Greenkeeper Newsletter

Dear members,

Well now it finally feels like spring has arrived and it is great to welcome you all and our seasonal staff back after what has felt like a very long off season, although over 5000 rounds were still played over the period. Now we are starting to apply step-by-step everything that we have been planning for the season ahead.

Range Balls
In recent years we have experienced difficulty in ordering our preferred Srixon range balls, this is a one-piece ball that flies 20% less than an average golf ball – this is decided due to safety and the length of the range. Kløver and members of the elite have tested many balls over the past 6 months, and we have decided upon the Zodiac ball supplied by a local vendor. We have placed a full order of these balls, designed with our logo. They will hopefully be delivered at the end of the playing season. In the meantime, we have ordered 10,000 Zodiac balls to add to our existing 30,000 balls to ensure that we have enough.

Bunker Rakes
Similar to the range balls solution, over the past year we have tried and tested many different solutions regarding the rakes for our bunkers. The main goal for this is to ensure you, our members and guests, can rake after themselves ensuring the bunkers are prepared for the next golfer – as stated in the rules of etiquette. The rakes now have a long aluminium handle with a 90° bend at the end to make it easy to pick up by hand or with a wedge. The head is larger and the same type my staff use to prepare the bunkers. Kløver will make a tutorial video to show exactly how to prepare the bunkers, but it is very simple:

• Enter from the lowest point – never walk in or out via the face.
• Do not drag the sand down from the face – where possible use the back of the rake, no teeth.
• Leave the rake in the bunker after use – so they don’t cause problems with the robot mowers.

Next week I will publish another newsletter prior to our change to the summer course on Thursday 16th.

Kind regards,

Reamonn O’Neill
Golf Course Superintendent