It has been a fairly typical January to start 2026. A cold month with a mixture of snow and rain, making conditions rather dull and uninviting for golf. Despite this, we have continued to move forward on the course, with a number of important tasks completed.
January is also the month when the British Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) is held in Harrogate, bringing together turf managers from across Europe to view the latest technology within the industry and attend educational sessions.
We are very much looking ahead to the start of the golf season, and so far, everything remains on schedule.
Playing Surfaces
At this time of year, our primary focus is on preserving the playing surfaces to maintain the best possible conditions ahead of the main season.
Moving hole locations regularly, often into areas not normally used, allows us to spread wear and tear and avoid turf loss that cannot recover while growth is minimal. Ropes are also used around green complexes and moved weekly to help distribute traffic. Without this system, heavy footfall would be concentrated in the same areas, leading to turf loss close to the greens.
Areas around the winter tees inevitably suffer, but these will have an opportunity to recover once we return to the summer tees, making this acceptable.
Recent weather patterns have made it difficult to carry out the aeration work we would ideally like to have completed, so this will need to be scheduled between now and April, preferably.
New Tees
Following the completion of tee extensions at Cottage Corner and Brownies, along with repairs to Jaws, new turf has now been laid.
After carrying out this type of work, we leave the areas for several weeks to settle before turfing to ensure the best possible results. This also allows all turf to be laid in one delivery, preventing it from sitting for any length of time.
These tees are expected to be ready for early April. However, the last two years have seen extreme weather that resulted in damage to newly laid turf. Should we experience similar conditions this year, we are prepared to delay returning these tees into play.
Poplar & Gorse
As many of you will know, the poplar trees planted during the course’s construction have long presented challenges. We have continued efforts to control them and limit their spread.
This year, we have focused specifically on two areas, removing the trees by pulling them out at the roots. Although this method is far more time-consuming, we hope it will prove more effective than previous attempts.
The areas being targeted are the copse to the right of Cottage Corner fairway and the copse between the Wetlands and Morgan’s Mound holes.
While some regrowth is inevitable, we hope this approach will significantly reduce the number of saplings returning. If time allows during the summer, we plan to spot-treat any new growth that does appear.
Gorse also requires careful management, but for different reasons. Over time, it can become long and leggy, at which point it offers far less value to the course, both aesthetically and environmentally. By cutting it back, the plants regenerate, forming healthier, stronger stands that provide a valuable contribution to the course.
With large areas of gorse on site, we carry out this work in cycles, allowing time for each section to regenerate fully before moving on to the next.
BTME
We attend BTME in Harrogate every year to view the latest industry technology and take part in specific educational workshops and seminars.
With the economic situation continuing to worsen and staffing becoming a significant challenge across the industry, it was encouraging to see the innovation being developed by many companies, offering practical solutions for the future.
The main area of focus is undoubtedly autonomous mowers. Although still relatively new, the progress made in recent years is clear to see.
At Hunley, we have increased our machinery inventory in recent years to help offset the shrinking labour market. While we are not yet in a position to invest in robotic mowers, this is certainly an area we will continue to monitor closely.
Machinery
With the arrival of a new machine this spring, a Ventrac with contour deck (see image) we have sold our old Iseki tractor. The Iseki served us well for thirteen years but in recent seasons had mainly been used for collecting range balls.
The Ventrac will now take on this role, but it offers far greater versatility, including:
- Superior cut quality on slopes and contours
- Safe operation on much steeper slopes than conventional tractors, significantly reducing risk to staff
- Improved course presentation by maintaining awkward, untidy, or previously inaccessible areas
- Faster and safer operation on challenging terrain, increasing efficiency
- Reduced labour time, less turf damage, fewer repairs, and lower maintenance requirements
The unit also supports multiple attachments, giving us flexibility for future tasks, from trenching work to scrub clearance.
February
Nothing significant is planned for February as we await planning approval for the new irrigation tank. Unfortunately, this work is likely to take place during the season, although it should not significantly impact day-to-day operations.
All existing mowers will undergo sharpening and servicing, and we aim to get our old top dresser operational again.
Poplar removal will continue, and if finances allow, we hope to complete the final small section of the main irrigation pipework from Walkers Gully down to Snaith’s green.