December blog.

Welcome to our December blog.

 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the greens team for their workmanship and enthusiasm in producing great playing surfaces at Haydock Park this year.

The weather pattern from the previous month continued with heavy rainfall persisting  throughout  December.                                          
                                                   
                                         Rainfall Figures for November / December 2014/15  

                                               
                                                     
     November 2014    ( 55mm)    November 2015   (176mm)

     December 2014   ( 117mm)   December 2015   (152mm)

The figures above show the large increase in rainfall in 2015 and has you can imagine this impacted on our work programme.

 However the team have been busy with various works. The greens have been cut and aerated weekly, and the tees have been cut regularly.

 The mild temperature in December created the unseasonable growth, the unfavorable conditions have been well documented in the media.

We've made a start in the area behind the practice nets to develop and landscape a chipping area, and maybe a bunker!!

 It is hoped the expanse will run through from the putting green linking in with the nets. This will enable the golfer to prepare on all aspects of their game before they tee off.

                                                     
                                                         Winter tee presentation

                                                         

                                   Tree work and preparation of the chipping area.

                 Digger used to remove stumps and dig out the drainage channel

                                       Stumps removed, drainage channel dug out.

         We will let the soil dry out, and then work it to get our levels ready for a spring seeding


Drainage at the 8th green surround. 

We recently positioned a new drain in the hollow at the right hand side of the 8th green. The area was holding water,we linked the drainage pipe to to a positive outlet to alleviate the problem.



January 2016   

Lets hope for a change in the weather pattern. We need a period of dry weather to bring us on track in our maintenance programme.  We will continue with our aeration policy and selective cutting and pruning of the trees around the course in January.

When  possible, areas on the course will be cut to give better definition and presentation!!!!!!!

                                                                           Terry Wharton   Head Greenkeeper