Winter Program 2009

 

Detailed here is the course improvement plan for this winter.

Works will begin in late September; there is a very short window of opportunity for Keith and his team to carry out such works; this is the gap between the end of the season and the onset of cold weather. If turf and seed has not taken before the soil temperature drops then it will rot and not be suitable for play at the beginning of next season.

 

Should you have any comments or feedback, please direct them to myself, or any member of the greens committee.

 

 

Simon Sheppard

Director of Golf

April 2009

 

 

 

 

 

Hole 8 Par 3 156 Yards

 

 

 

8^th Tee

 

The existing white tee on hole 8 is in very poor condition. It is the one tee where everyone takes a divot and, through the course of a season, this area never has chance to recover.

A new teeing area is currently being constructed further back. This tee will measure between 165 and 175 yards from the green. It will be used on occasions when the tee would suffer from excessive use i.e. Pro Am, Captain’s Day, major medals and similar events. This will allow the heavily used white tee to recover and, importantly, provide the members with a much better teeing area (the existing tee) all year round.

This new teeing area is going to be raised to be 5 feet high for two reasons;

1. To make the shot play shorter.
2. To present golfers with a full and proper view of the whole hole (not available from the white tee). This will create one of the most attractive holes in the South East.

 

We can raise the height of the existing white tee next year (2009) to give the same improved view for the whole of the tee. It will be necessary to turf this section of raised tee in order to have play back on it as quickly as possible (seeding would close the tee for the whole winter). This will extend the raised area to play from approximately 148 yards to 170 yards and will involve altering the yardage of the white boulder from 156 yards to 159 yards.

 

 

 

 

 

Hazard Change

 

 

8^th pond and ditch

 

In order to simplify play, especially when playing the 7^th or to the 8^th temporary green, the 8^th pond and associated ditch to the 7^th fairway are now classified as a lateral water hazard. This gives you an additional two dropping options.

 

Red posts have been placed at the corners of the hazard; these are only to indicate the type of hazard which the player faces. The whole pond and ditch have been red lined, this line defines the margin of the water hazard and is where you take relief from.

 

As per rule 26-1; if taking a drop, keep the point at which the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped.

 

The two additional options are to; drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

 

Winter Programme 2008

8th Tee

The existing white tee on hole 8 is in very poor condition. It is the one tee where everyone takes a divot and, through the course of a season, this area never has chance to recover.

A new teeing area is currently being constructed further back. This tee will measure between 165 and 175 yards from the green. It will be used on occasions when the tee would suffer from excessive use i.e. Pro Am, Captain’s Day, major medals and similar events. This will allow the heavily used white tee to recover and, importantly, provide the members with a much better teeing area (the existing tee) all year round.

This new teeing area is going to be raised to be 5 feet high for two reasons;

1. To make the shot play shorter.
2. To present golfers with a full and proper view of the whole hole (not available from the white tee). This will create one of the most attractive holes in the South East.

We can raise the height of the existing white tee next year to give the same improved view for the whole of the tee. It will be necessary to turf this section of raised tee in order to have play back on it as quickly as possible (seeding would close the tee for the whole winter).

13th Hole

Remodelling of the greenside bunkers has already taken place.

The ditch at 60 yards from the green is a nice feature, however it is dominated by a large and unsightly bridge, which, covered as it is in woodchip, is often untidy. Regular golfers have become used to this view as they play their approach to the green, however the aesthetics of the hole would be improved if the bridge were not in view. It is recommended that this bridge be removed and repositioned to the right side of the hole.

A fully open ditch will also improve drainage to this low-lying area of the course.

14th Hole

For the good golfer the fourteenth is an obvious birdie opportunity. The cross bunker presents little if any concern as their tee shot will easily carry this hazard. A well struck shot in the general direction of the green will leave them either on the putting surface for one, or very near to the green with a chip or small pitch and putt for a birdie. There is little or no element of risk and reward here. There should be on a hole of this length.

Indeed, one of James Braid’s design theories was that the size of the putting green should be governed by the length of the approach shot – in effect his concept was, the shorter the approach shot, the smaller the green size should be.

The cross bunker (which was originally 2 bunkers) blocks the view of the green and does not always play fairly. During the summer months well struck lay up shots will often bounce into the hazard, there is little or no room to lay up to the side of the bunker. It is thought that a more fair lay up area would place the emphasis on accuracy, rather than distance control, to a clay based fairway.

Objectives

1. To open up the view of the hole
2. To simplify the lay up shot.
3. To toughen up the hole by making the green entrance smaller.

The Cross bunker will be halved in size creating fairway to the right side of the hole. This provides a decent lay up area and prevents golfers from striking a good lay up shot and running into the bunker. It will also afford a decent view of the hole from the tee.

A bunker will be situated at the front right of the green to prevent players from running the ball onto the green from the tee and make the short iron lay approach, from a lay up shot, more difficult.

15th Hole

Remodelling of the greenside bunker (2007) has been carried out. The cross bunker, which restricted the view of the hole and served little purpose has been removed. New mounding has been placed on both sides and to the rear of the green to define its shape and enhance the aesthetics of the hole. A greenside bunker has been added to the front right portion of the green to add detail and difficulty to what was a very plain hole.