2017 – another great year at The Point

Starting with winning England Golf –  GolfMark Club of the Year in March, a busy season at The Point is coming to a close. The weather hasn’t made it very easy for us of late. But we are still getting some really great comments and our reputation keeps growing year on year. We have one last push to get the course ready for “The Race to The Point” and then our attention turns to preparing the course for next season.

Because of the wet weather, we have already started aerating and dressing walkways and high traffic areas. This will continue as often as possible throughout the autumn/winter. We will also start verti draining the playing surfaces over the coming weeks. Not only will this help us stay dry and firm through the winter but it also encourages root growth, which will give us a healthier plant and better surface coming into next season.

In the first week of November we shall be doing some major aeration and over seeding work to the greens, collars and tees. We will be deep tining, over seeding using a disc seeder and then topdressing. The disc seeder will enable us to get the seed into the surface, exactly where we need it to improve and thicken up the sward. Obviously this will cause some disruption but as always we shall endeavour to return the surfaces back to normal as soon as possible.

This winter, yet again we plan to make some improvements to the course. Tree work will continue, clearing and thinning out many of our woodland areas to not only tidy up the site but improve light and air to the playing surfaces. Gorse will be planted and mounding shaped in set aside areas around the course, to add definition and interest. We hope to improve pathways and drainage in key areas to keep buggies moving and improve the playability of the course throughout the winter.

Alongside general maintenance and improvements, we also have some quite big projects planned as and when the weather allows.

• The hazard around the 14^th and 17^th greens will be reshaped, showing off the stream, creating a run off area and moving the hazard away from the greens.
• The old first tee will be removed and reshaped ready for planting
• The men’s 5^th tee is going to be extended back to the hedge and the pathway improved
• The back of the 18^th green will be lifted and reshaped to match the back of the 9^th green
• The two greens side bunkers on the 10^th will be filled in, reshaped and one new bunker will be built on the front right of the green.
• A greenside bunker will be built on the front right of the 9^th green
• The yellow and white tee on the 12^th will be striped and reshaped to the same level and made as big as possible.
• A greenside bunker and undulations will be built on the front and left of the 11^th green

As always during this period we shall keep the course as playable and presentable as possible. There will be disruption, but we hope the improved golf course and golfing experience will be worth it next spring.

Tom Collings