Range Project Update

As we come to the end of 2019 we can reflect and what has been a busy, busy year. Over 11,000 lorries have come and gone from site plus a packed golfing calendar meaning a lot of patience from you the membership.

EDI visual on photo 

 By now you would have seen Nick Claytons email back in December, Nick outlined the costs and where we are with the project. Nick also pointed out the costs required to run the club and to maintain good facilities. With the cost of a new irrigation system looming, water provision, on course toilets and the old clubhouse removal for safety and additional parking plus a full clubhouse refurbishment. The list is endless and costly. 

The range project has been postponed since December. The amount of rainfall we have had since the end of september is staggering (570mm to date) and no let up is in site. Originally, the site became too wet to work and the amount of fill that required moving needed large machines to do it. To be honest I really enjoyed the break from the lorries, I think we all did! Being able to use the back tees on the 1st again and the 18th main tee gave us back the course as we like it. 

Weekly reviews of the site have been on going but at the moment we are too wet to start back up. Personally for me I want this to start up ASAP. I can see the end in site to the levels we require and would like the lorries to finish once and for all. Shaping up the range, adding drainage and topsoiling can all be done during the summer with no impact to the course. 

Above is the now proposed timeline * Subject to weather 

 How long will this take to finish? 

Restart
Looking at the weather at the moment and talking to all parties involved, above is what I think the timeline will look like.  First off, I think with a bit of luck Lorries will start back up end of February/March. I would like to start the carry/hollow on the 1st asap as I would like this back in play before the main golf season starts.  One of the issues we have is not necessarily the ground but what is being dugout out of the fields that supply us, at the moment this is slop and we cannot use this for fill at the moment.  Once this dries out a bit I think we can commence. 

Tree Planting 

 I have almost given up on the chances to tree spade this winter ( we have a month left to do it) I will never say never but I am not hopeful. To much work is required on the left of the 18th and then we need to get across the course to move these trees without causing damage and these are big machines. So for now I think this is unlikely. 
However we do need to plant the trees around the short game area to reduce risk and finish the site before opening. The option to bring in rootballed trees that we have already purchased is still an option and something I will be working on to get completed by the end of February. 

1st Hole Carry/Hollow

You will have noticed that the trees have been removed between the 1st and the range in the hollow. This is to allow us to blend out the range into the 1sth hole, this will stop huge puddles appearing at and creating poor drainage on the 1st. It will also make the range look like its always been that high in future years. I am very keen to get this area done asap as mentioned. 
During the fill the tees will need to go up on top of the bank probably level with the first bunker on the fairway. This will be Monday to Friday due to lorries but not at weekends when it will be on the normal tee. 

18th Pathway and Ladies Tee
The new ladies tee and pathway on the 18th have suffered due to the amount of rain and this being the low lying area. The finishing works have been postponed until this area dries out. Once dry, the area will be top soiled, drainage added to the pathway, pathway topped up, carry shaped and all areas over seeded. 
Behind the new ladies tee the area will be raised and heather and and roughs will be planted to naturalise. The irrigation pipe you can see lying along the surface will be dug into the correct depth as we shape the banks along 18. 


Short Game Area

The short game area is growing in nicely. We have added the first layer of sand to the bunker and are working on reducing the heights of cut on the surrounding areas to match the course. I hope to be able to Open this in May but we will keep you informed. Look out for details...

Lorries Finish

Once the lorries finish filling that won't be the last of the lorries? We will need lorries on site to bring in the rootzone, stone and other outfield resources. At this stage we are hoping to start the range building and all of these materials will need to be delivered to the site. Only once all of these are completed we will start to dig the road out across the 1st and the overflow car park and reinstating it to how it was before. The contractors will still be using the overflow car park as a yard until they leave, Once this is all complete we as a club can then finally get things back to normal. 

Proposed Plan

The Build

Profusion will be back on site to get the final shapes, the final shapes on the range, building of the tee subsoil, bunker and and greens. Once the shapes are in and agreed, the drainage will be installed along with Irrigation to the relevant areas. After this you will see the thousands of tonnes of rootzone being delivered and spread across the site before final shapes, seeding and fertilising of the areas. The bunker sand will be added once the grow in is complete. 

At the same time the power and water supplies will be ran into the new range building. The concrete slab will be created first an then the framework, cladding and fitting out. We hope to give the Pros a teaching studio to use this winter 2020 and the rest of the building to be fitted out and open in 2021. 

Grow in 

The grow in will take several months mainly over the winter period. It is essential to get this right so when we open we have no problems collecting balls and giving a great facility. 

Other questions...

What are the banks on the 18th going to look like? 

Above is a visual from James Edwards of how the banks will blend in with the 18th tee, Our aim is to get one band cut up the slope if possible and then have rough, eco roughs, heather and trees planted along the bank.

Why are we doing this? 

Old Chipping Green

New short game grow in  

The old range was 70m wide and dropped 15m from front to back

The new range will be twice as wide with very little fall. this will be fully drained,  have a grass tee, greens to aim at, fully equipped driving range and studio.  

The old Teaching shed!

As you can see, the old facilities were not fit for purpose. Most clubs are the same, the range is just some extra space they had and done nothing with. This project will be so worth it in the long run. Great facilities that you the members deserve. I hope this blog has updated you and informed you of the coming weeks/months works. I hope it reminded you of what you had and gives you an idea of what the future looks like (thanks to James Edwards for the visual images). 

We will need to be patient one more time for the final fill and then these facilities won't be a dream anymore! 

See you soon

Matt