Greg’s Greenkeeping Blog March 2026

Greg’s Greenkeeping Blog – March 2026

By Greg Fitzmaurice, Course Manager  ·  March 2026

March has been a pleasant surprise on the weather front. Early in the month we had some genuinely nice days, sunny spells with only occasional rain, which went against the cold, dry pattern we’ve seen in recent years. The end of the month reverted to type with cold winds coming back in, but by then the team had made good use of the conditions.

After years of repairs, structural changes and infrastructure improvements, being able to direct all of our attention towards course preparation from the outset has really started to show. The surfaces are looking superb, and it feels like the course is beginning to live out its potential. It’s been a long journey to get here.

All bunkers have now been topped with fresh sand, and the recently refurbished bunkers are back in play. This was one of the main jobs flagged for March and it’s good to have it done. The bunkers are in a much better place now heading into the season.

With machinery fully serviced over winter, we’ve been able to get straight into a regular mowing programme as growth has picked up. Every area of the course has been cut consistently, and with the playing surfaces so well refined at this stage, they are genuinely looking superb. We’re well ahead of where we’d normally expect to be at the end of March.

The tees have had a good amount of attention this month. They’ve been fertilised to encourage strong growth heading into the season, overseeded where needed, and divot repair has been carried out across the board. They should hold up well through the busier months ahead.

We’ve also placed mats on the most susceptible tees temporarily. With temperatures still low, recovery is unlikely to keep pace with any damage at this stage, so it’s a sensible precaution to protect the surfaces until conditions improve and growth picks up properly.

The new tees are coming along well and are in strong shape. That said, we’re keeping a close eye on them and are prepared to offer protection there too if play levels start to get ahead of them while they continue to bed in.

We’ve also made an early start on thinning the roughs, something we haven’t been in a position to do this early before. It does temporarily reduce the penalty that rough should provide, but the long-term benefit is significant. Once growth properly kicks in later this spring, the roughs will be in a much better condition for it, and the overall presentation of the course will be stronger throughout the season.

Another task we’ve been able to get ahead of is treating broad-leaved weeds: daisies, plantain and buttercup. Getting on top of these before they seed gives us the best chance of reducing their spread, and we’re hopeful of clearing a good percentage of them at this stage. We’ll follow up with a targeted treatment for clover towards the end of April as well.

Being able to carry out this kind of work proactively, rather than reactively, is a real positive sign for where the course is heading and good consistent lies will result.

We’re expecting a planning decision from the council on the proposed new irrigation storage tank by 23rd April. This would be a useful addition for managing the course through dry summer periods, so we’re hopeful for a positive outcome. We’ll update everyone once we hear back.

The course is in good condition for this time of year, and the long-term preparation work over the winter has put us in a solid position going into spring.

Our focus over the coming months will be on continuing to refine the playing surfaces. The surrounds will receive regular sand top dressings to firm and smooth them up over time, with the aim of creating surfaces that play as a consistent extension of the greens. We’ll also be carrying out an early thinning of the rough to set things up well for the season, and the tees will continue on a regular fertiliser programme to keep them in good condition throughout.

There’s plenty still to do, but we’re looking forward to the season ahead.

Thank you for your continued support.