to discuss any course related issues are encouraged to do so via the Greens@cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk

Jane Lees

Greens Convenor

Greens Report: September 2017

Greens Report: September 2017

1.     Winter Playing Conditions:

·       Preferred lies will be in operation with effect from Monday 2nd October along with the requirement for winter wheels on all trolleys.

·       Members who have mats & wish to use them throughout the winter months can do so in the rough only.

2.     2^nd Hole:

·       We are still receiving complaints from members about near misses on this hole.

·       We will monitor the situation & in the meantime continue to grow the grass between the banking on the 2^nd & the bunker on the 4^th hole to discourage the “high road”. We will also source & display more permanent signage for the tee.

·       Members are reminded to shout “fore” if they are taking the “high road” & also to record any accidents/near misses in the book behind the bar.

3.     6^th Medal Tee:

·       After a seeking a wide variety of advice & some considerable work from the Greens Team, we are pleased to advise we have managed to save this tee.

·       As suspected the problem has been “football stadium syndrome”, i.e. lack of light & air.

·       As part of the proposed winter programme, tree contractors will be thin out some of the larger trees at the back of the tee & the Greens Team will work on removing/thinning out the smaller ones.

4.     9^th Hole:

·       Despite concerns that the landfill pipe on the RHS of this hole would cause flooding, Douglas has been up to see it & is confident the sophisticated system is more than adequate to control any water flow away from course.

5.     Trees:

·       Also proposing to remove/thin out some trees on the 6^th & 16^th holes to alleviate how much water is being held on the fairways. Again contractors will deal with the large ones & our own team will deal with the smaller ones.

6.     Winter Programme:

·       We have discussed this in detail & Douglas is preparing a spreadsheet of proposed works, priorities, man hours & costings.

·       Much of this work will be done in-house by our own Greens Team to rather than out-sourcing.

7.     General:

·       Douglas will yet again chase the 5^th & 14^th tee markers. We will also look to amend distances on the cards when we next print them.

·       Hawthorn bush in front of the red tee @ the 12^th is to be chopped down significantly to ensure it can be managed safely by the greens Team.

·       Members to note roped areas on the LHS of 10^th & 13^th are GUR.

·       Members are reminded that no more than 2 balls should be played on the course & should they wish to practice with more, they should do so in the Practice Area.

·       We will be displaying “rules of engagement” signage on the Practice Area as members continue to hit back towards the Clubhouse. 

·       The Greens Committee would ask that members raise any queries/concerns with the course via Greens@cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk & not with the Greens Team or Secretary.

Jane Lees

Greens Blog: June/July 2017

1.    Paths

·         3rd:      Suspected the buggies might be ripping the matting up. Consideration is being given to speed restrictors on our buggies which may alleviate this as well as other safety concerns.

·         17^th:     Matting to the red tee has been ripped up, the ground levelled, matting replaced/bolted & covered with red grit.

2.    6^th Medal Tee

·         This tee is again giving cause for concern & we have sought advice from an advisor in the company who provide our turf. We are taking forward their recommendations which include lifting turf, scarifying/coring, applying an agreed substance & re-seeding with rye grass. Consideration will also be given to clearing more trees around this tee to allow more air & light into it.

·         In the meantime, the white medal tee will remain in the forward position.

3.    5^th & 14^th Tee Signage

·         After some initial errors with the signs, these will be in place in the next 2 weeks.

4.    2nd/4th safety issues:

·         Warning signs have been more or less ineffective.

·         Several more reported near misses, even as wide as the steps at the new 5th tee with no shout of “fore”!

·         This is a known safety risk & we are putting some control measures into place. As an initial step the cut of grass at the top of the 2nd backing to halfway towards the bunker on the 4th will be lengthened from 50mm to 100mm.

·         We will continue to monitor this issue & ask that all players experiencing accidents & near misses formally record them in the book behind the bar.

5.    Eco-bunkers:

·         Following a recommendation from Douglas & the Greens Committee, the COM has agreed to trial an Eco-Bunker on the 16^th hole. They look good as well as natural & have hugely impressive savings in terms of labour, bunker maintenance & sand.

6.    General

·         Old tee at 14^th will shortly be reseeded.

·         Club washer at the 13^th will be re-instated & one will also be placed at the 11^th.

·         Rough at RHS of 17^th, towards gorse will be kept slightly longer to avoid bounces into gorse/trees.

·         Until we can lower/reshape the rear of the LHS bunker at the 5th permanently, additional sand has been dumped into it in attempt to ensure balls do not get caught under the back lip.

·         No practice signs are to be placed on 5^th & 13^th tees.

·         The sluice gate at the 5^th is not functioning properly & we need to investigate what is required to fix it.

·         We are asking members to help maintain the superb condition of our greens. In an alphabetical surname split, please take ownership of pitch marks repairs on your identified greens as follows:

A                      -           Hole 1.

B                      -           Hole 2.

C                     -           Hole 3.

D                     -           Hole 4.

E/F                  -           Hole 5.

G                     -           Hole 6.

H                     -           Hole 7.

I/J/K                 -           Hole 8.

L                      -           Hole 9.

Mc                   -           Holes 10/11.

M                     -           Holes 12/13.

N/O/P/Q          -           Hole 14.

R                     -           Hole 15.

S                      -           Hole 16.

T/U/V               -           Hole 17.

W/X/Y/Z          -           Hole 18.

·         We will be working on the start of the winter programme works at the next greens meeting. Already on the list:

ü  Work on levelling the red 14^th tee.

ü  Trimming back gorse on the RHS of 16^th hole.

Please continue to get in touch via

Greens@cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk

Jane Lees

Greens Convenor

Greens Blog (May 2017)

The Committee appreciate all feedback we have received relating to the course & encourage to continue to get in touch via: Greens@cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk

We are experiencing a prolonged period of dry weather which has seen the Greenstaff focus on ensuring the course is irrigated. As a result members may encounter sprinklers on the course around some of the areas recently turfed.

Permanent distance markers will be on the new 5^th tee within the next 4 weeks. Until then, temporary signage will be in place. The new 6^th tee is knitting well & should be in play soon. Greenstaff will be working on the red tee at the 14^th when the newly created white/yellow tee has fully bedded in. Works to tidy/flatten the pathway from the 16^th green to the red 17th tee will also now take place.

We now have two Defibrillators, one in Clubhouse near the handicap hub & one in the on course toilet (Code: C1234).

 The Greens Committee would like to reiterate the following general course guidelines:

·         Members are advised that no trolleys should be taken between bunkers & greens.

·         When leaving the 12^th green, players should do so via the right hand side & not round the back of the 7^th green.

·         Players should not cut in at the 13^th hole if there is anyone on the 12^th.

·         Help us to keep the course in great condition: repair divots & pitch marks immediately.

·         We encourage anyone wishing to practice, to do so on the practice area & not the 5^th & 13^th holes.

Jane Lees

Greens Convenor

Greens Blog (April 2017)

The Committee appreciate all the feedback/suggestions we have received relating to the course. Where appropriate, as well as financially viable for the club, we will endeavour to take your points forward or programme them for future works.

Following the redesign of the 14^th hole, construction of the new tee & bunkers are nearing completion. Outstanding works to flatten & lower the red tee will take place when the new tee has had the opportunity to bed in (hopefully early May).

Work on the 5^th hole has been completed with some trees being removed from the right hand side & the area being turfed over. We are also looking to tidy the area around the pond.

New timber steps have been built at the white tees on the 4^th & 7^th holes. These will be topped with a protective, non-skip surface Cover Lawn.

We have had to returf the white tee on the 6^th hole, due to a temporary  infestation of ‘leather jacket’ insects. A slightly forward tee will be in play for early medals & until the newly laid turf takes.

With the exception of par 3’s all medal tees have been placed. In addition, we now have a blue junior course which has been measured & marked.

There have been several near misses on the course over the last 12 months. Therefore the Committee ask members to please pay attention to the safety notices displayed around course. Most importantly, please shout ‘fore’ clearly for any stray golf balls from your game.

Finally members are reminded there is absolutely no play permitted when the ‘course closed’ signs are displayed at the club & on the website.

Jane Lees

Greens Convenor

Greens Blog 1st February 2017

Dear Members

On behalf of the greens staff and myself I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year and hopefully a successful playing season.

This is an update on the Course winter programme so far:

New 14^th gents tee.

Construction began in November 2016 with 30 trees being removed to prepare the site and provide access routes for materials. To date 400 tonnes of material has been installed consisting of 80-100mm stone base layer covered by a 20mm gravel layer acting as a drainage carpet , followed by 12 inches of sand/soil root zone mix to get to the final level required similar to the existing tee. The surface has now been re turfed using the existing turf from the old medal tee. The theory being that the root system will develop quicker plus the turf will survive better in this shaded area. The new measurement of the hole is now 501 yards extending by some 20 yards. The tee bankings shall be turfed shortly followed by the installation of a new footpath.

RHS of 5^th Green.

Five large Sitka spruce trees have been removed from the right hand side of the green .The purpose of this is to allow additional sunlight and air movement into this area to improve turf quality not only for this area but for the green also , especially during the winter months. Approximately 150 tonnes of soil has been installed and landscaped to include a small winter green removing it from its current position on the 6^th tee. Final shaping and landscaping will continue with turfing commencing from 6^th February.

Tree removal LHS 10^th Green.

Approximately 40 large Sitka spruce trees have been removed from the large tree plantation to L/H/S of the 10^th green. Similar to the project at the 5^th the principals are the same to improve turf quality not only to the 10^th green but to surrounding areas as well also to the existing trees within the plantation. It is our intention to continue this work on an annual basis to areas required throughout the course.

14^th Fairway Bunkers

Work is almost completed on the first of 3 bunkers on this hole. We are continuing with the re-vetted style bunker face to all 3 bunkers but at a lower height. Work will continue on the bunkers once we have completed work on the 5^th green and 14^th tee.

Timber Tee Steps.

For safety and aesthetic reasons the rotten timber steps have been removed from the 4^th and 7^th tees. New treated timber steps have been installed at the 7^th and the 4^th should be completed by mid February . Green staff will continue to assess the condition of existing steps and will repair and replace when required.

Air Compressor / Shoe Cleaner.

A new machine has now been installed at the 18^th pathway leading from the course.

Douglas McIntosh

Course Manager