Course Development Update                   by    Jim Tancred

As you will have noticed , the first phase of the course development plan has been completed in accordance with the master development plan ( on display in the green's notice board). The improvements completed to date are:

1 The Tees: 

New championship tees on the second , sixth and seventh holes have been constructed. The introduction of these tees will add approximately fifty yards to the course. In addition, the eleventh tee has been lowered and lengthened by a further ten yards. This is crucial to our plan of lengthening the course to 6500 yards from the championship tees.

By lowering the tee on eleven and introducing mounding around the green we feel we have enhanced the links features of this hole and by adding an additional mound on the fairway have also linked it visually to the new mounding surrounding the ninth green. A new ladies tee on the twelfth has also been constructed.

 2 The Greens :

The reconstruction of the first , sixth and seventeenth greens and the building of new green complexes on the ninth and eleventh have all been completed. Our intention now is to continue with a light top dressing and mowing programme on these greens in order to have them back in play for the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Additional work carried out was the planting of trees along the boundary of the first hole in order to provide security and protection against future building developments planned for the old industrial sites of Globophan and Tyrells, and the clearing of the waste ground to the left of the first tee. it would be our intention going forward to turn this area into a sod nursery, which would save the club from having to purchase sod in the future.  This work was carried out free of charge by the contractor, DAR GOLF CONSTRUCTION.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank DAR GOLF CONSTRUCTION for their cooperation and help in the development project and congratulate them on the high quality of their workmanship both in their construction work and the way they ensured that they did as little damage to the course as possible while on site.

3 The Second Phase: 

The second phase of the project will commence next September when we will commence new greens on eight, tenth, twelfth and a redesign of the thirteenth hole. Pathways for buggies will also be introduced and constructed during this phase. A new irrigation system will also be installed early in the 2009 season and the provision of a proshop will also be undertaken at this time. 

I would hope, that like the greens committee, you, the members are happy with the high quality of the work carried out so far and are as eager as we are, to play on the redeveloped course as soon as it becomes available. I would like also to thank you all for your patience and cooperation with the short course while the work is going on.