Unlike other local areas Eaton was spared the heavy rain/thunderstorms this week, with only about 4 mm of rain Monday-Friday: we have still needed to water the greens, as indicated by moisture meter readings. Despite the hot dry spell ending, the greens speed on Friday was higher than ever, at 9’ 11”. Earlier in the week the greens were lightly fertilised to strengthen them ahead of Greens week which starts on Monday week - the 15th - during which they will be solid tined and dressed, deeply scarified on Wednesday, finally ending with another dressing. A major objective of the work is to firm the greens by preventing surface deterioration. It will keep them running fast and true, but be warned: they are likely to perform variably all week.

Gavin has been operating a hired digger all week. The work has been made more straightforward by very low water levels e.g. the 5th pond is 2.5 ft below normal. He has cleared the island on the 5th, removing around 80 tonnes of spoil and more or less cleared the 3rd pond - prior to that the water was almost totally obscured. He has tidied up the 13th and 15th ditches and plans to tackle 2nd pond and the pygmy weed in the 7th/8th pond early next week - the digger goes back on Wednesday. WARNING: the work is unavoidably messy and won’t immediately look great but it will recover over the winter; the benefits will be visible by the spring.

James is now on a phased return to work, which started with 1 day a week and increase by a day each week until he reaches full-time.

Course Committee