Practice Ground Update 1

Hi All,

The Start of the project- Pros hut gone and stripping top soil

Please find the link below to a short ‘Vlog’ on work going on out on the practice ground.

https://youtu.be/3qcioUrST2w

I am hoping this will enable me to blog more regular using this format.

Right handside stripped for dumper road

Concrete pad added so Lorries always dump in the same spot

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN CROSSING THE ROADWAY NEAR THE FIRST TEE> HEAVY LORRIES MOVING ABOUT MONDAY - FRIDAY.

Lets hope for some kind weather!






Matt

44 Years, Man and Boy!

As most of you will know that Charlie Pothecary, Our longest serving member of the team decided to retire from Stoneham after a staggering 44 years with the club. 

Charlie joined Stoneham in 1973 as 16 year old boy working as a trainee for Peter Marsh before becoming one on the main engines of the team. Now we are use to seeing Charlie as a senior figure and a man with a thorough knowledge of the works carried out on course and its history.

The Peter Marsh Team

Charlie can remember his first day as a 16 year old, He replaced 'Tom', Tom was from an era before Charlie and said he sat in the mess room with his flat cap and coat on. He would go straight out and eat his lunch out on the course along with his hot flask. Charlies first job in 1973 was to go with Pete Marsh and weed the 9th Bunker, he remembers it well and says the bunker "use to be a tiny little thing"! 

Charlie would often reminisce about his time with Pete Marsh and his friends Jim, Kenny McKoewn and Pat Stacey. People who were obviously a big influence on him as worked with them for many, many years. He would tell us about Freddie the fox and Smoky the cat (all stories in the club Centenary book, brilliantly written by Pam Paull). He enjoyed another 8 year with the Vince Ley team and had some funny stories of this time too.

The Vince Ley team with Charlie

Charlie worked at the club through many tournaments but was always fond of the Brabazon Trophy in 1993 (or English Amateur stroke play as its also known). He thought the course was fantastic for it and all the hard work had paid off.

He would tell me how the course has changed over the years from when the trend was to have wide straight fairways and now a much more flowing and natural look. He has seen the installation of irrigation systems,  new sheds, the new ditches especially the 17th on the left of the green which had been twice since he had been at the club, lastly with the sleepers being concreted in. He also would talk about how the pathways have changed from being mud paths, to wood chip and then on to a hard material so more golf could be played in the winter.



He would tell us how much the Greens and Fairways have improved, year on year and are 100% better'.  When Charlie joined Stoneham it was famous for it's Heather either side of the fairways but he also witnessed how this slowly reduced and in the last couple of years it was starting to show signs of its re-establishment. He puts the decline down to 'sweeping leaves from the heather and the cutting of it down to keep certain golfers happy'. Charlie took a lot of time to show me where the heather used to be as we try to encourage new growth. This knowledge was invaluable.

Charlie working hard in the bunkers

I asked him on his last day, What he would miss about Stoneham Golf Club. He replied 'working with the boys and seeing the members'. I then asked him what he was looking forward too, he replied 'slowing down and spending time with his grand children'.

Charlie with his last Team

A gift from the greenstaff to Charlie

The final Putt... Charlies last Putt on his last day, which he holed to a huge cheer from the team!

One of Stoneham's traditions is the wall of Caricatures in the bar. This Tradition started in 1946 by one of the members Peter Lucas who would draw each Captain for the coming year in some entertaining fashion. This tradition is still going strong today and Charlie has been honoured by the club with his own Caricature. This will be hung in the clubhouse forever more in reflection of the gratitude from the club for his 44 years service!

 

Well Charlie, Thank you for everything you have done for Stoneham Golf Club. It was a real pleasure to have you in my team and get to know you. You deserve to have an amazing time with the grand children and to take things slowly. You will always be welcomed back to Stoneham with opened arms! Thank you

We would like to wish all the members a Happy New Year from all of us at Stoneham Golf Club. Let’s enjoy 2018 with some amazing golf! 

Bunker Project Phase 2

Hi All, 

Sorry its been a while, I have been trying to do think of quicker ways of doing these blogs including videos but have failed in my attempts to upload them so far!! ( I will persist) but for now I am back to the traditional way of typing out on the PC.

Below I have uploaded the PowerPoint from our Project presentation evening. This shows a brief overview of the Phase 2. The presentation starts with a quick re cap of the Phase 1 works including before and after photos. It then moves onto Phase 2, which by now we can see are well underway out on the course. A timeline guide (weather dependent) on this years project and summary of the next phase at the end.  

At the presentation evening Richard Arnold (General Manager) gave an overview of the practice ground project and how planning was going. We now know planning permission has been granted and work will commence before the end 2017. The evening finished with Nick Clayton giving a brief on the term memberships and what role they have on the projects. 

14th Greenside left before

14th Greenside Left after Phase 1

The second new fairway bunker on the left of the 1st (around 150 to the green) will be installed this year. It was originally left off phase 1 as there were concerns it would not be needed. It was felt rather than spending money on it we should wait a year to get feedback from the membership.

After receiving feedback it was decided this should be added and was included in this years works.   

Willie Park (course architect) was famous for dips and hollows as can be seen on 9, 13,14,15 for example. They also are to the left of the tee shot on the 6th. One of Ken Moodie's plans was to bring these areas back into play. With the fairway bunkers being moved on the 6th fairway and the hollow to the left being dugout towards the fairway the tee shot will get a lot harder!

Photoshop of how we imagine the 6th to look. Note: mounding to cover pathway entrance

 Following concerns about how tough the 7th would be with the new approach bunker on the right it was decided to leave this off the Phase 2 plan this year.

Huge amount of earthworks taking place on 11th. Mounds are being added along with two new fairway bunkers, the old fairway bunker not in play will be removed with the heather being used to on the new bunker and mounding right of the fairway, this will help hide the 15th tee from play.

Another area with lots of earth works, the ditch at 8th will be widened to help dry the area and improve water flow. Old features will be added along with silt ponds. Two piped bridges will replace the four smaller sleeper bridges and the steps at 11th and 12th will be removed to make way for a pathway, slightly hidden from play.

Photoshop from Ken Moodie (golf architect) on the new look 11th

Photoshop image of the cross bunkers on 12th after the sand lines have been raised up again

It is planned to have all the turf and Heather turf down and the bunkers completed by November. 

Following the decision to postpone the 7th approach bunker (right), we decided to get the fairway bunker in on the 9th fairway to add interest to the drive off the hole. 

I hope by now you can see the work is well underway and you can see how great the course will be once it settles in. I will blog an update asap. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me when you see me around the club. 

Matt  

TORO Student Greenkeeper of the year FINALISTS!!

  

                                             Graham Hastie (Deputy Course Manager)  

                         

                                                   Levi Pethick (First Assistant Greenkeeper)

I have great pleasure to inform you that BOTH Graham Hastie and Levi Pethick have made the National Final of the Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award. This is one of the most prestigious Awards in the greenkeeping industry, with former winners including the likes of Murray Long who went on to be Course Manager at Sunningdale, Euan Grant who was Course Manager at Turnberry and now the JCB club.  

Graham and Levi who were not only both nominated by Oaklands College out of the 120+ students they have on greenkeeping courses, they now make up two of the six finalists after coming through the regional interviews.

The final will begin on Monday 11 September at BIGGA HQ in York, where candidates will join an industry discussion group hosted by BIGGA Chairman Les Howkins.

The finalists of the awards will then undertake a variety of tasks, culminating in the awards presentation, which will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 September.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner will receive an eight-week all expenses paid scholarship, including a six-week residential turf management study course at the University of Massachusetts, a trip to the Golf Industry Show and a visit to the Toro factory.

The runners-up of each award will also receive a training package for BTME 2018.

Everyone at Stoneham are very proud of Graham and Levi and what they have achieved and wish them all the luck in the world at the final.

For more information see press release below:

https://www.bigga.org.uk/about-us/news/finalists-re-year-awards/00954.html

Maintenance week plans August 2017

Maintenance Week

21^st August – 25^th August

Below is the information on works to be carried out during course maintenance week

Please give way to operators at all times

Greens and Aprons

Monday: Verti drain (deep tine) to 7 inches, Hollow core 4 inches and clear, top dress and brush (Front 9 Closed)

Tuesday: Verti drain (deep tine) to 7 inches, Hollow core 4 inches and clear, top dress and brush (Back 9 Closed)

Wednesday: Scarify greens, Fertilise, over-seed, Top dress and Brush

Hollow core Front 9 Aprons and clear (Possible Front 9 Closed)

Thursday: Top dress greens if required

Hollow core Back 9 Aprons (Possible Back 9 Closed)

Friday: Cut and Roll greens, Possible snagging day for bad weather.

Following the works the greens will be sandy and a little bumpy for a couple of weeks. We apologise for an inconvenience.

Please remember these works are essential for our greens to continue to improve!

·         Tees – Verti drain, Hollow tine to remove thatch and for soil exchange, top dressed, over seeded with     rye, bent and fescue mix and fertilised.

·         Fairways & Surrounds October 11^th/12th – It is intended to Hollow tine and collect then rake and  blow ALL fairways and surrounds. This is a huge project with piles of cores being left next to fairways  for collection once completed. Some disruption to play on the days will be necessary but this will be    kept to a minimum.

* All greens and Aprons works will be carried out in maintenance week   

All works are subject to weather conditions             

                           

Matt Plested

Course Manager

August 2017

The Man from Montana

I wanted to do a quick blog about our new Ball washer on the 1st tee. Some of you have noticed this and have made comment about how much you like it. 

This ball washer has travelled many miles to be with us. It was made by a Course Superintendent (Course Manager) from Briarwood in Montana USA. His name is Sean Sullivan. He's a fantastic guy, who has been Greenkeeping for years. Sean is not only a member of the American Greenkeepers association (GCSAA) 

but BIGGA the British one too.

Briarwood is a private members club in the Yellowstone Country Park and was voted the number 1 course in Montana. For your information Montana is called "The Treasure State" It is the 4th largest state, so that's pretty impressive in terms of rankings.

Sean not only loves his family, dog and wildlife (not surprising living around the beautiful Yellowstone Park) but he also loves the British golf courses and has worked at the several British Open's. 

He regularly attends BTME the Turf Managers conference in Harrogate... that's  some travelling! 

 

His other passion is making bespoke ball washers in his workshop, especially during the snow days. 

(He then adds a copy of the club logos to his pickup truck. Nice to know our logo is getting seen if in the states!)  

I met Sean a few years ago and have got to know him from BTME. This year when speaking to him about Stoneham and the history of the British Masters and having the Ryder Cup team here, he asked if he could make us a Bespoke ball washer. Once back at Stoneham I sent him a copy of our logo and he got to work straight away. 

Several Facebook messages of the stages of the ball washers followed until he finally completed it. 

The ball washer then travelled the 4,471 miles to Stoneham for us to put on the 1st tee. We were so inspired by Sean's ball washers that we are now sourcing new ball washers complete with logos for other holes. 

 Once in place I sent Sean a thank you message and picture and he replied that I need to get a Stoneham bag towel to hang on it. He said "Looks great, hope your members appreciate the effort to increase their brand, cheers". 

Sean, we certainly do appreciate your efforts. We have had so many positive comments about the ball washer. 

Thank you!