How is your course holding up this winter - 2025

[Golfnut1957]

Mine is doing pretty well. The greens are very bobbly, but the fairways have been amazingly dry and firm for the time of the year, especially as it is a parkland course on clay. This is obviously down to the relatively dry winter we have had, compared to last year. They are also looking good considering that we are now just over halfway through winter, this is a result of the use of fairway mats which means we are divot free. Also, the footfall is being diverted from normal routes by use of ropes and stakes that are constantly re-routed by the greens staff, and that has a positive effect.

However, the forecast doesn't look great, it's currently looking like a much wetter February and the pinch points on the course are becoming churned up, plus the footpaths have had mud deposited on them from shoes, trolleys and buggies which is getting rather sloppy.

All in all it is still an enjoyable experience and more importantly we are now only just under 6 weeks from spring, grass growth and full recovery

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Ours is probably a 7/10 right now. The greens yesterday were superb, I'd be happy with them like they were at the peak of the season, never mind early February. The rest of the course is quite wet though, even in places it hasn't been wet previously. We haven't had wet weather so the guess is that some drains have failed. We haven't had investment in that area in quite some years, we may be paying the price now. Walks between some holes are particularly bad in places. The bunkers are poor, solid and some are ponds, an ongoing issue.

Saying all of this, we don't have to use mats, we don't have temporary greens.

I may be being slightly picky, it's a parkland course, it's February and it's barely been closed.

So, okay, could do better

 

[Imurg]

We're doing OK....helps that a large chunk of the course is on chalk but there are patches of clay that hold the water.
We've had, what seems like, a wet winter so far. Coupled with a damp summer - the fairways stayed green - the course is softer than many of the long time members can remember.
Iirc the course has only been closed for 3 days, 2 for snow and 1 for heavy rain shortly after.
We've been "Carry Only" a few times too.
The fairways still have some run in them, the greens still have a bit of pace - Head Greeny borrowed my putter to gauge the speed the other day..he was quite pleased for early February
The newer holes, half of 12, 13 and 14 are struggling a bit being lower and closer to the clay but still highly playable.
Surprisingly the 17th green, 2nd highest on the course, holds more water than the rest of them put together...must be a layer of clay underneath it...
All in all the course is looking fine...just needs to warm up a little..

 

[2blue]

Best ever winter period so far for our Parkland course as the greens maintenance was carried out at the best time, August, last year & recovered well. The putting surface is excellent & the greens accept a ball which is not so in high summer. All the grass tees are recovering & some whites are relaid, bunkers are good & 90% in play, so as we have 'measured, artificial red tees in play we can still run qualifiers. There's never been a season like it. The greens are showing some Fusarium damage but that is already being addressed & recovering..... should have the best greens ever this coming season.

 

[kp17]

Haven’t played too much on the course as this year some work being done to some greens and bunkers, a lot of winter greens, still mats on the fairways, fortunately have a good range I’d rather spend time on over the winter and I think in the summer course will reap the rewards. They’ve also made a massive push on carrying clubs in the winter and you hardly ever see a trolley out, unsure if that makes a massive difference mind you greenkeepers will know best.

Thought during they storms it would’ve been a disaster as there’s some amount of massive trees but seem to have came through it unscathed.

 

[Billysboots]

We’re looking good. Greens are excellent - probably the best in the area - and the tees and fairways are generally in pretty good nick.

There are parts which are very wet, and some areas are extremely muddy but, from experience now of over twenty years as a member, the course will recover really quickly when (if) spring arrives.

 

[clubchamp98]

We're doing OK....helps that a large chunk of the course is on chalk but there are patches of clay that hold the water.
We've had, what seems like, a wet winter so far. Coupled with a damp summer - the fairways stayed green - the course is softer than many of the long time members can remember.
Iirc the course has only been closed for 3 days, 2 for snow and 1 for heavy rain shortly after.
We've been "Carry Only" a few times too.
The fairways still have some run in them, the greens still have a bit of pace - Head Greeny borrowed my putter to gauge the speed the other day..he was quite pleased for early February
The newer holes, half of 12, 13 and 14 are struggling a bit being lower and closer to the clay but still highly playable.
Surprisingly the 17th green, 2nd highest on the course, holds more water than the rest of them put together...must be a layer of clay underneath it...
All in all the course is looking fine...just needs to warm up a little..

You might find the 17th was designed to hold the water with a clay bowl design.
This was done when courses had no irrigation so the green didn’t burn out in hot weather.
My course is starting to remove these bowls and it’s a big job.

 

[clubchamp98]

We had four greens dug up to remove clay bowls that were holding water.

The course is looking a bit tired and the greens are still wet.

Biggest problem is buggies.
The course isn’t designed for them ,no paths, skid marks on hills were they really should not go.
But lots of doctors notes so there using them.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We are suffering from changed farming practices on an adjacent 'uphill' farm - with a lot of water coming down the fields and onto the course. Add to that the fact that the farmer has started pumping water off his land and (effectively) onto the course. We can't stop him...so were are having to spend a lot of money on flood mitigation. The flooding we have experienced these last three years was experienced in the past - but on a 'once every ten years' basis. Not sure where in the country are those who have had a fairly (relatively) dry winter...but here in 'sunny' Surrey it sure as heck hasn't been dry - it's been pretty awful in fact.

All that said - the course has held up pretty well - we've only had to have temps once, and we've been able to have 18 holes in play throughout.

 

[jim8flog]

Funnily enough it the lack of really cold weather which has made our course suffer the most.

The fusarium on the greens has flourished due to a lack of frost to kill it off.

We had new rope drainage put in to some greens late summer but the lack of warm weather has meant they not really recovered from the work.

 

[Neilds]

Extra drainage put in last year and a cart/ buggy path round dodgy holes is paying dividends, course in great nick considering the weather.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Ours is not bad - it really struggles in winter but so far we seem to be getting away with it. Greens are good, fairways ok, we're on mats on the tees but that's not really an issue, most of the bunkers are in play etc.

If the rain holds off through the rest of Feb and into March I suspect it won't be long before we are entering qualifying rounds again.

 

[NearHull]

We are suffering from changed farming practices on an adjacent 'uphill' farm - with a lot of water coming down the fields and onto the course. Add to that the fact that the farmer has started pumping water off his land and (effectively) onto the course. We can't stop him...so were are having to spend a lot of money on flood mitigation. The flooding we have experienced these last three years was experienced in the past - but on a 'once every ten years' basis. Not sure where in the country are those who have had a fairly (relatively) dry winter...but here in 'sunny' Surrey it sure as heck hasn't been dry - it's been pretty awful in fact.

All that said - the course has held up pretty well - we've only had to have temps once, and we've been able to have 18 holes in play throughout.

I don’t believe that he is acting legally by pumping water onto your course. From a quick t’internat search

There is a right to natural drainage, known as the common law right to drainage, "This means that water flowing naturally across the surface of the land is permitted to flow downhill naturally onto your neighbour’s land."

But any kind of interference would mean the flow is no longer considered "natural", as the council's advice continues. "You must not channel the flow of water in such a way as to cause damage to your neighbour’s land.

 

[Springveldt]

Ours has been great, no complaints at all. Greens have been excellent and I'm sure the fairways are in good nick as we haven't been hitting off them since November, it's just move to the side and hit from there. Think we've had a couple of days on the winter course (2 extra holes out in the sand dunes as a corner of the most inland bit gets wet) after the snow and ice melted a few weeks ago but other than that it's been the main layout just off the winter tees.

 

[Golfnut1957]

We are suffering from changed farming practices on an adjacent 'uphill' farm - with a lot of water coming down the fields and onto the course. Add to that the fact that the farmer has started pumping water off his land and (effectively) onto the course. We can't stop him...so were are having to spend a lot of money on flood mitigation. The flooding we have experienced these last three years was experienced in the past - but on a 'once every ten years' basis. Not sure where in the country are those who have had a fairly (relatively) dry winter...but here in 'sunny' Surrey it sure as heck hasn't been dry - it's been pretty awful in fact.

All that said - the course has held up pretty well - we've only had to have temps once, and we've been able to have 18 holes in play throughout.

Interesting that. The Environment Agency threw a load of money at the beck and fields/woodland adjacent to our 11th and 12th. These two holes, along with the 6th and 10th greens are all low-lying and prone to flooding anyway. However, the E.A have taken an area of SSI and turned it into a water meadow. The beck which wasn't tidal is now after a weir which blocked tidal flow from the Tees was removed, to allow fish upstream. They cleared out the beck of debris, fallen trees and branches, and created artificial ditches and pond to form the meadow.

We are now all waiting to discover the impact on the course. There must have been some form of risk assessment carried out, but I don't know if the club were ever consulted. Hopefully any impact will be positive.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Not too bad considering the amount of rain we’ve had. A couple of soggy spots that’s mainly attributed to the road running alongside 16. Greenkeepers are doing a great job of directing traffic etc.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It’s going ok

A few spots aren’t great but we need new drainage there , tees getting a rest

Greens are very good at the moment

 

[Orikoru]

It was still holding up great through January, but probably starting to struggle a bit now. Very damp today. Fortunately the worst affected areas are not usually on the fairway, it's in areas you'd have to hit a bad shot to find anyway. The greens are still excellent though. We're not in a good draining area but they've done a good job improving the drainage on some of the affected greens and this has worked well.

 

[Chip&Run]

The bonus of playing at a Links track is that barring frost we're playable all year round. We do have to play off mats but its a small price to pay.

 

[Tashyboy]

It’s a lot better than previous years but a lot of that is down to the weather. We now have temp winter tees on all 4 tees. And not before time. But one of the holes. A par three downhill is 170 yds from the yellow tees. Pond lhs and bunker between the pond and green. We had shorter tees especially made which made the hole shorter but the tee shot was over the water. It is gorgeous, at the side of that is a winter tees. We have only been using it for 2 weeks. The yellow tee area is smashed to bits. It looks a right mess. What grates me is we were told to protect the course last year. That has gone out of the window because we now have comps through the winter and the course has to play to a specific yardage. It seems money is more important than protecting the course.