After one of the driest summers, it was inevitable that when the rain returned, it would come back with a bang. Autumn has seen plenty of it on most days, meaning, quite incredibly we are now on track for the average annual rainfall.
However, plenty has been happening out on the course, so there is much to highlight in this month’s update.
Course Conditions
So far, the course has held up well, with the only closures caused by snow in mid-November.
Ropes are up to protect the green surrounds, so please don’t cross them with trolleys—and certainly don’t cut them, as someone already has!
The winter course is now in play, and we have been power washing the tees as often as is feasible. Please get in touch if you notice any issues with them.
We appreciate that the England Golf course and slope rating changes have led to a significant reduction in shots received, but having spoken with England Golf, we are confident that we now have a setup that will provide better consistency throughout the year.
The greens continue to play well, though challenges to maintain this standard are always present. A warm spell in early November triggered an outbreak of Dollar Spot, a fungal disease that attacks our fine fescue species. Fortunately, applying Iron Sulphate halts the spread and allows the turf to recover. However, lesions can remain visible for some time, even if they don’t affect ball roll.
New Wetland
In recent years, we have constructed a series of wetlands in partnership with the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, with funding from Natural England to increase populations of Great Crested Newts. This has been highly successful, with every wetland becoming inhabited within a year of construction.
These wetlands have benefited more than just nature, they have helped divert water away from playing areas, improving turf condition. We have also made use of the removed soil to create new course features, such as tees and green extensions.
By carefully selecting the locations of these wetlands, we’ve been able to transform areas of limited golfing value into spaces of great ecological importance while also enhancing the visual appeal of the course.
This autumn, a new wetland was created adjacent to the fairway on Penningtons. It sits close to the wetland built last year, creating excellent connectivity between five different wetlands and allowing wildlife to move more easily between them.
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Removal of Willow
Between the holes Pennington’s and Brownies, there have been four willow bushes for many years. These have steadily increased in size and were positioned in an area where many stray shots frequently came to rest on both holes. It had become increasingly common for players to walk back to the tee after being unable to locate their ball, and during the removal work we uncovered more lost golf balls than anywhere else on the course—highlighting just how problematic the area had become.
This was a relatively large-scale project, with over 1,000 square meters of turf laid to cover the area. The willow bushes were removed and the space incorporated into managed rough grassland, making ball retrieval far easier while still providing appropriate punishment for a mishit shot.
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Driving Range
Over the past year, we have invested significant resources into our driving range. This became essential to ensure its long-term viability, as poor weather previously caused regular disruption, balls could not be collected easily, and many were lost in the mud.
The recent extremely wet weather has tested the upgrades to their limits, and I’m delighted to report that the range has held up brilliantly. Ball collection has not been disrupted, and the range has operated consistently every day.
The timing has been ideal, especially with the recent addition of Top Tracer. We’ve also painted the range, installed new bay dividers, added more car parking, and are adding new seating as well.
It has been a very tough period for the team, tackling such a large project with the weather entirely against us.
However, it is extremely rewarding to see it all paying off and so many people enjoying what is now a fantastic facility.
More Routine Work
What has also been pleasing this autumn is having more time to focus on routine tasks.
As many of you know, at Hunley we have spent many years undertaking major projects, often to remedy significant infrastructure issues. There is still work of this kind ahead, but with less urgency, we’ve finally been able to turn our attention to the smaller details on the course.
Course presentation has remained higher this autumn thanks to more regular mowing, and proactive turf maintenance, including micro-coring on the greens has been possible. As we moved onto the winter course, all summer tees were renovated, with aeration and over-seeding carried out.
We’ve also completed smaller improvements, such as drainage work next to the Rawcliffe tee to reduce flooding on the pathway. Even bringing tee mats in for cleaning has become possible with the extra time available.
December
You may have noticed a few new faces recently, as we have signed up to the Trailblazer scheme, which helps young people gain valuable experience and move into work. This runs until the end of March, allowing us to provide worthwhile learning opportunities while also gaining some extra assistance.
Work on the course in December will depend largely on the weather.
Bunkers on Huntcliffe are scheduled for repair, and with a couple of good days, we hope to complete them.
The newly extended tees on Cottage and Brownies also need levelling and turfing, and will be completed when conditions allow.
Other than that, it will be more of the same, as we do our best to keep the courses open and in the best possible condition for your enjoyment.
Thanks for reading, and please get in touch with any suggestions or queries you may have.
Greg Fitzmaurice