Tree Management

Many years have passed since we started managing our own trees and woodland areas in-house . Staff qualified to use chainsaws from a rope and harness have been very active over recent years. This has also benefitted the Club hugely by making considerable savings.Tree Surgeon contractors are very expensive and it would have been impossible to fund the amount of work we have completed in recent years. Sadly the management of the woodlands and trees around the course was neglected in the past as areas of trees became overcrowded, overgrown, misshapen, self seeded and growing in unsuitable areas. There is still very much to do and this work will always be necessary as trees will continue to grow and self seed. We must encourage the mature trees to flourish correctly and yet keep them clear of the fine turf areas where we can maintain a healthy and viable balance. Here is an example of some of the work we are now undertaking to encourage fresh growth and reduce the impact the shading has to the fine turf and the debris which contaminates the sand.

Collapsed Drain

Following a period of monitoring the ditches and drains on the 11th hole it was evident that they were not performing as efficient as they should have been. We decided to use outside contractors to attend the site and carry out a CCTV inspection of the pipe that takes water from one side of the 11th fairway to the other-side, underneath the machinery path that crosses the hole. 

The inspection report identified a blockage of some kind at 24.7m from the outlet point, which gave us the exact point at which to carry out exploratory excavations, rather than guessing and potentially creating multiple excavations unnecessarily. Before we could begin we had to reduce some of the standing water to prevent our excavations getting flooded and jeopardising further blockage further up the pipe from the force of the water currently being held back.

We took this opportunity to invest in a dirty water pump rather than hiring on a ad hoc basis, or risking unavailability when required most.

Within one hour the water was at a level that allowed us to start excavations.

Excavations proved successful when we identified a collapsed drain feet from the original point marked on the report. 

As the collapsed pipe was gradually and careful exhumed the remaining water backed-up began to flow freely. Until this area fully drys out, it will remain an open excavation until at such time when we can make a suitable repair.

1st & 12th Tees Improvement Project Contiunued

Following the removal of the trees in between the 1st & 12th tees, we have begun the next stage of the project. All the untidy, overgrown shrubbery, brambles, etc were cleared along the rear perimeter fence. 

The remaining trees were pruned and canopies raised reducing overhang across both the tees and Barnfield Wood Road.

All remaining stumps were also removed using an excavator. So the site was completely clear for new planting.

While the excavator was in the vacinity of the tees we also excavated the ground producing what will eventually be another flowerbed.

With the perimeter fence line clear, a new Rigid Mesh fence was erected replacing the old, deteriorated chain link fence. 

Following the completion of the new fence we planted Red Robin Shrubs to add screening cover from the road and improved aesthetics to the backdrop of the two tees. 
 

 

 

The areas of bare soil will be seeded and the flowerbed will be planted shortly. Paul Edwards our Handyman is currently undergoing a Royal Horticulture Society 2 year College Course. Paul will be responsible for planting and maintaining the flowerbeds from here onwards, utilusing his new found skills and knowledge for the benefit of LPGC.

Tree Replacement / Planting

Several trees have been replaced around the course in a variety of places. Filling gaps created from fallen or removed unsafe trees. 

4 x Silver Birch

2 x Copper Beech

1 x Hornbeam

One of the Copper Beech trees was a commemorative tree donated in remembrance of former member David Roberts. This has been planted in view from the patio across to the 17th green.

Commemorative Copper Beech Tree behind the 17th Green

The other Copper Beech was planted inbetween the 14th and 15th fairways, in place of the old monolith stump that fell recently. 

14th & 15th Replacing the fallen monolith tree stump

A Silver Birch was also planted in this area in place of one that was flattened when the Monolith stump fell on it.

The Hornbeam was planted at the start of the tree line inbetween the 1st and 12th in place of a dead Hornbeam that was removed last year. 

Hornbeam 1st & 12th

The remaining Silver Birches were planted inbetween the 6th and 7th fairways, in particular replacing the gap created by the mature Silver Birch that fell during Decembers storms.

A casualty of the December Storms

YEAR END COURSE REPORT

2013

Lake Edge Before

It’s difficult to remember a time when we have been so consistently wet. The last time I can remember a similar period is back in 2000/2001. So 2013 was another strange year with unpredictable and irregular weather patterns which seems to be following a trend of recent years. A late winter and exceptionally cold spring, with unseasonably late snowfalls, lead into a warm and sunny summer. So 2013 started flat, however the course performed and grew better in January than it did in both February and March. The winter of 2012-2013 was long and hard, but in reality, winter didn’t really start until the end of January 2013, (not a good omen for this year then). We experienced prolonged cold periods, with ground frosts and snowfall culminating unfortunately in the rescheduling of The Red Cross Cup. In April we experienced the coldest ever Easter period on record, and it wasn’t until mid-April that the weather improved, curiously enough, it changed at exactly the same period it changed for the worse in 2012 when we experienced the opposite and a very wet summer indeed. In June we were flying, the new tees that were re-levelled and increased in size were back in play, including with the new 15^th tee, and the revetment of the 18^th lake edge to prevent erosion was completed.

And After

Two newly shaped bunkers on the 14^th also opened and were in play for their first unfortunate users. In July we experienced a prolonged period of dry and very hot weather causing many areas on the course to dry out. The fairways suffered severely during this period, which resulted in us changing our plans and diverting funding to address the concerns by overseeding and fertilising later in September. August saw the introduction of a new aeration technique called ‘Dryject’. The process was completed in two days and the disruption was minimal in comparison to other greens maintenance activities. September was an average month with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Sadly this all changed in October to December when we experienced Atlantic storms bringing in rain and at times very high winds, causing widespread disruption all over the course. Not only was October very wet, it was also very mild and putting the two together created perfect conditions for disease development. From October 2013 to now the risk of disease developing has been very high. Very few windows of opportunity between breaks in the weather have arisen to apply fungicides or other products of control. These conditions also encouraged high worm activity which certainly hasn’t helped.

So according to national statistics March was the equal second coldest March for the UK on record. Easter was the coldest Easter period on record and both March and spring overall were the coldest since 1962. In contrast July was the third warmest, and it was the warmest summer since 2006. The July heat-wave was in marked contrast to the run of recent poor summers we have had from 2007 to 2012. It was also the sunniest July since 2006 and the third sunniest July since 1929.

Tree Transplanting in Action

Overall 2013 was yet another chaotic year for upsetting best laid plans with a little bit of warmth and some decent sunshine somewhere in the middle. The fountain in the lake became faulty and needed replacement after several salvage attempts. The algae in the lake developed rapidly in high UV light periods, and on top of that a major leak on the irrigation mains was discovered by the maintenance compound. Every oak tree on the course had to be treated for Oak Processionary Moth by outside contractors and the unusual problem of standing water by the 16^th tee was eventually identified as a leak from a local property. The maintenance compound had to have security increased following thefts and a fire alarm was also installed under Health & Safety recommendations. The first machinery lease period expired and a new period begun with a group of new modern machinery arriving. Eight trees were transplanted from around the course to the 15^th tee as part of the improvement project and the old monolith tree trunk between 14 and 15 fell over after finally succumbing to disease and old age.

Trees re-planted and anchored

  All this made for a very entertaining and challenging year. 2014 hasnt started any better and January was horrendous totalling 216mm of rainfall. This period of poor weather has also created a lot of extra work due to foot traffic around the course with the unstable ground conditions.

I would like to experience a settled, uninterrupted and proper seasonal year; however I am realistic enough and certainly not insane enough to appreciate that’s just not going to happen. Wouldn’t it be nice to experience a year with no weather statistic records being broken or equalled?

December 23rd 2013

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members on behalf of the greenstaff for their continual support and understanding in such an unpredictable environment.

Course Manager - Chris Toop

The Course Underwater