Course Update

In early April, we had our Rep Neil Rogers from Countrywide Farmers Amenity take soil samples from the 16th, 17th and bottom 1st green to send them off to Lancrop Laboratories for analysis. The results showed that all these greens are slightly low in calcium and have high levels of organic matter known as thatch. This build up of thatch prevents water from getting to the root zone and causes the greens to dry out, and become hard and brown. With Neil's advice, we have commenced a program of hollow coring on all greens.

Last Tuesday will took delivery of a Toro Procore Pedestrian Machine, a Charterhouse core collector, and dressing brushes for the greens machine all on demo from Devon Garden Machinery, along with 40 tonnes of premium dressing sand bought from Countrywide Farmers. The Procore Machine has used half inch hollow core tines and is much lighter than the tractor mounted version. The cores have been collected and removed using the collecting machine. Calcium boosting fertilizer has been applied to speed up recovery and a heavy spread of dressing has been brushed into the holes using the greens machine.

Thank you all for your patience this week as it hasn't been easy due to some technical difficulties. We are pleased to say that we are almost there and are looking forward to seeing the improvement. We would like to thank you all for your positive comments as there is never an ideal time to fit this kind of work in, especially with such a hectic playing season!



Is Golf Moving In A New Direction?

Two weeks and two new formats introduced onto the circuit. Last week saw the PGA Tour host a team event for the first time since 1981 and it's safe to say it was a huge success. The players were able to choose their partner for the week, providing us with a little insight into the relationships amongst players on Tour. Playing two rounds foursomes and two rounds 4BBB, Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith came out eventual winners but only after a four-hole playoff against Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown on Monday morning.

This week sees the European Tour take centre stage in trying to revitalise golf to the masses with their GolfSixes event. There will be 16 two-man teams competing over six holes in a series of head-to-head matches, with one team being crowned champions come Sunday afternoon. The six holes all differ drastically; from music and pyrotechnics on the first tee to a long drive competition on the third to a nearest the pin on the fifth.

It promises to be an exciting event but only time will tell whether it catches on and helps grow the game of golf. In the meantime, watch our GolfSixes video here.