Work on both courses has progressed well this week and has proved to be very productive not just in terms of the larger renovation projects but from a general maintenance point of view. All greens, collars, aprons and some surrounds on both courses have been top dressed this week along with being aerated using 8mm solid tines on the toro pro core.

Once the greens have been top dressed and the dressing has dried sufficiently we then brush the dressing into the surface.

The fact that we had solid tined with the 8mm tines before hand helps to integrate the dressing into the surface. Top dressing helps to level out surfaces and improve the drainage potential of the soil. it also heps to dilute any organic matter build up.

The 5th Highgate renovations have progressed well with the left hand side almost complete, in fact if it had not of snowed today the final turfing would of been completed but having said that the work will be completed early next week.

We have also started work on a new path around the left hand side of the 16th Highgate.

We have had a number of divots taken out of greens which are adjacent to other holes. I have posted the following rule and guidance for those members who fail to realise the need to protect our playing surfaces.

Playing from the wrong green.

We have recently had a number of instances where a ball has been struck from a green. This obviously has a serious detrimental effect on the putting surface but more importantly this action is in breach of rule 25-3. This is particularly a problem on the 3^rd Highgate Green and the 6^th Lodge green where shots have ended up on these greens from the adjacent holes.

The rule is as follows

25-3

Wrong Putting Green

b. relief

If a player’s ball lies on a wrong putting green, he must not play the ball as it lies. He must take relief, without penalty, as follows:

The player must lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong putting green and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this rule.

Thank you for your co-operation.