How is your course in the winter ?

[jim8flog]

We have had a buggy ban since boxing day, only one day the course closed and we probably stay open and drain better than any other course in the area.

We have posts that stop taking players trolleys and buggies close to the green and some tees. As a buggy use I have not been on the 18 hole course and some are saying it is pretty muddy in places.

The 9 hole course is pretty wet in places but the adjacent river shows no signs of being high enough to flood the course,

 

[Deleted member 23270]

We're really wet this year and struggling. We have had the odd day closed and had carry only but this weekend we have had trolleys and it has been a mud bath especially on the back nine. Anymore rain and I'll think they'll close the back nine and make it carry only. We had a lot of money a few years back from the Red Bull air race being at Ascot and we invested most of that into drainage on the back nine and it has made a difference to where we were 10 years ago

We seem to have a lot of fusarium on the greens this year and it has become an issue. I know the green staff are working hard but wondering how much damage having the greens open every day is being done. I am a little disappointed in the state of the course this year. Is it more wet this winter compared to others? Not sure but the course is struggling and is only 6/10 at the moment

Good news that you are able to get out and play. From your post the other week I thought you were in a bad way and wouldn't be picking up a club for ages ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Good news that you are able to get out and play. From your post the other week I thought you were in a bad way and wouldn't be picking up a club for ages ?

It may be a problem in the new year. For now waiting on another CT and colonoscopy and then see from there. Think longer term I'll need an operation on my colon and intestine and that'll involve a stoma, whether temporary or permanent remains to be seen. Until we get the tests done the future remains uncertain

 

[RichA]

Mudbath. I'm trying not to bother scoring at the moment and only really play golf to get out for a few hours recreation.

 

[patricks148]

I joined a local parkland course in Inverness that is very close to home a couple of years ago, but tbh I've not played it much, rarely in winter. It's wet in winter and like concrete in summer. Just going to stick with my links course in future, esp as this year and at the moment is in its best condition ever.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Don't want to jump into your thread and gloat but yes get yourself to a links, Dunbar where I play is superb just now, as it always is ?

Thinking of heading up that way in Feb for the big birthday. Looking at Dunbar, North Berwick, Gullane for starters. Any recommendations, including accommodation (log cabins etc) for two couples? There seem to be so many choices but not had a look at availability on any courses yet.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Mines held up pretty well although I haven't played it this week after the rain.

With the exception of 3 holes, it has a weird ability to retain surface water after heavy rain, which then just drains away without ever really getting muddy. So although it has been closed a couple of times, I imagine it will have been fine to play the following day.

 

[C7usk]

Ours is prob closed as much as its open when there has been rain... They have done a lot of work with drainage though and have put down a lot of artificial turf on heavy trafficked areas between holes which is helping. They also cordon off different routes to try to limit wrecking the grass. It's closed today and I've a tee time for tomorrow so really hoping it's open as gagging for a game..

 

[davidy233]

Our courses are fine, greens are quickish and quite true - I'd love something to blame my run of not holing putts on but I honestly can't blame the greens. We had one day closed due to high winds during one of the storms but apart from that we've been open all the time.

 

[nickjdavis]

Just off out to play now....we've had a couple of dry days but last night saw a lot of rain come down, will be interested to see how it is today.

Very soft in the usual places, soft most everywhere else but quite playable.

 

[srixon 1]

Like a swamp at the moment in heavy traffic areas. Fairways not too bad but any more rain and it will be closed again. Like most places, I would assume that when the course is closed this has an effect on the bar/kitchen takings.

 

[AliMc]

Thinking of heading up that way in Feb for the big birthday. Looking at Dunbar, North Berwick, Gullane for starters. Any recommendations, including accommodation (log cabins etc) for two couples? There seem to be so many choices but not had a look at availability on any courses yet.

If you Google Scotlands Golf Coast there is a website that will have details of all courses and accommodation in East Lothian, there will probably be details of packages too I would imagine

 

[upsidedown]

We are suffering badly with a wet course despite a lot of drainage work. We seem to be closed more often than not at the moment.
I’m intrigued to hear that some courses are allowing ‘Carry Only’. We believe that the Disability Acts require that if a facility is open to able body persons, it must be also accessible to disabled people and hence we have a restriction that states ‘Carry Only, unless you hold a medical certificate allowing the use of a trolley or buggy.’ The two other conditions are ‘Open with no restrictions’ or ‘Closed’.
I know some local courses to us do not interpret the Disability Acts in the same way as we do - does any other club do the same as we do with regards to Trollies/ buggy use?

It would be worth showing your powers that be the below link about Buggies and Trolleys use in Winter from EG where they address this issue .
https://englandgolf.webinargeek.com/buggy-and-trolley-use-at-your-golf-club?cst=channel

 

[upsidedown]

Like a swamp at the moment in heavy traffic areas. Fairways not too bad but any more rain and it will be closed again. Like most places, I would assume that when the course is closed this has an effect on the bar/kitchen takings.

We've been in the past a tad over protective of the course and yesterday and today we've been open when in the past we would have been closed to allow 2 competitions to take place . Visually there hasn't been too much damage from trolleys yesterday and from carrying only today . Of course there may be underlying damage but with a new Course manager starting with a very good reputation as a turf manager we fully expect him to be on the case .
We will be looking at the takings over the 2 days

 

[PJ87]

I have been very impressed with ours so far this winter

The world they done on the drainage was paying off

Not been closed at all for the past month I believe

23rd December there were a few patches that were dodgy but the heavy mowers had been out .. week before it was beautiful ..

Shall see how it is Wednesday

Front 9 is better than back as back is newer so still got some teething issues (mainly land moving and affecting the sprinkler pipes causing leaks)

 

[C7usk]

We've been in the past a tad over protective of the course and yesterday and today we've been open when in the past we would have been closed to allow 2 competitions to take place . Visually there hasn't been too much damage from trolleys yesterday and from carrying only today . Of course there may be underlying damage but with a new Course manager starting with a very good reputation as a turf manager we fully expect him to be on the case .
We will be looking at the takings over the 2 days

Glad to hear it... Good to hear they are at least giving you a chance to play. We got the impression ours was wanting to close rather than attempt to keep it open in last few years.. This now seems to be changing somewhat .. We are on winter greens so I don't see an issue with keeping it open as much as poss.. Let's face it a lot of people won't play anyway when the weather is bad so it's not like the course is getting damaged beyond repair.. We are not even hitting off the fairways either so hopefully they continue to keep it open as much as poss.. Its a lot of money to pay for a membership that you can't use..

 

[williamalex1]

Pretty good so far, only been closed a couple of times with the odd winter green or 3/4 sometimes, but mats must be used if by any chance you're hitting from the fairway

 

[CliveW]

Although an inland course, Blairgowrie does drain well but winter tees are in operation all through. Frost tends to be the main cause of winter greens being in operation. I do tend to play links courses through the winter if I can, with friends who are members at Monifeith, Carnoustie, Gullane and Dunbar, although the latter two are a bit of a hike away. There are also great deals on winter golf at St Andrews. (Most of these courses do use mats though)

 

[doublebogey7]

We're not closed yet although it is carrying only unless you have a medical certificate that says you need to use a trolley (winter wheels), buggies have been banned since early December. I played yesterday and it was very wet and a number of holes must have been very close to being closed when they did their early morning inspection. Don't expect to play much over the next couple of months. The club has recently had a drainage survey done with a view of future-proofing the course against the impacts of warmer but wetter winters, utilising some of the windfall Covid has given us.

 

[patricks148]

Thinking of heading up that way in Feb for the big birthday. Looking at Dunbar, North Berwick, Gullane for starters. Any recommendations, including accommodation (log cabins etc) for two couples? There seem to be so many choices but not had a look at availability on any courses yet.

We have stayed at the Renaissance when we play against Gullane, it's very nice and real treat very luxurious, surprisingly isn't that expensive.