A More Typical Winter Week

15th approach looking back from the green

This week has been a very stark reminder of previous winters with 78mm of rain falling since last Saturday making the course extremely wet underfoot, hence the decision to ban carts. The course is now at saturation point and any further rain we receive just compounds the issue. On a positive note, the main 15th dam has reached full capacity with the overflow starting to discharge excess water yesterday morning. 

2nd bunker prior to the start of drainage work

This week work has started on installing better drainage into both of the bunkers at the 2nd green. The bunkers have been stripped of the old sand, both the bases rough shaped and the outlet for the front bunker has been dug across the fairway to the masterline which runs down the lefthand side of the fairway. The terrible weather throuhout the week has slowed progress more than I would have liked, but with better weather forecast for next week we should be back on schedule to complete the project by the end of next week. 

A Return to Blogging

 

18th Green - Saturday 20th July

 

	May 2013	May 2012	average
Rainfall	85.5 mm	125 mm	101 mm
Year to Date	189 mm	317 mm	243 mm
No. of rain days	11	17	-
Average Temp.	19.9°C	15.7°C	-
Average Humidity	68%	74.8%	-

 

	June 2013	June 2012	average
Rainfall	92.5 mm	208 mm	125 mm
Year to Date	281.5 mm	525 mm	368 mm
No. of rain days	11	18	-
Average Temp.	16.5°C	12.5°C	-
Average Humidity	78.5%	79.2%	-

 

The weather pattern for both May and June was very similar with long, warm dry spells broken up by periods of heavy rain. However, both months received below average rainfall, and up until the 122.5 mm of rain we received between the 18^th and 23^rd of July the levels of all of the dams were lower than normal for this time of year. That all changed when all of the dams virtually filled over the corresponding period. The level of the main dam is approximately 1 metre below the spillway and I am now fairly confident that it will be full before the end of August given that the long term forecast for the next three is for above average rainfall.  Groundwater levels are now at the point where any further rainfall that we receive will be captured through the drainage system and discharged into the dams.

The 200.5 mm of rain that we received over the past month has meant that this July has been our wettest since 1996. As can be seen from the chart below, the past three months have also been significantly warmer than average and this has enabled us to spend a larger proportion of staff time on course presentation than normal and this is noticeable in the general condition of the course. The fairways, in particular are as dense and green as they have ever been for July.

	July 2013	July2012	average
Rainfall	200.5 mm	106.5 mm	130 mm
Year to Date	482 mm	631.5 mm	498 mm
No. of rain days	16	20	-
Average Temp.	14.8°C	12.5°C	-
Average Humidity	81.6%	78.8%	-

CFS Volunteers burning the reeds in the dams