Course News July 18th 2010.
The
golf course is in excellent condition and has not suffered with the dry
conditions, our lakes are are little lower as a result of watering
extensively,we are however still predominately green in colour. The
greens are running currently at just under 11ft on the meter we hope to
get them up to 12 feet for our Pro-Am on Tuesday . it is the final day
of the Open 11.30am the author predicts Casey to win.
Course News June 17th 2010.
As
summer seems to have arrived at last,the light nights are here with
football dominating our lives we can with confidence say there has
never been a better time for you to play the course at Studley Wood. The
golf course set in 170 acres of beautiful Oxfordshire countryside has
never been better, the greens are reaching a pace of 10and half feet on
the stimp meter and are simply like a carpet. Whether you are a member
or a visitor you are highly recommended to come and play the course as
soon as you can,we are sure you will enjoy the experience. Play your
"Open" at Studley Wood.
Course News March 26th 2010.
Just as we thought Spring had arrived last Wednesday when golfers could be seen playing in shirt sleeves in 17 degrees of heat how wrong could we be. Hurricane Studley hit last night and it has been raining on and off ever since. Buggies are currently not in use as the slippery conditions are too dangerous, trolleys are allowed. Lets hope the weathermen are wrong and we don't get too much more rain tonight and at the weekend, we can only pray with the clocks going forward on Saturday Night (don't Forget) that it heralds the start of better weather!
Course News March 17th 2010
The course is completely dry and buggies are now back in operation, we are continuing our buggy hire price from last year at only £10 per round, great value!
The first application of top dressing (29 tons) has been applied to our greens and swept in, the same amount will be added next week weather permitting. For those of you that are interested the cost of this product is just under £2800. A further 60 tons of top dressing will also be applied to the tees in April.
The date has now passed for your submission of course design ideas, all your suggestions are being correlated the results of which will be posted on the members area of this site. A program and timescale of improvements will also be posted in the members area by the end of May.Thank you for all of your suggestions.
Course Update March 8th 2010
To minimise disruption during the Spring and summer playing seasons we have hollow cored our greens in early March, top dressing of the greens will be applied as and when the weather allows. We need a 4/5 day dry period in order for us to be able to apply this top dressing and complete this essential maintenance program.
Most of our ditches and water courses have been cleaned, scraped and reshaped this again is an essential program to assist with the drainage of the course.All of the cross fairway drains are to be tested for blockages in early April using an compressed airline. a machine called a "robin dagger" aerator will also be used to reduce compaction in certain areas of the course. All of the course furniture including the benches,tee markers etc. have been collected and re-stained/treated.
To all members who have not as yet sent in their ideas and suggestions for the redesign,additions and alterations to the course, the window of opportunity is closing in 7 days time on the 15th of March. Please help us shape the future of your club by tabling your ideas, it is your chance for you too become a course designer for the day.
Once all of the ideas have been correlated they will be posted on the members area of this site along with a detailed program of work and timescale.
Every possible weather condition has been thrown at the golf course this winter and it has coped remarkable well, having played the course yesterday it is amazingly dry given the rain and snow fall we have experienced over recent weeks.As I write this report at 6.30pm it has just gone dark at last it feels like the winter is coming to an end,to my fellow golfers here comes the light nights!!
Course Update January 1st 2010
After the wettest November since records began, with many golf courses closed throughout the length and breadth of Britain. We are pleased to announce that the work we have carried out over the last two years has been a success, proving that we are moving in the right direction. It was only on the seventh day of December after incessant rain that the playing surfaces of our course showed any sign of puddling, indeed when it stopped raining the course only took a few hours to drain and become totally playable.
As we stated in the recent newsletter the next stage of work to be undertaken is to either redesign, rebuild, replace or remove our bunkers. We will later in the New Year release our plans you still have time to shape that design, please send us your ideas and views on all of the bunkers with your ideas of what you would do. We honestly have not reached a final decision so please send us your ideas and plans hole by hole your input is invaluable.
You will notice immediately that many of the lakes are deeper and as a result encroach more into the adjacent fairways, making your shot selection more intimidating. As we stated earlier this year we need within the next 5 years to become self sufficient for course irrigation. With a small modification we have increased the capacity of our main irrigation lake to the left of the ninth fairway by over one third, this has had a dramatic impact on the hole, as you can now see water on both sides of the fairway from the tee. This we believe will make you think a little more rather than just getting the driver out and having a blast.
The new pond on seven is now full, we had to plug a few leaks, we are pleased to say that it is working properly and is now acting as a feeder lake for the lakes on 8 and 9. We are very excited about this feature as once the grass has grown in the spring, the reflections on the water will give the 7th hole a feel of Augusta. If you have any doubt just squint when you look at it on your next visit and I am sure you will see what I mean.
The tee construction on 5 and 8 need some minor additional works to improve the drainage this will start weather permitting in the next few weeks. The tees will be fully operational in time for the new playing season.
You will see on the back of the 4th tee a new shelter, kindly constructed by Geoff Blake husband of our lady captain Sue, this addition was an idea generated and funded by our committees, this will provide much need shelter and comfort at an exposed point on the course. This is one of three such shelters that will be added to the course.
Ian Hodgkinson
Course Manager