Date posted: Nov 16, 2016

Dear Members,

We have enjoyed unseasonably mild and dry autumn weather up to this point and the course is in very good condition. The quality of greens for this time of year have come in for special mention. The decision to hollow-core once a year instead of three times a year is bearing fruit. In other years we would have hollow-cored following the Captain’s Prize in early September. Not doing so has resulted in the quality surfaces we now enjoy. We will continue with this approach next year with our main coring taking place in January/February.

Course Development Proposals

A Course Development proposal will come before the members for approval at the upcoming AGM on November 30th. This proposal follows extensive consultation with the Men’s and Ladies Committees, the Course Development Committee and feedback from the wider membership . The proposal has been costed and approved by the Capital Expenditure Committee and finally the Management Committee for members’ consideration. The proposal recommends several key projects namely the installation of a new irrigation system including additional water retention, drainage works to the 2nd and 3rd fairways and the provision of a new men’s 9th/18th tee and ladies 9th tee. The cost of this plan is €295,000 and, if approved by the members, will be financed by the clubs own resources and without recourse to a levy or borrowings of any kind.

Irrigation and Water Retention

I have outlined the need to upgrade our current irrigation system for some time and have highlighted this in previous Course Notes. Our current irrigation system is not fit for purpose. The proposal to come before you is to approve expenditure on a new system beginning with the installation of a new mainline and a water retention pond. A new system will manage the water we do have more efficiently and in a more controllable way. A water retention pond to be location in the wooded area between the ladies 9th and 18th tees (see below) is a vital element of this new system. We currently fill our irrigation tank with water from a deep bore hole on the 2nd The yield from this bore hole is too low to provide water for the course during the mid-summer months when it is most needed The effects of this could be seen this summer when we experienced a prolonged dry spell coupled with very high evaporation. We simply did not have enough water to maintain our tees, greens, surrounds and approaches to anything like a proper standard. This is a recurring situation that must be addressed.

A water retention pond to be located in the wooded area between the ladies 9th and 18th tees is a vital element of this new system. The plan is to pipe water that currently flows down the open ditch on the 3rd behind the sheds to this new pond via a new underground pipe. This water flow coupled with rainfall over the winter will be used to fill the irrigation tank and store water for use in the summer months. The bore hole will be retained as back-up. As you can see from the design below, the pond will be contained within the wooded area and as such will not be visible nor a playing feature of the hole. The pond will also have health and safety features built-in including raised edges, safety fencing and graduated slopes. The option of installing a tank rather than a pond was considered but discounted due to cost, planning and other factors.

Fairway Drainage on 2nd/3rd

Last winter the 2nd and 3rd holes were closed for several weeks due to very high rainfall. The drainage proposal shown below will ensure well drained fairways and playability even with very high rainfall.

Figure 1: Hole 2 & 3

9th/18th Tees

The area of the 9th/18th tees is poor and lets down the overall look of the course. The plan is to build a much larger combined 9th/18th tee where the current men’s 18th tee is located, close the current men’s 9th tee, build a new ladies 9th and take away the line of poplar trees, some of which are dead or dying. The men’s 9th tee marker will be located front and right of the new tee and the 18th back and left. This plan deals effectively with the safety and aesthetic aspects of the hole as it will now be impossible to take on the 9th green while also having an unimpeded view of the fairway.

Figure 2: 9th & 18th Tees

These projects have been carefully thought out with input from a wide range of experts and members. They are costed and can be achieved from the Clubs’ current resources. A motion at the upcoming AGM will allow members to vote to approve the expenditure. If approved, these works will be carried out over the winter and will vastly improve our course. I urge everyone to consider the proposals and approve their implementation. I will display the design plans in the club shortly and will be available to anyone who has any queries or questions relating to them.

Winter Work

Work on improving the course never stops and over the winter we will be doing the usual repairs and improvements. Some notable work to be done includes our ongoing tree management programme and the continuation of our bunker renovation programme.

Over the coming weeks we will be planting 50-60 native species on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th and removing 16 dead trees from various areas of the course. The planting will be to fill out certain areas or to reduce the linear planting as seen on, for example, the 2nd and 6th. We will also continue to identify and remove those trees that have a negative impact on the playability, health and safety or aesthetics of a hole.

A new ladies 8th tee is currently under construction and will be completed soon. Bunkers on the 2nd will be re-shaped and sport-bonded continuing the successful bunker renovation programme completed on the 3rd, 4th and 9th.

Best wishes to Paddy May 

This will be my final Course Notes as I will be stepping down as Course Convenor at the AGM. I would like to wish my successor, Paddy May, the very best and I hope he enjoys all the support that has been shown to me over the last 3 years.

Graham Molloy
Course Convenor