JHTaylor front-nine *PROGRESS*

With a tailwind of warm and dry weather MJAbbott continue to make good progress.  

The project is mostly on schedule although a number of interfaces and project logistics have dictated that the imminent seeding and turfing activities are now split into two phases.  The value-added in this decision provides for increased opportunities to achieve first ambition of full-turf cover and resilient turf density by December 1st.

The previously outstanding issues on the 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th with badgers and the National Grid high-pressure gas pipeline are all now discharged. Subsequently MJAbbott now have ownership of all the working areas.

1st green with the gravel-carpet spread overlaying a pipe-drainage system  

In all areas the outline shape of the putting surface is well-defined within the working areas.  Apart from the 4th, and 6th all the greens and surrounds are presented at an advanced stage of construction.  

Martin Ebert, the Club's architect, is making routine visits to sign-off the construction works at key stages to manage the integrity of the works and guarantee that his levels, topography and designs are replicated in the ground exactly.

3rd left-greenside bunker drained & with sand-lines painted in by Martin Ebert

3rd green surface ready for rootzone installation

During a recent visit, Martin Ebert painted out the sand-lines in the bunkers in advance of MJAbbott returning the topsoil to the green surrounds.

MJAbbott strip the 4th green and surrounds

The evacuation under license of the last two badger setts which impacted the working areas at the 4th and 6th are now signed off by the STRI Ecologist on behalf of English Nature.  

MJAbbott have had ownership of these two greens for one-week now and are busy in these areas with initial topsoil stripping and surveying.

5th green shaped out and marked for final-shaping in the sub-base

8th green complete; ready for inspection and sign-off by Martin Ebert

The 7th and 8th greens offer the best indication of a finished construction.  

The construction of the putting surface and green surrounds are complete and ready for a final inspection this week. 

Returning the topsoil to the surrounds and re-spreading it only requires a little more work with a steel dragmatt.  This key-skill smooths out imperfections and restores topsoil-levels to the correct depths over the shapes designed in the sub-base.

Turfing and seeding is due to start here in the week commencing 12th August.       

8th green-surface almost ready for seeding

Elsewhere, the 9th green is almost a stand-alone project.  It is now risen out of the flood-plain, shaped in the sub-base and ready for all onward activities.  

9th green area - final shaping at sub-base level

The greenstaff are now increasing their manoeuvres on the JHTaylor front-nine and working in areas around the margins of the reconstruction.  

All the tees are being hollow-cored ready for late-season topdressing, overseeding and fertilising.

A planned and organised scarification and linear-aeration operation to the fairways and semi-rough is due to commence within the next ten-days.