Course Restrictions
From time to time the Captain in conjunction with the Head Greenkeeper has to make the difficult decision to close part or all of the golf course or deny the use of buggies.
The decision is sometimes very easy, snow cover or sheet ice making the car park, paths and course impossible to stand upright on. On other occasions the decision can be pretty complex with many factors going in to the final outcome.
The number one factor is health and safety. The very feature of our course that makes it drain well also makes it highly dangerous during very wet or frosty weather. With the exception of the 6th we have slopes of variable severity everywhere you look. Secondly, by not applying restrictions what damage are we going to do to the course and how long will it last.
A forecast of extreme weather when the course is in borderline condition sometimes allows us to make an early call to stop people travelling from distance. Forecasts can go badly awry and we are shown to have made the wrong call in hindsight.
The changing climactic conditions we face ultimately will decide when we can golf safely. Members might find the article in the following link of great interest: Why is the golf course closed again? How this winter’s heavy rainfall has impacted courses everywhere.