I have kept my piece relatively short this week as Rod has done a Greens update lower down for you to read.

The Men's Invitation on Sunday was won by Ray Bobby and his partner J Swift with 40 points followed by Steve Brown & Steve Rynberk with 39 points who beat Ray Newnes & Dave Tinsley on a card playoff. Two Ex Captains Peter Darch & Mike Heathfield won the 2 nearest the pin prizes.

There are a few spots available for the Simon Marron trophy on Saturday for anyone who would like to play and also for the Summer Meeting a week on Saturday.

I am now almost fully booked for the Callaway demo day next Friday 19th but please come over and try anything you wish to try anything you would like even if you haven't booked. It will start at 11.00 am till 4.30/5.00 pm on the main practice area and I hope to have buggies available to ferry people to and fro.

Please if you are intending to enter the Bromborough Bowl on Wednesday 24th June could you enter of let me know ASAP. 

In the shop we have some great deals on shoes with the FootJoy Casual Contours reduced from £99 to £69.99 whilst stocks last and the shop is now full again with Carry and Trolley bags starting at £75 with all the Trolleys bags having the fitting on the bottom for electric trolleys.

Finally I have been asked to mention that a couple of 5 balls were spotted on the course recently which is against club rules.

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I am grateful to our past captain Mike Heathfield, who contacted me on Wednesday evening to let me know that some members are annoyed that we have solid tined and top-dressed the greens. I know it causes some disruption to the putting surface, but it is a necessary process to reduce the percentage of organic matter to the target level of 4% - 5 %. We shall only then achieve our goal of enabling the bent grasses to populate the greens.

We have already "slipped" in our programme and in consultation with the Head Green-keeper, we decided to tine & top dress this week as any further delay would affect our ability to put down the 150 tonnes recommended.

Just for clarification, this is the process recommended by STRI in relation to top dressing:

• Hollow Tining & Top Dressing (approx. 30 tonnes per occasion) - Spring & August
• Solid Tining & Top Dressing (approx. 20 tonnes per occasion) - Monthly April, May, June, July & September.

The monthly solid tining and top dressing has been done for at least the past seven years - in fact, the 2012 STRI Agronomy Report recommended solid tining & top dressing every three weeks!

THERE IS HOWEVER GOOD NEWS!

If all goes well with our August maintenance work (see below) and winter application of sand to the greens, we shall be in a position to stop the solid tining and top dressing during the summer of 2016 (excepting of course the August maintenance work)

If you have had the opportunity to read the latest STRI Agronomy Report, you will note that Alistair Beggs is recommending some changes in procedure. In order to tackle more aggressively the organic matter in the top 20mm of the turf base we agreed that the greens would be treated with the Graden sand injection machine in August (week beginning 17th August). This involves slitting the greens to a depth of 12-15mm and injecting kiln dried sand into the slits. If we follow the recommendations in the STRI report, recovery should be fairly rapid at that time of year. Following on from this we shall apply a 100% kiln dried sand top dressing through the winter months. If all goes to plan, we shall see the reduction in organic matter we need.

Finally, for now, may I add that I promise you that everything I do in relation to the processes on the course is first and foremost, for the benefit of the members. I am not trying to make life difficult for you.

If you have any questions about the above, please let me know.

Rod Backhouse.