Course Update December 2018

Hi All,

11th Green December 2018

As the famous lines of John Lennon say "So this is Christmas and what have you done" ring out in my head on this grey overcast day as I sit in my office, planning work and signing off invoices.

Well to answer my opening line... a lot of work is being done out on the course. Mostly it's been clearing leaves and laying heather turf plus daily set ups for the team of late. This as you can imagine with all our trees is very labour intensive but I felt the team dealt with the leaves really well this year. We had some weekend set up's from hell  (Set up's include blowing greens and surrounds, blowing out every bunker and every tee, dewing or cutting greens, raking every bunker, moving any holes or emptying any full of water and moving the markers all before the first tee off time and then the battle to stay ahead).

The heather is now being added to areas to frame the holes and new features and giving the finishing touches to the new bunkers (which I think look great).

The new look 18th

 The 2nd hole is still having some teething problems with water holding on the apron. The little drain we put in is running but cant cope with the amount of water sitting on it. I plan to lift an area and shape it back down to the levels the shaper put in which I feel has been lost during the top soiling phase of the works. We have not been able to see this until the levels settled. This is an easy fix and something we will address once we have completed the heather turfing and leaf clearance.

I have done a video blog to save you reading anymore of my ramblings, which is available here:-

https://youtu.be/nBIaT56ruCo

As I look back throughout the year, I realise how tough it's been. From the wet start, to the snow, the cold spring and then the burning heat. I think the Bunker project has gone well, obviously we are left with areas to re turf following the drought and this will be addressed in the new year along with more over-seeding and aeration to get the grasses back. Weeds and moss were inevitable this year after losing coverage but that's part of the challenge. Every year is different and every year has its challenges. The removal of some major aids to Golf Course Managers with chemical removals will and adds to the pressure because we have lost our get out of jail cards. When I say we I mean golfers! So we are going to have address as many issues as we can rather than spraying something to hide them. Air flow, light and aeration will be key. My job is to minimise the impact of this work to you all. 

It's been a tough year but we have some really positive things to be proud of. The greens have played well this year and we have hit a lot of our targets regarding OM levels (this alone will help in the future), we have completed our bunker project so disruption will never be at that level again. We have added drainage to some wet areas and seen huge improvement to our aprons and tees. We have added real quality to the team and I believe next year is an exciting one for Stoneham as we look to improve and move forward!

Winners BIGGA Turkey Trot 2018 Stoneham 

I would like to thank the team at Stoneham for all their hard work and commitment over the last year, it's been a hard one but you all have been fantastic.

Lets end as we started... as John Lennon also sang we wish you 

"A very merry Christmas and a happy new year, Let's hope it's a good one without any fear"

Matt 

  

Stoneham Recovery (After the War)

Hi all,

I just thought I would put these pictures up for you all to look at. This was sent to the club via Twitter but it’s a copy of an article written about Stoneham and how it survived the war and held the Dunlop Masters (Now the British Masters). I hope you can zoom in on the pictures. This will allow you to read the article after all these years. I have asked for a copy so I can put it up in the clubhouse.

From this article I have learnt some very interesting things:-

•1906 Willie Park Surveyed an old deer park north of Southampton and reported it would make a “First-Class golf course”

•June 10th 1941 - Four parachute bombs landed on the course. One landed in the car park killing 16 soldiers who were standing by military vehicles. 

•During the Blitz no fewer than 2000 people were fed snack meals and given shelter in the clubhouse (old clubhouse). 

•The clubhouse became a Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Rendezvous and the bomb shelter to the right of the clubhouse (from 18th) was Southampton’s Emergency Control centre before becoming a Greenkeepers building later on. 

•Wire and metal poles erected on the fairways to stop planes landing (Some of these chains are still visible within the truck of some of the trees on the course today). 

A Bunker was added to the 18th Fairway to make it narrower for planes to land. 

•George Tolfree Head Greenkeeper (50 years) ran the course pretty much on his own during the war with volunteer parties helping out. He did however get help from the then Captain Mr E C Waller (Un Paid). Both have caricatures hanging in the clubhouse!

•Plus lots more...

Please have a look. It’s amazing to see some of the old photos and here the reasons why certain things are how they are today! 

Enjoy 

Matt