Strange sightings on the golf course

[HawkeyeMS]

I was out justbafter 8 this morning, it was dry but dull and visibility wasn't great. We were Walking down the 3rd fairway and through the gloom we saw a rather strange sight...

...a greenkeeper working on the back nine.

Most of you won't find this strange but to us at RAGC it's a sign that the new course manager actually knows what he is doing. The old incumbant left us several months ago as he was, how can I put this politley? Not very good at his job and this is the first time in the year I have been at RAGC that I have seen anyone working on the course atnthe weekend.

The new guy has a lot of work to do repairing the mess he was left but the greens do appear to be recovering and there are visible signs of work going on around the course which makes the future look slightly more rosy. Don't get me wrong, he's not foing anything you wouldn't expect a course manager to do but he is doing them. The bunkers seem to be better since they started raking them by hand and there is work going on to repair the surrounds of some of the greens which can be impossible to chip from the are so bare in places. There is also work going on on the paths whcih are being re-surfaced and had some drainage put in.

I'm told the new guy is a workaholic and encourages his staff to do likewise and seems at this early stage to be making a good start. It's early days and it remains to be seen how the course improves but it's encouraging to have a guy who is being seen to do something.

 

[Imurg]

Good News.
Yesterday, in thick fog, I found a greenkeeper mowing the grass over the back of the carpark - it's a wasteland of grass, nobody parks there - ever. I could only just see him from where I parked.
I generously pointed him in the direction of the Course, assuming he'd got lost in the fog.
He wasn't amused.......

 

[Heidi]

I didnt see any greenkeepers today, but this is the first day i've been to my own course since December and they have cut down trees, put sand in bunkers, dug some drainage channels for some of the greens (currently playing on temps) and have hollow tined the fairways.

I thought it was looking rather splendid. Hopefully all the hard work will pay off and the course will be great in the spring/summer

 

[Pro_V_wan_kenobi]

Once played North Berwick very early morning and was rather taken aback by an old chap walking up the 11th fairway bollock naked.

 

[chris661]

Its great to see a greenkeeper or two about we are blessed at our place with a small but really hardworking team who are doing incredible work

From behind a new bunker to the green

From the tee looking out over the course with the new bunker.

 

[richy]

Just before Christmas while walking down the 16th fairway we saw a crow and a stoat fighting over a baby rabbit. The little bunny was done for and none of us had the heart to put it out of its misery.

Ah mother nature!

 

[garyinderry]

view at the range today...

 

[chris661]

view at the range today...


View attachment 956

Which range is that?

 

[garyinderry]

up at foyle! didnt head out today. was very windy and no one else was up for it!

 

[chris661]

up at foyle! didnt head out today. was very windy and no one else was up for it!

Looks pretty decent played there last year and always meant to go back to go to to the range

 

[garyinderry]

yeah the range is sound. has the hopper so less bending over for the balls. lazy mans game.

if your thinking of a game you should wait till after paddys day. the comps start then and the greens should be in good nick then. they have them spiked atm. good course and pretty wide so you can go nutts with your driver as you know!

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Think Donegal has to be the No. 1 for links courses in the country, What course is it.

Its great to see a greenkeeper or two about we are blessed at our place with a small but really hardworking team who are doing incredible work

From behind a new bunker to the green

From the tee looking out over the course with the new bunker.

 

[chris661]

Think Donegal has to be the No. 1 for links courses in the country, What course is it.

Portsalon.

 

[Evesdad]

The strangest sight ive seen recently is me playing well!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Mike,

Had I made it as far as the 3rd I could have told you if he was still working away. I think the guys is going to get the place ooking better but personally I think the greens could be a two or even three year project to get them back fully. At least we've someone in place prepared to work for his money now

 

[fat-tiger]

i played in a mixed comp one sunday last year, and on the 8th the other woman who is quite well to do and bit posh took her tee shot and just walked into the trees dropped her draws and had a wee facing us, i actually didnt no were to look for once in my life ,this happend again on the back 9,and she wanted to shake hands at the end, not a chance!!!

 

[Heidi]

fat tiger - u cant talk! u gummed up my facebook page with pics of you in the garden - in the nudie...i cant get the image out of my head!

 

[swanny32]

THE PERFECT thread for me to post a picture of something I saw in my clubhouse on the members notice board today....I had a good chuckle at it and no, it wasn't me who wrote it. Whoever it was is a top bloke in my opinion.

The problem we seem to have is that our head green keeper has been there for 16 years, he's gotten very complacent but because he's been there so long the owner has become more friends with the bloke rather than a boss so won't sack him or demote him by the sounds of it.

I have always fancied myself as a green keeper but early mornings don't appeal to me. Although at least I'd get weekends off.......well, the current ones do......

 

[swanny32]

And just to add to that post, In the year I have been a member I think I have seen a greenkeeper actually working on the course twice. Once mowing the 15th green and the other time.............wait, I'm sure there was another time........errrrrr.......ummmmm........OK, just the once. I actually thought the head greenkeeper was actually a barman as everytime I saw him he was behind the bar pouring himself a drink.

 

[CliveW]

I spotted this chap watching us on the first tee last week!