We have recently completed the bunker renovations on the 4th,including the addition of a strip of heather between the two approach bunkers (above). Heather shouldn't naturally grow on this site (because of the high pH of our soil), so we have added ericasious compost in this area to help the heather to grow. Should this prove successful we could see more heather on other parts of the course.

We have also been digging soakaways into many of the greenside bunkers that drained poorly over the winter. The above is the soakaway in the front bunker on the 2nd green. The soakaways are dug to a depth of approx 2 metres, back-filled with 70mm shingle, covered with astroturf (to stop the stone contaminating the sand) and then topped up with sand.

                  hollow coring
                  overseeding

applying granular fertiliser

This week we have been making the most of the better weather to get some spring renovation work on the tees. We have hollow cored, overseeded and applied a granular fertiliser.

scarifying fairways

Also whilst it's been dry, we have started to scarify some of the fairways. Last year, was a very good year for moss, and some fairways have been badly infested. So, we scarify it out! Its quite a laborious task (normally we would use this machine on greens) but well worth the effort. Later in march we will be applyng a fertiliser with soluble iron mixed with it to the fairways. This will scorch or blacken the moss which makes removing it easier...