November2018

16/11/18. The two 50 yard greens are done, now onto the first 75yd target green.

16/11/18. Greens looking great , single cut done today.

15/11/18. Bankings being turfed , first 50 yard green now completed.

15/11/18. Thin covering of sand is put down levelled out and now turf is being laid.

14.11.18. Topsoil now on top of the sub soil , this is raked out tramped and stones removed.   

12/11/18. Soil for target  greens coming out of our 10th quarry on Hawkshill . Total of 5,500 ton of soil carted up . 

13/11/18. Some greens are starting to show up nicely.

6/11/18. Foundation soil getting placed on location of new target greens.

5/11/18. Removing turf from range where target greens are going.

5/11/18. New range in the background coming on.

5/11/18. A lot of work removing all the turf from the green areas , but this will save money as turf will be put back onto bankings around new greens.

5/11/18. Just a picture as we start with greens for driving range.

October 2018

1/10/18. Scarifying of fairways on Hawkshill has started.

1/10/18. This is our new machine which will help us with the management of the fairways/tees. It uses a series of blades to remove thatch build up. This will help us to improve drainage and improve turf vigour.

15/10/18. Gravel bander work getting started . We will be going hole by hole until finished, Hawkshill first.

16/10/18. On 2nd hole at corner of dogleg.We are linking the gravel drains to the new drainage we done last year.

16/10/18. Tidy up work after lines are in . You will notice the lines are angled to follow direction of drains and better water movement. 

8/10/18. Digging track down right of 18th on Hawkshill for the new fibre optic cable to be laid, this track goes from clubhouse down to Swailend garage entrance (700m long). 

9/10/18. Half way .


16/10/18. Now going through the 17th field . Nearly there. 


16/10/18. So close . Swailend garage sign in the background.

16/10/18. Terra spiking fairways to a 6" depth with 3/4" tines with a small bit of heave.

15/10/18. Winter greens been marked out and cut on Hawkshill. These are in play when its frosty and also when maintenance work is being carried out on the main greens.

September 2018

24/9/18. We managed to get a loan of this extremely good Overseeder (veredo) , its now on my wish list :-) . Both Swailend and Hawkshill got done. Swailend had a double pass with Fescue seed and a light top dressing done afterwards . Hawkshill had a single pass of Fescue seed and a light top dressing afterwards , there will be another pass shortly of Bent seed.

August 2018

29/8/18. We still are having issues regarding pitch marks on the greens . If you see anyone not repairing them please can you advise them to repair them to help maintain the greens condition  , thank you.

22/8/18. While on a few days holiday in Ireland I made a visit to Royal Portrush . I had a walk over the course to see some changes that have been made  in preparation for the Open Championship next year. I met with the head greenkeeper who gave me an insight in to what they have been doing . This is one of the new holes the par 4 7th . As you can see quite a tight tee shot and one massive bunker on the right,

22/8/18. This is the par 4 6th hole at the green looking out along the bay. A risk reward kind of hole where you might see a few go for it off the tee.

July 2018

18/7/18 . I had the opportunity of helping out at this years Open Championship at Carnoustie as part of the Bigga Support Team .The experience working at this event is second to none .While working alongside other Head Greenkeepers you get a lot of information  about their courses and what they have faced this year and how they have dealt with it (especially the dry spell).

18/7/18. The BIGGA Support Team .

June 2018

24/6/18. Had the opportunity of assisting Robert Patterson (course manager Royal Aberdeen) and his team for the British Amateur Championship . 

May 2018

1/5/18. We had a demonstration of the Maredo Scarifier that goes on the back of our tractor. It was in to show us how much deep thatch removal could be done without too much disruption to the fairways. As you can see it does the job well .We blew debris off to the side and picked it up.  

1/5/18. The units can be taken off the frames and any other cassette units can be put back on for different jobs . 

1/5/18. Over seeding of greens was done this week so hopefully we get some rain and heat to get the germination going .

April 2018

10/4/18. Now that wall has been rebuilt , time to erect the fence.

11/4/18. Coming along just great.

12/4/18. Fence all done and painted. 

March 2018

7/3/18. Rutting on path at the 9th due to the flooding.

7/3/18. Not what you like to see in March .

9/3/18. Reinforced wall getting built at the 5th tee wall.Stones get built in front of this.

9/3/18. This is a fair job . Shutters going in for the cement foundation.

12/3/18. Foundation now in.

22/3/18. Good to see wall at 9th finished .

6/3/18. Not the best start to March , This bad Winter has definitely had an impact on our Maintenance program .

1/3/18. Digging drain up right of the 16th hole on Hawkshill. 

1/3/18. This drain is 130mts  long .

February 2018

23/2/18. Pump in to take out water from pond at the 9th Hawkshill. 

23/2/18. The collapsed wall can be seen in the distance . Builder due in on Monday the 26th , so just getting ahead of the game .

21/2/18. Staff hard at it working on the drains at the 18th hole on Swailend .

22/2/18. Satff are working on the fairway area first.

22/2/18. Edging the drains , then soil/sand mix put down and finally turf laid on top .

15/2/18. 11th Green on Hawkshill . Not what I like to see in mid February with thick ice lying on a green .With ground  frozen underneath and  then the rain freezing on the top of that it creates this picture  . all I can say to this is roll on the Summer.

5/2/18. Drains at the 15th and 16th on Swailend have now all  been edged .

6/2/18. Staff have now edged all drains at the 15th on Swailend and put on top a 40mm covering of a sand soil mix , so now all ready for turfing . This will mean when main greens go on this hole is back in play.

5/2/18. The ground was difficult to dig through at times but we go there  .

5/2/18. Digger now at the 2nd on Hawkshill . This is at the corner of dogleg . We found a damaged pipe which was holding the water back in this area , it has now been fixed and now we are extending drain to the start of the fairway and putting in 4 laterals as well. 

1/2/18. This is the 15th on Swailend . Staff are in the process of piping drains and then backfilling them with 20mm stones.