VLGC Professional Shop

The season is getting closer, we've done the first complete course cut and @VLGCProShop has got the masters sweep ready. It's just a great time to be alive 😁

The A team has done an unbelievably good job on the area around the halfway house. Both Peter and Jason have put hours into the project. After today it will be finishing and tidying the surrounding area. Thanks to Andy Brown for the donation of materials.

Busy Monday, greens hand mown, bunkers raked. Fairways lowered by another 5mm so they are ready to be cylinder cut again, approaches cut. Another old dumping ground cleaned out and prep work for the path 100 yards from the 3rd green had begun as it will alleviate the traffic wear

All you need is an ex HGV driver on your team to get the paths nice and flat. We're cracking on with surfacing for the next few days.

Greens solid tined, a complete course cut, a couple of hand mows, course tidying, 1st green fettling (open next Saturday), approaches fertilised, course tidying, bunkers strimmed and edged and a lot of base work on paths this week. At one stage the sun shone.

Great job done by Lee @VLGCProShop on the retreads for my irons, since turning semi pro on the simulator they've been requiring attention. All lofts and lies checked by Greg for the start of the season, surprised how far some were out.

We're bringing back the old 3rd tee as an additional side project. The reason being that the conifers by the new 3rd tee/ RHS 2nd will require a large scale project at some point. It's been redesigned at the back to remove the erosion issue and allow a buggy track in the future.

Course open, greens are frosting over and as of yesterday they weren't fully unfrozen. Buggies off today. Captain's drive in at 11 am with food at 12.30 so let's welcome Huw and Rayhanneh in style.

@VLGCProShop is definitely staying, he's bought a sign 🤣 the slight smugness on the face is after he gave me a playing lesson on the GC quad and I shoot 2 over and he beats me by 8.

With Fin being on holiday all that was left was the 4 cantankerous, arthritic, medicated old men. Rubbish weather at the start of the week but to say I'm proud of what my lads have achieved is an understatement.

Lads have been doing a great job whilst I'm in sunny Blackpool. It's great to know I can have a few days off and the course is in good hands. The greens spray yesterday added a bit of colour and vigor but was specifically targeting the potential heat stress over the next few days

After another short week my lads have absolutely smashed it. We're getting on top of the mowing, a couple of sprays done, strimming all over and any machine that went down we got back up. Peter Jeffs chipped in as always. We also have a new lodger in the shed.

Cut, iron, change holes, tee blocks and a full rake this morning

He built in so it was only right he played the first shot on it. The driving nets are now complete and open for use. I've learnt more labouring for Pete than I have done in years. Please do not walk on the seeded area.

From Saturday 20th April all bunkers will be back in play, the white lines round them and the new turf that's established are to be ignored (they will fade out). Tomorrows comp is a qualifier with preferred lies on fairways and no longer in the rough. See above rule

We are building a new path from the bridge to the practice nets on the lower practice ground. This will be of great benefit for the winter months and take a lot of wear off the area.

A bad start turned into a productive day, we're back on the projects. Bottom practice nets are being refurbished and we're getting sand in the new and rebuilt bunkers.

All greens work completed. I finished the tining yesterday and got the thatch degrading products on. The greens were topdressed with 10 tonne and brushed and Fin got taught both jobs and did very well. The rain coming will wash it all in.

Massive congratulations to Greg @VLGCProShop who is now our new professional, he is also a professional conifer remover if you need one 😂. Exciting times ahead with his partnership with @Foregolfchester to provide all the top brands available. The GCQuad is going to be exciting