Hello everyone,
Well, what did you make of Tiger Woods' return last weekend? As golf enthusiasts, it was a fantastic sight to see Tiger strolling the fairways again and throwing in a few fist pumps that we've all become accustomed to over the years. There were some interesting stats too:
24 - He made 24 birdies over the four days which was the best in the field
6 - He also carded six double bogeys, the most out of everyone
Midway through Saturday's round it looked as though Tiger was going to challenge for the title - what a story that would have been - but, rather unsurprisingly, the 14-time major champion wilted during his final round as mental fatigue no doubt played a role in his fall down the leaderboard.
But the real shining light was Japan's Hideki Matsuyama. He's been a model of consistency of late and victory last week made it four wins in his last five starts, the other result being a lousy runner-up finish. Phenomenal.
It's the type of form that we all crave, but what are you doing to achieve this in 2017? If you think an upgrade to your new equipment might help then come and see us in the shop and we can talk you through which products might benefit your game. Or maybe you're considering some coaching over the winter to cure your game of that destructive shot that keeps creeping in? If that's the case, we certainly have the expertise to rid your game of faults to help you fulfil your goals next year.
Whatever it is, get in touch with the team here and we'll be happy to help.
With the weather forecast looking better as I write, hopefully we will get a bit more golf with the frost moving away. However, we would like to give you a good reason to pop up and see us in the Pro Shop anyway. We will be offering FREE coffee in the run up till Christmas so please pop in, say hello and grab a coffee.
With Christmas now apon us we have some excellent ideas in store and are also happy to post out vouchers to loved ones who call for our members. If there is anything we don't have in store remember you can order it at our online store by clicking here.
This year we will also be offering our FREE wrapping service, so put our wrapping skills to the test!!
Coaching Vouchers available for 2017
If your looking for some help with your golf and aim to get of on the front foot in 2017 then please click here to look at possible coaching options. We would again be delighted to supply vouchers for our members from family and friends.
As of Monday, 5 December we have started use of the fairway mats as per previous years. These will be in use until further notice.
Gents Competition Update
The Gents December Medal has been rescheduled for Saturday, 17 December. Bookings can now be made online.
Head Greenkeepers Blog - Wednesday, 7 December
The last few weeks have been a tad on the chilly side, with us experiencing temperatures as low as minus 10°C, and frost setting deep into the profile. We had a period of 9 out of 11 days where the temperature was sub zero first thing in the morning and with days at their shortest there is limited sunshine hours to clear the harsh white frost, even when the sun does eventually rise over South Annsmuir forest its starting to set again! These are very frustrating times for the staff as much as they are for the golfers as it halts any maintenance, aeration progress and we instead turn our focus to tree & broom management which can be contained in one area to limit any traffic.
The next issue we face is when the frost starts to thaw. We achieve daytime temperatures up to +10°C which can give the appearance that the frost has completely gone, but soil temperatures are only averaging between 0 & 3°C; nowhere near enough to shift the 5" in the profile. Thaw happens from the top down which then creates a soft upper 1-2" on top of a hard frozen pan and any traffic on surfaces in these conditions can cause irreparable damage by essentially shearing the roots from the plant.
Having spoken to a few members when we opened last week they were amazed just how hard it was underfoot and how looks can be deceiving from the clubhouse or pro shop. We are very much in our own Micro-climate here at Ladybank- when I leave my home only 8 miles away the temperature is often at least 3°C lower when I arrive at work. We are in a depression in the landscape and the forests surrounding us trap the cold air in like a freezer.
In other news, please be aware that fairway mats are now in operation which gives a few months of some much needed rest to recover for the spring. Mats are available from the pro shop, however can everyone please double check they don't already have a mat from previous years as there is a limited supply.
Weather outlook is very changeable with much milder and windier conditions forecast all week. Pleased to say there is no frost forecast in the next week, and looking further ahead the jet stream has formed a classic L shape which suggests more unsettled damp, windy weather towards the middle of the month.
Pictured are some examples of our white frost issues, these photos were taken 2 weeks ago at 13:30pm. Some of these areas were in full sun for a few hours and had barely shifted at all.
David Gray Head Greenkeeper
