KIRKCUDBRIGHT GOLF CLUB COURSE POLICY DOCUMENT
– Merged Draft Nov 1st, 2024
Introduction
The Course Policy Document (hereafter referred to as The Document) sets out the policy of the Kirkcudbright Golf Club (hereafter referred to as KBT GC), as agreed by the membership, regarding all matters impacting on course preparation. The aim of the document is to establish a clear and consistent approach to course management to fulfil the potential of the course for the benefit of members, their guests and visitors. The document lays out the vision for the course and provide long-term continuity for management of the course.
This course policy document is a working manual and will be reviewed and amended from time to time, in accordance with changing climate, usage, resources and course layout and changes in the game of golf itself. All major changes will usually only happen after broad consultation, both within the club and with designated professional advisors, and after a full vote by the membership.
General information about KBT GC
Founded 9th September 1893, KBT GC was established on land around Belmont and the Poor House rented from the Town Common for £5pa. Printed reports (The St Andrews Citizen) from spring 1893 records Old Tom Morris (Thomas Mitchell Morris) as the course designer who made several visits between March and May of 1893. The 1st hole is all that remains unchanged from that original layout. In October 1922 notice was given to vacate parts of the original course. This meant that the layout of the course was moved further up the hill, a direction of travel which continued in 1945 when Millflats was built. In June 1945 the renowned artist and Captain of the club Charles Oppenheimer sketched the new layout with further variations added between 1946 and 1976. The extension of the course from 9 to 18 holes in 1976 was curated and coordinated by Edward Shamash, Donald Shamash and David Picken with help of the members.
The club has 3 measured courses:
- White tees: par 69, 5717 yds, SR 118, CR 69.7
- Yellow tees: par 69, 5412yds, SR 117, CR 68.0
- Red tees: par 72, 5321 yds
The course covers 96 acres of cutting area. Situated towards the top of the hill with a shallow soil depth the course moves onto old agricultural land from the 5th hole with a series of burns and drainage ditches leading down to the River Dee. The land has a very rich growth habit with a large number of trees from saplings to mature specimens.
Climate
A mild climate generally warm and temperate with a significant rainfall annually around 50 to 60”. Over the last 5yrs the average has increased from 48 to 50” with 2023 totalling 54”.
Greens Committee: (NOW A GROUP OF 4?)
The Greens Committee is an informal triumvirate of Head Greenkeeper, Greens Convenor and Captain. The Captain rotates every two years. There is no formal rotation of the Greens Convenor and there is no course manager. The Convenor reports to the club committee on course condition, progress and planning including budgetary requirements.
This Committee shall refer to The Document and measure progress against it.
Staff
Ensure that all individuals physically involved in the maintenance of the golf course appreciate the importance of their role to the team. This should include everyone working on the golf course throughout the year, including apprentices, part-time or seasonal workers AND VOLUNTEERS.
KBT GC provides job descriptions for all employees. Training is provided as required.
Health and Safety:
As an employer the Club has a duty under statutory law to ensure a safe working environment for staff and those who access and use the course.
Main aims are:
- Up to date COSHH records
- Full course assessment highlighting areas of risk for staff, players and use of equipment
- Awareness of the manufacturer’s guidelines for safe use of their equipment
- Secure and safe storage of equipment and materials
- Training to keep staff updated for use on pesticide spraying, chainsaw and first aid
Employment Law:
- The Club should be aware of employment law and keep contracts of employment up to date to ensure the Club acts in a fair and just way towards it employees.
Members, Their Guests and Visitors
Notify those using the facility that they are expected to accept responsibility to take every possible care of the course. This will include all aspects of etiquette according to the Rules of Golf, such as the repair of all damage they cause to playing surfaces, e.g. pitch mark repair, divot replacement where possible and the raking of bunkers after play, obeying instructions regarding traffic management notices, accepting all decisions made with regard to course usage and to always alert green staff when they are about to make a stroke that might endanger them. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disciplinary action or a ban on future play. It is imperative that golfers consider others and help promote and implement the objectives of this document.
Course management objectives
The aim of the of the CPD is to gain a foundational understanding of the main play areas and the environment into which the course is set. The Club has to recognise its resources are finite and there will be competing demands arising from set up for daily play, presentation, and the need to maintain and develop the health of the main swards to deliver acceptable surfaces for as long as possible in any given year, taking weather patterns into consideration. Different categories of golfers have different needs and expectations, and these have to be reflected upon when managing the course if the majority of members are going to have an enjoyable experience when playing, and this will be necessary if the Club is going to grow its membership over time. Bringing definition of main play areas, course set-up, sward health and the wide range of golfers’ needs and expectations together will require an ongoing spirit of understanding and compromise from all parties. As it is unlikely the Club, as a whole, will collectively and consistently agree on what is good the CPD looks to promote a more pragmatic approach, taking aims and resources into consideration, to deliver for the majority.
Greens
Performance aims for putting surfaces :
- be true, smooth, firm and drain well
- be consistent within and between surfaces, including practice greens
- deliver the effects of spin on well-struck shots
- provide an acceptable and sustainable speed
- be available for play for as much of the year as possible
- provide a good average standard of putting surface for as much of the year as possible
- be of tidy appearance.
- have a sward composition favouring bents and fescues
Objective measurement: putting green playing performance target ranges.
There are a number of factors related to the overall performance of a golf green and they include
both playing and agronomic aims to deliver consistency of sward performance throughout any given year taking changing weather patterns into consideration. Also, the management approach that is implemented will have to deliver on the developing goal of sustainability and this will require an understanding of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) to minimise the use of pesticides and fertiliser.
There are a number of assessments that can be made to determine the quality of putting surfaces being presented to the golfer. These include:
- Holing Out Test (from 3, 6 and 9 feet) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giB1KzEnVMk
- Firmness (Gravities) https://sdinst.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Firmness_First_By_STRI.pdf
- Trueness and Smoothness (mm/m) https://stri-live.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Trueness-Meter-Program-Information-booklet-1.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bRJOiZ6_Q8
Speed (feet and inches) https://strigroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/The-Effects-on-Ball-Speed-of-Mowing-and-Rolling-Treatments-on-a-Golf-Green.pdf
Objective measurement: putting green agronomic target ranges
The key agronomic measurements to take are:
- Grass species composition
- Soil moisture content (% volumetric) https://delta-t.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ML3_Kit_User_Guide_ver_1.0.pdf
- Organic matter content at 0-20, 20-40,40-60 and 60-80 mm depths.
- Infiltration and drainage
https://www.turf-tec.com/in/IN2-W-Instructions.pdf
https://www.golfcourseindustry.com/article/analyze-this/
- Soil texture
https://www.fao.org/4/r4082e/r4082e03.htm
- Guide to managing Greens and Course
https://greenkeeperverband.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Golf-Green-Quality-Standards.pdf
https://www.randa.org/en/golf-course-2030-projects-climate
The above links will give further insight and knowledge into the development and maintenance of a golf green.
The greens at Kirkcudbright are generally soil based and are of a push up nature with no defined construction. The depth of soil varies and underlying rock can be hit by aeration equipment on selected greens. The botanical composition of the swards is made up of a good percentage of bent grass, some fescue, annual meadowgrass and Yorkshire fog. Pearlwort is a perennial weed that is present in the greens along with small patches of clover and yarrow, moss is also a problem especially during the autumn/winter period. The greens have a mat layer of organic matter through the top 50mm and this has to be controlled to prevent problems arising over time.
The greens have a range of undulations and tiers and provide a good challenge when putting. As the greens dry down the firmness can make the greens more challenging especially where there is a bank or bunker protecting the green making the approach shot more difficult. Green speed has to take these factors into consideration and the overall aim for the main season should be to achieve a speed of 8 – 9.5 on the stimpmeter.
Over the longer term, the aim is to achieve a longer playing season from the greens with reduced use of temporary greens through implementation of drainage and good cultural practices.
Green surrounds
The green surround should be maintained to provide a smooth, well presented transition from fairway to putting green. This may include a close cut fringe, collar and apron. Banks and mounds within the green surround should be mown at a height which retains a healthy sward without promoting scalping, drought or wear stress.
The longer term aim should be to develop uniformity of collar/surround quality to provide better playing surface around the green.
Currently, the aprons are cut out from the green for a considerable distance using the Tri-king mower. Looking to achieve a more frequent and better quality of cut, thought will be given to reducing the size of the aprons and cutting them more frequently using a greens mower with different cutting units. This approach would also allow consolidation of equipment range to cover greens, tees and aprons and provide better back up should a machine break down. Also, a variety of units can be fitted to the modern day greens mower e.g. scarifiers, brushes, groomers, star slitter, sarrel rollers, micro corers, vibrating rollers.
Fairways
The fairway area should be defined, e.g. as the ground lying between the carry from the tee and the green apron. The main grasses currently found on the fairways are, bent, fescue, rye, meadow grass and Yorkshire fog. There are also a range of weeds and moss colonising selected areas and this can be exacerbated by weather and ground conditions. The mowing of fairways should provide good definition and an acceptable surface for as long as possible in any given year. During periods of strong growth mowing frequency will need to be increased for either all fairways or selected fairways to maintain acceptable playing conditions. Increased mowing on larger areas, like fairways, will divert finite resources away from other necessary maintenance.
Other characteristics to be aimed for over the longer term are:
- Firm and dry
- Provide acceptable lies
- The ball should sit on top of the turf
- Tidy appearance.
- Reduction/management of rye grass that folds over rather than taking a clean cut
- Worm control will be challenging with no chemical control currently available and unlikely to be available in the future.
Tees
Dwarf rye grass will be the hardest wearing turf where tees are of a sufficient size and the Club has the necessary resource to divot /top dress on a regular basis to aid recovery and maintain levels. Due to the nature of the site, tees are small and sometimes off-set to the direction of the required shot. Selected tees can be straightened up and possibly enlarged, however, on other holes where there is little room and play is mainly with an iron, then consideration will have to be given to artificial tees e.g. Huxley Turf https://www.huxleygolf.com/pdf/brochure-downloads/premier_tee_turf2.pdf
Main characteristics to consider for teeing grounds:
- Level, firm and dry
- Adequate recovery capacity, i.e. be of a size able to retain this characteristic
- Provide acceptable presentation qualities including definition
- Of sufficient elevation to provide view and definition
- Fairly aligned.
Bunkers
Bunkers should be maintained to provide hazards which collect balls to a central depression with adequate room for a full swing from this position. They should be designed to drain freely, be visible and influence play. The sand used should be of a specification and laid to a depth to provide for a consistent playing surface.
Ideal characteristics for the sand used in the bunkers should be recorded, e.g. for most inland situations the sand should have the majority of its particles in the 0.125 to 1 mm range and be of a light tan colour to provide for good definition and contrast.
Main aims:
- Dry and firm sand
- General guidance for depth of sand is a firm 100 mm across the bunker floor, with depth tapering out on sloping walls.
- Consistency within and between bunkers
- Fairness
- Shaped and raked to keep balls away from the bunker edge
- Of appropriate design relative to the character of the hole and course
- Containing clean sand
- Facilitating the fair presentation of the ball
- Facilitating a satisfactory stance for the golfer
- Routinely raked/footprinted with edges defined.
From the above requirements it is clear that bunkers, even though they are hazard, can place a huge demand upon resources, fortunately there are only 13 bunkers and the aim should be not to increase bunker numbers and maintain the existing bunkers to a good standard bearing in mind the Club’s finite resources
Rough
The semi-rough should be mown to provide a nominal penalty to the wayward shot. The species composition is similar to the fairways and will deliver uniformity of texture. The growth of the semi rough can be very strong under ideal climatic conditions and the Club will need to be able to increase mowing frequency during these periods to maintain the semi close to the desired height; this commitment will divert labour resource away from other tasks e.g. cultural practices and these, in turn, will need to be given priority at appropriate times to ensure the Club maintains the health of the main areas and especially the greens. The deeper rough shall be managed to retain and encourage the native vegetation and this will be highlighted in a separate environmental management plan to be developed over the next 24 months.
Course management policy
Greens Maintenance – Main Aims
Area of greens and collars is approximately 1Ha and the aim should be to develop the same quality of sward throughout although the collar will be mown slightly higher. Achieving a strong sward in this manner would allow a degree of reshaping of the greens by gradually reducing the height of cut on selected areas of the collar. Factors for consideration when thinking about reshaping a green are design performance of irrigation, slopes and undulations of green/collar that could lead to turf issues at a lower height of cut, manoeuvrability of equipment to avoid turning on closely mown turf along with raised areas that are known to dry out or low areas that gather water .
Mowing: This is dictated by the rate of growth associated with the seasons and environmental factors i.e. light, heat, air and water as each year unfolds. The frequency of mowing can range from once every 2 – 4 weeks during prolonged cool spells up to 7 times per week during peak growth to deliver satisfactory surfaces for the game. Height of cut will be dictated by the season and health of the sward, but will generally fall between 4mm – 6mm. The height of cut will also be influenced by sward density and where individual greens are starting to lose sward density, due to biotic/abiotic stress, it will be necessary to raise the height of cut to ensure the sward does not thin out aiding moss/weed infestation. Cultural practices to improve sward health to be able to maintain a lower height of cut for longer will be essential.
Putting surfaces can be enhanced further by complimenting mowing with programmes that include brushing, grooming and rolling. These tasks require selected attachments that can be fitted to the main Greens’ mowers. These tasks have been mainly carried out on an ad hoc basis to date, so implementing them on a more regular basis would place additional demands upon the Club’s limited labour resource.
Aims and frequency for mowing, brushing, grooming and rolling.
The focus will be on mowing and brushing to maintain the surface for putting. Frequency will be dictated by growth rate and time of year but aiming for 1 – 4 cuts per week as a minimum. As brushing helps keep prostrate growth to a minimum, being able to implement 1 brush per week/fortnight during growth periods would be beneficial.
Verticutting/scarifying, top dressing and aeration programmes are necessary to control organic matter development to an acceptable level to ensure good infiltration and drainage as well as a firm surface that is ready for play on most days.
Aims and frequency for verticutting/scarifying, top dressing and aeration
With the organic matter having built up over a number of years the focus will be to prevent further build up whilst aiding the reduction of organic matter through removal and mineralisation. Mineralisation is dependent upon the micro organisms of the soil food web having the right environmental conditions i.e. soil temperature, soil moisture and oxygen.
Verti cutting/scarifying – ideally the club should be aiming for a minimum of 1 – 2 passes per month during the main growth period and on an ad hoc basis during the late autumn – early spring period.
Aeration – this will be in the form of slit or solid tining, verti draining to a greater depth and hollow coring.
Slit or solid tining should be implemented once per month as a minimum
Verti draining should be a minimum of once per year with selected problem areas being noted for further treatment
Hollow coring with 8mm core tines to a depth of 60mm – 70mm should be carried out twice per year at 100mm spacings and left open. Weaker greens prone to flooding/softness may require additional coring. This will remove organic matter and leave preferential flow channels for air and water movement into the profile aiding surface infiltration and firmness. Also, by maintaining good aeration of the profile, mineralisation of organic matter will be greater and more effective. The soil that comes up with the core( provided it is of a sand texture with low fines) should be dragged back into the surface and the organic matter subsequently removed.
Top Dressing: Top dressing with sand or an 80/20 top dressing aids surface smoothness and ball roll, dilutes organic matter, encourages tillering and, over time, develops a deeper layer of free draining material aiding turf health and surface firmness. Although the 80/20 dressing is more expensive than straight sand, this would be the preferred option as it is closer to the mature , sandy loam profile that nature would develop over time. The aim would be to apply 20 – 30 tons per annum to the greens and collars as dictated by cost.
Fertiliser: The fertiliser programme should deliver the essential elements for the grass plant in quantities that maintain plant health whilst avoiding excessive growth there by complying with a minimal input philosophy. Nutrient input will be throughout the year as dictated by plant needs and weather conditions. Preference will be given to drip feeding using soluble straights and/or selected liquid fertilisers.
Irrigation – since water is essential for life, an irrigation system is used to provide water during periods when environmental conditions will give rise to a soil moisture deficit within the soil profile, limiting grass growth and activity of the soil food web. The aim for optimum plant health and mineralisation of accumulating organic matter is circa 25% – 30% soil moisture content, and this can be measured using the Club’s Theta Probe.
The main aims for managing moisture in the greens are:
- Recognise that water management is key for plant health, soil food web activity and soil development
- Uniformity of moisture readings across the green and between greens
- Understanding infiltration and drainage performance for each green and targeting cultural practice and drainage accordingly
- Understand any layering within the profiles of the greens and how this affects the penetration of a wetting front from a known quantity of water
- Monitoring of soil moisture, soil temperature and rainfall so data can be collated on plant health and sward performance going through the seasons
- Understand the performance of the existing irrigation design highlighting where cover delivers the quantity of water required and where it does not. Where cover is reduced this should be topped up using hand watering
- Be aware of the resource required to monitor, record and act on the data collated and accept this is likely to be beyond the resources of the Club
- Review funding for replacement/upgrading the irrigation system and make a decision if this is an affordable option for the Club
- Be aware of where irrigation water is sourced and its quality
Pest and disease management should follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles, in accordance with all relevant legislation, looking to prevention rather than cure. Identify tolerance levels for disease scarring, pest damage and weed incursion. Cultural management should be at the fore, e.g. the removal of single broad-leaved weeds by hand as seedlings or plugging out of procumbent weed patches using turf from a purpose-grown green-quality turf nursery. Identify potential biological controls. Note that pesticides may be used (if available) as a last resort, as identified within the overall IPM programme.
Main aims for Integrated Pest management are:
- Understand the relationship the plant has with the soil and aerial environments for any given area e.g. poor drainage, water run off, shade, soil texture and plan cultural practices accordingly to bring about improvements
- Optimise plant health wherever possible so the grass sward can resist, tolerate and recover from pathogens, cope with abiotic and biotic stress, and compete with other plants for ground cover
- Implement good cultural practice to deliver the above aims
- Use of pesticides as approved by the CRD in a manner that conforms to the Code of Practice for the Safe use of Pesticides. Use of pesticides should be a last resort with spot treatment being preferred over blanket spraying.
- Annual control for leatherjacket grubs using approved insecticide along plus additional sprays of garlic, chitosan and molasses
Hole changing: Main aims are:
- To change holes once/twice per week or as dictated by poor weather and/or wear.
- Spread the wear around the greens
- Hole positions should provide varying degrees of challenge ranging from easy to difficult
- Should be a minimum of 9 feet from the edge of the green
Temporary Green –depending upon snow, frost and the level of rainfall, temporary greens will be required on an ad hoc basis to avoid damaging the main greens. The main aim, is to limit the time on temporary greens by developing the performance of the main greens through good cultural practice and drainage.
Main aims
- Start preparation during September and use sulphur based products to limit casting by worms on the greens
- Selected areas for temporary greens should be on a dry, firm and free draining site
- Location should be close to the apron where possible, to maintain reasonable course length for winter golf.
Green surrounds
The collar and immediate surround will be managed, except for cutting, in a similar a manner to greens and as dictated by available resources.
Main aims for collars and aprons are:
- To review overall size and reduce accordingly so mowing can be implemented twice per week during the main season
- Height of cut to be circa 12mm and cuttings boxed off
- Look to move towards a greens triple mower being set up for this task. This will allow the machinery range to have 2 – 3 green triple mowers capable of mowing greens, collars & aprons and tees. These machines can also be fitted with brushes, groomers, verti-cutters, scarifiers, vibrating rollers and start slitters allowing a range of tasks to be implemented. There is also the advantage should a machine break down there will be a back up immediately available to allow work to continue.
- Cultural practice for the immediate collar should be the same as the green. These practices can also be adopted for the larger apron surround , however , it is unlikely the club will have the resource to implement this.
- Monitor areas for wear and tear and reshape and/or alter height of cut accordingly
- Integrated pest management as required
Fairways: Main aims for fairways are:
- Mow a minimum of once – twice per week during the main season as dictated by growth
- Height of cut will be circa 15mm
- Cuttings will be allowed to fly therefore it is preferable to get a dry cut as this leaves a tidier surface. However, with prolonged periods of wet weather mowing during damp or wet conditions will lead to grass cuttings on the surface affecting appearance
- Moss and weed control should be targeted accordingly as issues arise, however, finite resources will limit what is achieved
- Cultural practices should include scarifying, aeration and drainage, however, this will also be dictated by available resources
Tees: Main aims are:
- To maintain the tee surfaces in a similar manner to the aprons
- The tees to be mown 1 – 2 times per week during the main season
- Clippings will be boxed off and height of cut will be circa 12mm
- Markers to be repositioned 2 – 3 times per week, fairly aligned to the intended line of flight and a minimum of 2m from the rear of the tee
- Divoting 1 – 2 times per week would be the preferred goal but this will be dictated by resource
- Longer term aims will be to level uneven tee surfaces and consider artificial tee surfaces for selected tees where wear pressure and divot taking are high
- With no irrigation tees will be subject to drought stress during dry periods and this will affect long term performance of tees. The tees that suffer most should be noted and considered for an artificial tee surface.
- Weed control as required
Bunkers: Main aims are:
- Raked or footprinted 2 – 3 times per week
- Edging, mowing of bunker boundary and weeding as dictated by growth
- De-stoning using sieve shovels
- Maintaining sufficient sand depth
- Improve drainage where required
Rough: Main aims are:
- Mow the areas of semi rough once per week, with a second cut on the first two strips of semi around each fairway during the main season as dictated by growth and available resource
- Height of cut will be circa 40mm and cuttings will be allowed to fly. Mowing during dry conditions is the preferred goal to allow dispersion of cuttings. However, during prolonged wet periods and strong growth, cuttings will gather on the surface leading to a less tidy appearance
- With the cost of dedicated rough mowers becoming increasingly expensive the Club should consider a tractor trailed and PTO driven flail mower implement e.g. https://trimaxmowers.co.uk/how-trailed-mowers-are-revolutionising-the-golf-industry/ https://www.major-equipment.com/en/product/contoura-mower/
- Weed control should be on an as required basis
- Areas outside the semi rough will come under the Club’s Environmental Management Plan and the data for this should be collated over the next 24 months.
- Selected banks of rough that cause issues for play and are difficult/dangerous to mow should be considered for the following options i.e. treatment with glyphosate, use of Yellow Rattle to out compete the grasses over time, to remove the grass and matt layer and resow using a blend of fine fescues to provide a sward of acceptable appearance that is of an open texture allowing balls to be found. The last 2 options are the most environmentally friendly and should take priority over the longer term with the glyphosate being used for short term benefit. Available resource will once again dictate how much can be achieved.
Course Set-up: The course, with its undulating topography, provides varying degrees of challenge for a variety of shots for all categories of players and to favour one particular category over the other would limit the Club’s attraction for growing membership numbers. Also, many players use golf for exercise and social interaction and therefore the course should provide an enjoyable experience to all golfers ranging from the serious golfer who favours stroke play to those who enjoy a leisurely game with their friends.
Main aims are:
- To set the course up ahead of play taking day length into consideration as the year unfolds and in relation to when players choose to tee off.
- Maintain a fair and tidy course for both social and competitive golf whilst giving due consideration to sward health and the minimum level of cultural practice that will be required to maintain/develop the greens to deliver a good standard for as long as possible in any given year.
- To achieve the above points whilst recognising the limitations arising from our finite resources
- Recognise there will be times when the demands from course set up and general mowing will be competing with cultural practices to maintain sward health, especially on greens/collars, aprons and tees. Failure to look after the health of these areas will result in problems that will have to faced at a later point in time
Winter Work programme (WWP):
- The Head greenkeeper will be required annually to set out realistic and achievable goals to be implemented during the winter period to ensure the Club implements an ongoing policy of improvement at a pace that is acceptable and affordable to the Club.
- The Committee will review and approve the WWP before implementation
Environmental Management Plan:
All golf clubs should develop a broad environmental policy and this sets out the fact the club are developing a commitment to environmental best practice.
The policy binds environmental management into the long-term strategy for your golf facility. It should be prepared and openly endorsed by the Committee.
Main aims are:
- Over a period of 24 months look to develop un understanding of the environment into which the course is set.
- Prepare a plan of the course highlighting areas/compartments outside the main play areas that would come under habitat management. These areas/compartments should be numbered and a basic description given e.g. rough grassland, woodland etc along with species identification where possible.
- Highlight management practices for each area/compartment to provide
- Structural diversity
- Developing diversity of indigenous species
- Encourage wildlife
- Give due consideration to the “OnCourse” programme offered by GEO
The OnCourse™ programme from the Golf Environment Organization provides guidance on environmental and social stewardship for golf. The Club can register for the programme on the GEO website, https://sustainable.golf/oncourse/
Resources: Main aims are:
- To fund a range of equipment that is required to implement the various tasks involved with course set up and cultural maintenance. With the rising cost of machinery the likelihood is the Club will be relying upon maintaining the best 2nd hand fleet it can afford. Since older equipment is more likely to breakdown and require increased maintenance then expectations should not be set beyond what can reasonably be expected from used machinery. Advice from our local machinery supplier is to expect an increase in the likelihood of failure of the main component parts of machines once their age goes beyond 3000 hours. (See Appendix 1 – Machinery Replacement schedule)
- To fund a staff level that is affordable to the Club. If all expectations and aims are to be developed over time it is likely the Club will be looking at having regular assistance from volunteers with selected tasks.
- To maintain suitable facilities for staff and secure premises for storage of equipment and materials
Course usage: Main aims are:
- Weekly/Monthly updates of course events/competitions/societies. These fixtures have to be taken into consideration along with weather and ground conditions when planning work. However, at times it may be necessary to push on with selected maintenance to take advantage of suitable weather and ground conditions.
- Monitor level of play and where opportunities exist to encourage more visitors or categories of membership look to develop a strategy accordingly to raise more income
- Closure and reopening of the course due to adverse weather condition will be at the discretion of the Head Greenkeeper and notification to be put on the Club’s website and at the Club House.
- Use of temporary tees and greens as required during winter and other periods of adverse weather.
- The use of buggies will be dictated by ground conditions and whether there is full or part closure to buggy use will be at the discretion of the Head Greenkeeper. ( See Appendix 2 – Buggy Policy)
Traffic management
Identify measures to control traffic movement round the course and agree policy on the use of trolleys and buggies on the course. Wear from concentrated traffic that is funnelled through teeing grounds, around bunkers and putting greens should be monitored and steps taken to alleviate the damage.
Course development
A rolling long-term, hole by hole course development plan should be formulated to take into consideration:
- The need for green reconstruction to meet objectives
- Upgrading of tees and development of grass winter tees to meet objectives ∙ Installation or upgrading of pipe drainage
- Upgrading of bunkers to meet objectives
- Installation or upgrading of irrigation
- Rough management (see Environmental Management Plan)
- Development of practice facilities.
The plan should comprise a list of proposed projects to be completed on an annual basis but with enough flexibility to allow for movement of individual projects forward or back a year in accordance with limitations of weather and finance.
Health and Safety
Special attention to be drawn to legislation regarding:
- pesticide handling, storage, use and disposal
- construction work
- machinery and workplace.
Refer to the guidance given by HSE. Risk assessments form an essential part of Health and Safety regulations and the Club should look to develop a document covering the main risks on a hole by hole basis for both play and work activities. This document should be reviewed as necessary and may require input from a consultant.
Recording and monitoring
A system of recording is necessary to assess progress towards stated objectives and to reset targets when this is applicable. There are a number of areas which fall under the course manager’s responsibilities for which a process of objective monitoring will be appropriate, including:
- Playing performance
- Economic performance
- Environmental stewardship.
The Club should be looking to develop/update records on the following:
- Soil texture, Organic Matter and Soil Nutrient Status for the greens
- Nutrient input
- Soil Moisture and Soil Temperature
- Environmental factors and incidence of disease
- Green speed and holing out test
- Trueness Meter and Clegg Hammer readings would require visits from Agronomists who have this equipment
- Size of main play areas
- Levels of play
- Plans from utility companies showing infrastructure and buried pipes, cables etc within the boundaries of the course
- Risk assessments
- COSHH records
- Training
- Machinery & equipment
- Stock
Professional advice
From time to time it may be necessary to seek professional advice on the following topics:
- Agronomy
- Health and Safety
- Course Design
- Environmental Management
Complaints Procedure
When a member has genuine complaint on any matter relating to the course this should be put in writing for the Club Captain’s attention. The matter will then be reviewed as deemed appropriate by the Club Captain and a verbal and/or written response will be provided.
Communication
All forms of communication should be used to ensure the message being relayed is clear and concise and this should include:
- Monthly course reports
- Articles in the Club Newsletter
- Updates and reports linked with the Course Policy Document
- Course walks with Committee and Members to provide foundational knowledge about the course and its management
- Noticeboards
- Club Website
References
Further to the web links highlighted within the CPD the following books provide relevant information for turf management.
Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants by Horst Marschener
The Nature and Properties of Soil by Nyle C Brady & Ray R Weil
Soil Microbiology by Robert L Tate
Turf Management for Golf Courses by James B Beard
Turf grass Ecology and Management by Karl Danneberger
Ecological Golf Course Management by Paul D Sachs and Richard T Luff
Practical Drainage for Golf, Sportsturf and Horticulture by Keith McIntyre & Bent Jakobsen
Turfgrass management by A J Turgeon
Golf Course Architecture by Dr Michael J Hurdzan
Golf Course Irrigation System Design & Drainage by Edward Pira
Conclusion –
The club has to accept its resources are finite and for the foreseeable future opportunities to increase funding are likely to remain limited. Also, the Club has been unable to keep up with inflation over recent decades and the significant increase in prices over the last 2 years. So, whilst funding capacity has been slowly undermined by inflation and the cost of running the Club and course has continued to rise it is important the Club acknowledges the burden of this financial challenge, especially when it comes to maintaining a fleet of reliable equipment to function at a level that delivers members’ expectations. As the Club is unlikely, in the short term, to afford anything other than 2nd hand equipment the likelihood of breakdowns and rising repair costs has to be expected, and a planned contingency should be included in the course budget along with an annually updated machinery replacement schedule. Also, when machines do fail the Club has to lower its expectations temporarily whilst repairs are carried out and green staff have the opportunity to restore the course to expected standards.
There are many cultural practices and improvements that could be carried out on all main areas as well as habitat management for the roughs and woodland copses. However, with finite resources the focus has to be on mowing practices for the main play areas along with a programme of cultural practices to maintain and develop the greens. Added to this will be gradual development/improvement of collars/aprons and tees.
A Winter Work Programme should be prepared by the HGK for implementation to assist the ongoing development and maintenance of the course for year round play, but once again this will have to be within the constraints of the Club’s limited funding.
Although the financial position will be demanding for the short and medium term, the Club has the capacity to keep going with the hope there will be better funding opportunities in the future. This will require a collective understanding of the coming challenges and with a “can do” spirit of compromise and co-operation these challenges can be overcome for the long term good of the Club.
Recommendations
- The Club should adopt a policy of Custodial Duty and implement sustainable cultural practices to ensure the course functions in a cost effective way over the longer term for the Membership.
- The Club should seek knowledge from soil science, plant science and habitat management to support cultural practices for the ongoing maintenance and development of the course.
- The Club has to recognise the effect of inflation, and unless the Club can keep up with the inflationary costs then it will have to budget accordingly whilst managing a process of slow decline. This financial position will restrict what the Club does and therefore expenditure should be focused on funding an equipment range to meet mowing requirements for the main play areas and cultural practices for the greens.
- To assist the savings the Club should review the existing machinery range and look to consolidate the range to reduce cost whilst ensuring commitment to mowing programmes for main play areas and cultural practices for the greens.
- The Club should look to develop an environment that encourages members to volunteer to assist with the ongoing course maintenance programmes.
Chris Jones – Captain
Peter McMorran – Greens Convener
Appendix 1 Machinery
Thoughts on Machinery
The above list highlights our current range equipment plus the inclusion of a Greentek system for surface management. This range will cover the variety of cultural and mowing operations to look after and maintain the course. However, when the overall cost of equipment is considered, the Club is looking to finance £494000 if buying new or £232000 if buying second hand. The general guideline for replacement when buying new is 10 years and this would require the Club to set aside £49400 + inflationary costs per year for machines. As this figure is beyond the means of the Club the funding of a second hand range of equipment over the same 10 year period would require £23100 + inflationary costs per year to be budgeted for. The Club also has to take into consideration that as machinery ages the need for repair and maintenance increases and as advised by our local supplier the Club should anticipate that major repairs will become more likely once the machine age moves beyond 3000 hours. Machine maintenance and repair through to September 2024 was £16063 and this highlights the effect of inflation on both parts and labour to keep the Club’s current range of equipment going. As it is not possible to predict what repairs will be necessary for a second hand and aging range of equipment the Club will need to set aside a contingency within the budget for repairs.
Since the only option for larger machines is to purchase second hand the Club has to balance when best to replace equipment. Front line machines for mowing greens, tees, aprons, fairways and semi rough need to be reliable for the main season and should be considered for replacement every 5-7 years. The Club should also consider replacement when the machine reaches 3000 hours and make an assessment, with support from our local supplier, as to whether replacement should be actioned or deferred.
Since the overall cost for machinery and its maintenance is a major cost to the Club, the equipment range should be reviewed for consolidation whilst maintain a position that allows cultural practices and mowing programmes to be implemented. Examples of such consolidation could be:
- Moving to G-Plex mowers with appropriate cutting units for mowing greens, tees, aprons and implementation of surface maintenance with the Greentek system. 2 G-Plex mowers replaced on a 5 year cycle may meet the Club’s needs for these areas and the Tri King TR320 to be removed from the equipment range https://www.greentek.uk.com/
- With sustainability highlighting the need to reduce use of sand as it is a finite resource then top dressing can be kept to a minimum of 20-30 tons per annum. Currently, top dressing is carried out using the Cushman and Turfco Top Dresser, however, this task could be implemented the old fashioned way and done by hand, or through a tractor mounted drop spreader. By removing the Top dresser and Cushman from the list this reduces the replacement of expensive equipment. The Cushman does use other implements for cultural practices but these can also be carried out by a compact tractor which is a more cost effective option.
- Mowing of semi rough is essential with the growth rate that can be experienced on the course. The modern trend has been to use dedicated ride on rotary mowers and these are now proving to be very expensive at circa £80000 (inclusive of VAT) new. Trailed PTO driven rotary mowers are proving a cost effective option when paired with a 50HP tractor in comparison to the dedicated rotary mowers.
The options above show that consolidation is possible , however, it is always necessary to get machines in for trial to assess their full suitability for our course as well as speaking to other Clubs who have gone down this route.
Appendix 2 – Buggy Policy
Kirkcudbright Golf Club
Golf Buggy Policy 2024
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to establish a standard for the safe operation of all ride-on buggies operated on the Course at Kirkcudbright Golf Club. The document also sets out the criteria to be adopted and conditions to be met for their use.
The Club has a number of buggies available for hire and they can be booked in advance. Any booking is subject to restrictions that may be imposed owing to the condition of the Course. No guarantee can be given that a buggy will be available unless it has been pre-booked.
Qualifications
In normal conditions, there is no restriction on the use of ride-on buggies other than in certain areas of the Course. In some circumstances, however, it may be necessary to restrict their use (see Buggy Restrictions).
Any person who operates a ride-on buggy on the Golf Course is deemed, by so doing, to have the knowledge, training and skill to safely operate the vehicle and be fully accountable for their actions and the consequences thereof.
The safe operation of ride-on buggies on the Course requires conscientious application and adherence to the minimum standard of care prescribed by this policy.
Ride-on buggies must be operated in accordance with the requirements of the Golf Buggy Policy and all those who hire a buggy will be required to sign a disclaimer obtained from the Club office prior to play. The Club reserves the right to refuse permission if some or all of the conditions are not met.
Buggy Restrictions
The Club staff may determine that the state of the Course or the weather is such that safety on, or the condition of, the Course may be unacceptably compromised if a ride-on buggy is used. This might apply to the whole or just part of the Course. Potentially unsuitable conditions include water logging, frost, etc.
When restrictions are in place, Kirkcudbright Golf Club acknowledges it has a duty to disabled persons under current disability legislation to “make reasonable adjustment” so the persons can enjoy the facilities without danger to themselves or others.
The reasonable adjustments may comprise some, or all of the following practices:
Clearly defined routes identifying safe access where it is deemed necessary;
Restricting access to sensitive areas;
The introduction of pathways where reasonably practicable;
90-degree rule for traffic management (travel in the rough until level with the ball) – please adopt this rule by default during periods where a ‘carry only’ restriction is in place and buggy use has been granted for players with a disability;
A composite golf course layout, if deemed safe.
Notwithstanding Kirkcudbright Golf Club’s duties to make reasonable adjustment, we acknowledge that our primary obligation is to the safety of all users of the facility and this factor overrides all other considerations.
Conditions of Hire (disclaimer to be completed prior to use)
I (the hirer) confirm that I am 18 years or over and hold a full, valid driving licence. I am fully conversant with the safe operation of a golf buggy. Instructions on how to operate the buggy can be found in the buggy.
I (the hirer) confirm that I am not under the influence of drink or drugs.
I agree that during the period of the hire, I am personally responsible for any and all costs or claims arising out of damage or injury to the golf buggy, a third party, any other property, and for any injury sustained by the hirer.
Please note that Kirkcudbright Golf Club (The Club) do not accept responsibility or liability for any damage sustained or caused by the hirer/driver during the period of the hire.
I accept that the golf buggy should be driven carefully and responsibly at all times.
I agree to use pathways where provided.
It is prohibited to drive the golf buggy onto or across tees and greens and not between bunkers and greens.
I will not use aggressive braking on the fairways.
No more than 2 persons can ride the buggy at any one time.
I will apply the parking brake at all times when the golf buggy is at rest and ensure the golf buggy is parked safely when unattended.
I will not drive the buggy onto greens, approaches, tees, bunkers, heather areas or any uneven area of the golf course.
I will adhere to any restrictions in place due to health & safety.
I will return the buggy and key at the end of my round.
Failure to comply with these conditions of hire may lead to the hirer and his/her playing partners being asked to leave the course.
During use
At no time shall the vehicle carry more than 2 passengers and 2 sets of clubs.
Do not move off until the occupants are seated.
Always remain seated and hold on while the vehicle is in motion.
Hands, feet, and head must be kept inside the buggy at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
Ride-on buggies must not be driven in prohibited areas.
The vehicle must be used to progress the game and must not be driven up and down excessively, e.g. when looking for golf balls, etc.
The vehicle must not be used on tees, greens or the slopes leading up to them.
The vehicle must not be used within 5 metres of any green, bunker, ditch or slopes leading to them except when using the designated bridges or paths or between green and bunkers.
Check the area behind the vehicle before reversing.
Always set the parking brake before leaving the vehicle.
Always consider the terrain, existing vehicular and pedestrian traffic conditions as well as environmental factors that may affect your ability to operate the vehicle safely.
Drive the vehicle only as fast as the terrain and safety considerations allow.
To avoid tipping over, drive the buggy straight up and down severe slopes.
Slow down before corners.
All turns must be executed at reduced speeds.
Avoid sudden stops or changes of direction that may result in loss of control.
Be extra careful when the Course is wet and muddy.
After Use
Make sure the parking brake is engaged.
Return the key to the Office/Clubhouse.
Report any accidents/incidents/near misses that occurred during use.
Any damage will be recorded, photographed and a quote supplied to the hirer who will be expected to pay in full.
Privately Owned Buggies & Ride-On Vehicle
A small number of privately owned buggies and ride-on vehicles are authorised to be kept or stored on the Club premises. Privately owned buggies and ride-on vehicles are for the sole use of the owner only and under no circumstance are they to be lent or hired out to third parties.
Users of privately owned buggies do so entirely at their own risk. Kirkcudbright Golf Club do not accept liability for any loss or damage to the privately owned buggies or any other property arising from the negligence of the Club or any of its servants or agents.
All private buggy owners must be 18 years of age or older and hold a full, valid driving licence.
Members and Visitors are required to respect and adhere to the above rules as well as any decisions at all times in accordance with the Kirkcudbright Golf Club Rules and Regulations.
Agreement:
Full Name (printed) ________________________________
Signature ________________________________
Date ____/___/_______
Appendix 3 – Green Committee Course Inspection 1st Aug 2024
From: Chris Jones <c.jjones788@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2024 11:55 AM
To: pwatson257@btinternet.com; Peter McMorran <peter@gbrtech.co.uk>
Subject: Greens Comm Course Tour 1-08-24
Thanks for giving up your time to tour the course on Thursday evening and discuss issues and possible solutions in situ,the weather certainly played ball on this occasion. I’m not greatly practiced at taking minutes and suchlike but I’ve set out in bare bones the main points we discussed,I’m sure there may be omissions/amendments which I’ll receive gratefully.
Hole 1: White posts brought out further to be more prominent,visible from the tee and hence possibly preventing more shots ending up on the road. Two damaged holes on the ridge-fill/repair. Bank at end of green-more frequently strimmed. Haircut to tufts at start of path.
Hole 2: Grassy bank to left of path recently cut,good,maintain please. Green getting smaller,chance to bring front further back? Large trees on left having extensive roots towards green. As the tree will continue to grow then shade and competition from the roots for water and nutrients will only increase, so tree removal should be considered at some point with a root barrier being installed as the first action. Extending the green out has to be linked to the performance and efficiency of the irrigation design, if we push beyond this there will be an increased need for hand watering during dry spells. Also, with conditions being windier more frequently, the performance of the irrigation system will be affected as the design is normally set for effective cover up to 5mph, after which performance declines and hand watering becomes necessary to maintain uniformity of moisture content, and to prevent the profile reaching the critical soil moisture deficit when hydrophobicity develops. Having a performance audit on the irrigation system would be useful so its weaknesses can be noted and what action would need to be implemented to deliver uniformity of application at the 5mph wind speed.
Hole 3: Grassy banks on central line better just now with a ‘mohican’ on 2nd bank needing attention. Bank to left of green discussed but general agreement that it’s a risk and reward hole and that this is part of the risk (along with the OOB right). Path to 4th rucked up and needs better laying (winter work). Options for the grassy banks discussed were to consider spraying with round up and clearing dead grass away and when the sward was thin enough consider re sowing with fescue. There is also the option, at a suitable time , to trial yellow rattle, an annual plant that competes with grasses to deliver thinner swards giving more chance of developing patches of indigenous wildflowers.
Hole 4: Rosebay Willowherb Fireweed blocking view of fairway better but awareness of height to be maintained. 150yd stake needs resetting. This is a large, steep bank and will be labour intensive if only able to cut with a strimmer. https://www.as-motor.uk/article/the-new-remote-controlled-flail-mower-with-caterpillar-drive/ – this link shows a remote-controlled mower capable of mowing on slopes up to and over 50 degrees. However, at circa £27k – £30k I don’t think we will be buying anytime soon! This leaves us with strimming, glyphosate, and yellow rattle options for the banks around the course.
Hole 5: Tee alignment adjustment away from tree line, will not match up with tee sides but better of two evils. Landing area(neck) gets very grassy preventing a sweeping hit from centre of fairway. Cross cutting suggested as solution. Moving of red/blue tee to top of hill in winter(?) Rye grass patches were difficult to cut and selected areas may require 2-3 cuts per week depending on growth as part of the cross cutting operation. Scarification is another option to add in to ongoing maintenance, however, longer term maybe doing trials with round up to kill off then reseed with bent/fescue is worth consideration. Trees, whether at the 5th or other tees, will continue to grow and encroach towards the selected line of flight . This should be considered when planting and when self-seeded trees are noticed and likely to be a problem these should be removed before problems arise.
Hole 6: Fill in back bunker.
Hole 7: Area between 7 and 8 amongst trees better at moment but needs maintenance to at least find a ball . Possible trial with growth retardant at the highest rate to limit regrowth and minimise mowing frequency. Until this can be done then fast growing areas of semi, like fairways, will need cut 2-3 times per week
Hole 8: Steps to ‘top’ tee (red and white markers) ,weed killer? Path off front of tee maintained to permit safe exit from teeing ground. Fairway has narrowed significantly in recent times. Widen fairway in dry conditions when strain on cutters would be less to provide golfers a chance of moving the ball on with more than a 8 or 9 iron. Discussed GUR where drainage put in and suggested solutions. Movement of ladies tee down onto yellow and bring fairway back about towards the tee by about 20 yards. 150 yard marker to be cleared and painted white for visibility. To avoid damage to clubs the drain area would need to be killed off with roundup then stone buried and raked out prior to seeding.
Hole 10: Cutting of fairway back towards tee improves look of hole. The 2 banks to the right on the second half of the hole have been cut and provide a chance of finding the ball, playing or taking a penalty drop.
Hole 11: Vision from red tee better as grass in front cut. Tree to right of red tee can go. Bank on left past post ,another card killer. Steep but cuttable, discussed possible other solutions e.g. weed killer, burning, introducing other grasses etc -see bank on 12th below. Remove white loops in dry weather, unnecessary.
Hole 12: Obscuring growth in front of tees currently cut and good. Bank on left after bunkers, see solutions above plus discussion of the safety of cutting with machinery. Club needs to be aware of the slope limits advocated by the mower manufacturer and ensure staff are aware of these limits and use the machinery accordingly. Failure to this would leave the Club open to prosecution in the event of an accident and insurance may also refuse to pay out.
Bunker short of green has become a bit undercut (winter maintenance).
Hole 13: Right side teeing grounds in danger of becoming obsolete due to tree intrusion.
Consideration given to improving winter tee to provide a better looking hole which doesn’t favour faders/drawers of ball.
Hole 14: Front tees still obscured, caught up with Bradley who was going to attend to it the next day. Tree growth on both sides making the back tee a difficult hit. Decided that cutting back the left trees a better option as we could extend the fairway back a bit to provide an accessible landing area. Mowing to area up to ditch has made it fairer for shorter hitters. After speaking to Bradley on Friday he plans to cover the rest of the exposed ditch this winter.
Hole 15: Ensure an area short of the hill short enough to find your ball. There was the thought of extending the fairway back towards the tee by about 2 mower widths.
Hole 18: White stakes in hedges around putting green and next to compressors to be brought out a little to make decisions on OOB rulings easier. A white line along OOB in front of CH. A small area to be strimmed/cut next to blue marker at back of green for penalty drop from ditch(although infrequently used). Where we have out of bounds would the use of round up to kill of a line between the posts make decisions easier for everyone?
I’ve bound to have missed something,additions and comments welcome Chris
Tees – a number of issues are associated with the tees and the include
- Unevenness – this can only be resolved by removing turf from surface and banks, removing topsoil, reshaping subsoil then replacing topsoil before returfing .
- Direction of tees – some point to the intended line of flight whilst others are off set. This latter problem can be taken into consideration when relevelling a tee.
- Setting markers square to the line of intended flight and ensuring they are a minimum of 2m from the rear of the tee. Where a tee is off set to the intended line of flight then markers set square to the intended line will look odd, and from experience, some golfers will criticise this.
- Option of artificial tees where space does not allow for development of a suitable size of teeing area and wear and tear is higher than on other tees.
Pathways – there was discussion about straightening and securing pathway matting that had slipped at various sites around the course.
Course set-up and mowing versus cultural practices to maintain the health of main play areas and especially the greens – these two sets of demands place a challenge on every club and since the resources are finite and limited it will be important for the Club to adopt a pragmatic position to ensure the politics of short-term expectations do not overwhelm the politics of custodial duty over the longer term and vice versa. The Course Policy Document will need identify the main challenges the club faces and there will be times when one set of demands will have to give way to the other. This may become less of a problem if the Club is successful in developing a reliable volunteer force able to assist when demands are high.
Appendix 4 – Winter Work Programme 2024/2025 (WWP)
WINTER WORK PROGRAMME 2024/2025
Updated 18/10/2024
- Routine set up and use of temporary greens/tees as dictated by weather
- Routine mowing of main play areas as dictated by weather and ground conditions
- Implement winter turf hardening programme plus moss control on greens
- Use of sulphur based product for limited control of worm activity on temporary greens and extend practice onto main greens if reasonable control is gained
- Aeration i.e. slit tining, solid tining and coring of greens and collars – timing will be dictated by the weather.
- Use of dew control surfactant to reduce disease pressure
- Drainage on selected greens 3, 17, 18
- New storage tank for diesel – location to conform to H&S requirements
- Collection and storage of petrol to conform to H&S regulations
- Staff training on chainsaw operation (BA) and spraying(Dylan)
- Machine maintenance
- Servicing and sharpening all done in house
- Explore benefits of sharpening units for other clubs to raise extra cash
- Have necessary air, fuel and oil filters in stock for routine maintenance during the year
- Test pop up and decoder performance before draining down system so necessary repairs can be implemented and parts purchased in advance
- Book up irrigation company for April set up
- Pump maintenance??
- Tank maintenance??
- Clear round popups and hydrant boxes, spray round latter with glyphosate??
- Fill in gravel area at 8th tee
- Repair on drinking fountain
- Rake over 8th fairway drain line and top dress with cores
- Maintenance on tee markers, pins, cups etc and purchase of replacements as required
- Habitat management
- Bunker maintenance and top up with sand
- Drainage??
- Securing of artificial matting used on walkways
- Tidying and reorganisation of compound area
- Management of rough areas on banks prior to start of season to reduce strimming requirement
- Explore use of Yellow Rattle and how best to use this plant to control long rough grass
- Repair on 9th Wall in pond – contractor?
The above list highlights a number of tasks/projects that are required to maintain and improve the course. With staff level reduced to 1.6 through to end of February 2025 the focus will be on tasks highlighted in green with those tasks in yellow being targeted when weather/ground conditions are favourable and/or resources are available. What work is not started/completed this winter will be added to the WWP for 2025/2026.