Firstly, I sincerely hope that this message finds you safe and well despite the significant disruption we are all facing in our domestic lives.
As Her Majesty the Queen so rightly said, “we will meet again”
There has been some heartening news from the other end of the world, and few are smiling wider than New Zealand’s significant population of avid golfers. Under Sport New Zealand’s direction, golf clubs will re-open for business this week, albeit with strict guidelines imposed.
At home, England’s golf chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson quotes: “When golf does return, this great game of ours must be ready to do so in an organised and responsible manner. It is important that everyone who loves the game is guided by the simple message – Play Safe, Stay Safe.
“While we cannot yet circle a date in the diary, it is right to put in place a proper framework to allow golfers to tee it up at the appropriate time and with the necessary infrastructure already in place.
“Restarting the game on this basis will be a challenge. There is a key responsibility to balance the issue of public health while at the same time ensuring the vitality of our sport.
“Golf will play a prominent role in the nation’s sporting recovery – when the time is right.”
The course continues to improve and I would like to provide you with an update of some of the fine work that has been going on and which you will not have had the opportunity to see yet.
After experiencing one of the more brutal winters on record, Vince and his dedicated team of green keepers, have made some great progress despite having to repair leaks in the watering system.
They have been busy working in isolation and completing the ninth and 18th tees, removing the dangerous pine trees and the stumps on the 1st/18th and the 5th/6th fairways, preparing the ground for the plantation of new trees.
Thanks to the generosity of many club members we have been able to plant 40 new trees of various sorts including Acer, Crataegus, Sorbus, Eucalyptus, Cotoneaster, Prunus and Pyrus to the bottom end of the course.
Indeed we had to request for some extra trees due to the great support from our membership.
These have all been sponsored so there is no cost to the club and I will shortly be finishing off a plan of the course that shows everyone their individual location and type of tree planted.
With the hot weather that we have enjoyed (apart from not playing golf) the young trees have had to be watered on a regular basis with Vince even coming in on his weekend off to tend to them.
Unfortunately due to the lockdown, our shrubs and heathers have been delayed, coming from Lanhydrock nurseries so there will be a delay in their planting of the rhododendrons, camellias and hydrangeas on the back of the first , heathers on the new third/18th tee, 16th tee and between the 14th/15th fairways and pine trees on the fifth/sixth fairway plantation.
During this current period of closure Vince and his team are using this time to carry out the essential work that he has never had the opportunity to complete.
On a happy note we wish Tom Moore, an inspirational NHS fundraiser, a happy 100th birthday!
We sincerely thank all members for renewing their membership in these very difficult times, thus ensuring that we will all be back enjoying good golf and banter.
We will continue to do everything we can to ensure the course is in great shape for you, the golfers.
Stay safe
Glyn Rowett
Greens chairman