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Tee To Green October

26th October 2026

Find out the latest from our Greenkeepers in this month's Tee to Green.

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The Downs Course

As we move further into autumn, the Downs Course continues to recover well from what was a challenging dry summer. There are still a few fairways showing the scars of the drought, but overall, the course is moving in the right direction, and we’re pleased with the progress being made.

Tees Maintenance Complete

We’ve now completed our autumn tee maintenance programme. This involved deep tine aeration to relieve compaction and improve drainage, followed by overseeding to encourage fresh grass growth and help thicken up the playing surfaces. We then applied a sand dressing to help smooth the surfaces and improve the soil profile.

These jobs are important for keeping our tees healthy, improving their resilience and ensuring they’re in the best possible condition heading into next season. It might not be the most glamorous work, but the benefits will be well worth it!

The Greens are Rolling Along Nicely

The greens are performing well and are currently rolling at a steady 9 on the Stimpmeter, providing a consistent putting surface for everyone to enjoy.

However, we are beginning to see some signs of disease, which is not unexpected at this time of year. Disease pressure has been particularly high over the last few weeks, with autumn conditions and increased moisture creating a challenge for turf health.

We’ll continue to monitor the greens closely and adjust our management accordingly, aiming to keep the surfaces healthy and consistent as we move into the cooler months.

The Fairways: Looking Ahead

Although the course is recovering well overall, some fairways are still showing the effects of the prolonged summer drought. However, recovery takes time and we’ll continue to support the grass as conditions allow.

At the end of November, we’re planning to verti-drain the fairways. This involves using deep tines to open up the soil profile, helping to relieve compaction, improve water infiltration and encourage better air movement through the soil. It’s particularly important heading into winter, as improved drainage helps reduce surface water, keeps the fairways more playable and gives the grass a better chance of maintaining healthy roots.

It’s another important step in improving the long-term condition of the course, even if it does mean the fairways will look a little untidy while the work is being carried out!

New Cut Lines are Taking Shape

We’ve also reduced the height of the new cut lines on the 7th, 8th and 15th holes and they’re starting to look very good. These areas are beginning to take shape nicely, helping to create a more consistent playing experience while giving the holes a cleaner, more defined appearance.

We’ll continue to monitor their progress as the grass establishes and develops.

Looking Ahead

As we head towards winter, our focus remains on protecting the progress made this year, keeping disease under control and carrying out the essential maintenance that will set the course up for next season.

Autumn is always a busy time behind the scenes, and while some of the work might not make an immediate difference to the golfer’s eye, it plays a huge part in keeping the Downs in the best possible condition.

And lastly, with winter approaching, the layers are going on, the waterproofs are coming out, and the days are getting shorter. The good news is that the grass doesn’t mind the cold quite as much as we do!

Dan Cornish, Head Greenkeeper, The Downs course

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The Park and Copse courses

A very busy few weeks out on the course this last month. At the very end of September, we done our greens maintenance and the final phase of the Park Masterplan was finished on the new bunkers.  

Thank you for your patience throughout the whole process. The reason for the 2-holes we had closed at a time was that we had 2 shapers (excavators) teams working, unlike on the other occasions we only had 1. It was very much a pain to have hole closures but on the positive side, the works got completed well ahead of schedule. We are delighted with the results and it will have a positive impact on the playing of The Park course. The turf has knitted well and we're not far from them being fully open for play soon.  

The bunkers from phase 1 on holes 4/12/13 have been badly affected from the last summer with most of the faces burnt off. We have hydo-seeded these areas now to help recover grass. Hydroseeding is a planting process that uses a liquid "slurry" of seed, mulch, fertiliser, and water sprayed onto prepared ground via high-pressure hoses. Often tinted with a temporary green dye to show coverage, it acts as a protective blanket over the soil, locking in moisture and accelerating grass or plant germination. 

Greens maintenance went to plan. The weather played ball and both courses were completed on schedule. As mentioned in previous blog, the main course had the GKB sand and fill machine and The Copse we used a graden machine, similar process to GKB but doesn't fill in with sand. Once this was done, we applied another 15 tons of sand dressing across both courses. The greens have recovered well as we go into winter. Overall, both courses have come back from the summer really well. All tees and aprons have had a selective weedkiller applied. During early autumn, perennial weeds shift their energy into storing nutrients in their root systems for the winter. Applying a systemic selective weedkiller means the weed will pull the chemical deep into its roots, ensuring a much more effective, permanent kill than in the summer. 

As mentioned above, The Copse has greens maintenance and has recovered extremely well from the summer. All drain lines were seeded and have come through, and most of the long rough has been cut and collected. A few mounds are left to be strimmed and raked up.  

As we head into winter, we will start to post and rope high traffic and worn areas. This is to protect these areas for the winter and the loss of grass coverage which we will have to be repaired in spring. Please follow the signs, thank you. 

Scott Peterson, Head Greenkeeper of The Park and Copse courses 

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