Eaton
No prizes for guessing today's headline. The week's total rainfall was 76 mm, on top of the 41 mm that fell in the first part of the month. The course flooded in several places. A large amount of water spilled onto the course from the fields beyond the 9th - the drains which normally carry it down to the brook were simply overwhelmed. The water is flooding overground down the 14th and ponding at the bottom by the brook, which at the time of writing was on the point of overflowing. See a couple of videos Gavin took on Friday on the website.
There is nothing to do other than to wait for the water to clear. It won’t take long but the course will be seriously wet for some time. We’ve seen it much worse. The competitions planned for the weekend were cancelled on Friday; in the event the course remained closed all weekend.
Earlier in the week, before the rains came, Gavin trenched left of the 9th looking for failed field drains to explain why this is chronically such a wet area but found nothing. He plans to cut a second trench then gravel band the area, possibly adding mole ploughing.
Fairways were cut earlier in the week, with the height increased to 16 mm for the winter. Cut rough is now at 45 mm (1.75”): the summer height is 50 mm. We do not retain a ‘first cut’ in winter. With conditions as they are it was decided to go to full Winter Rules immediately i.e. preferred lies ‘in the general area’, which means competitions become non-qualifiers. This will remain in force throughout the winter.
How much of the planned winter work we can get done is very dependent on ground conditions allowing vehicles over the course. Unlike last year this winter is not starting well.
Congratulations are due to one of the course team, Eli Dunlop, on the birth of their first child, Daniel, this week.
Looking at the course it's a good time to be on paternity leave!
Course committee
22 October 2023