Nature restored.

The links team have been extremely busy lately with the scrub clearance work that has been carried out recently proving to be a big visual change to the golf course alongside the sandy waste areas also being introduced to the golf course removing areas of thick grassland and scrub and introducing bare sandy areas which are much more playable as well as being visually much more attractive and more natural linksy looking as well as simply restoring what is intended to be in the environment.
Here are some pictures of the difference scrub removal in addition to sandy waste areas can makes to the visual improvement of the golf course


Here is a picture of the right hand side of the 2nd green which the trees and bramble/gorse had grown within 2 yards of the green!

With the trees removed and some heather added into the rough turf on the right hand side this area now becomes much more playable and a visual improvement from the trees that had become too dominant and unfair for the golfer in this area. This rough will not be allowed to grow excessively and become too thick,the intention is to keep it thin and wispy as it's only a couple of paces from the green.

The area in front of the 18th with thick grassland  with gorse and bramble.

The 18th hole from the winter tee,(the flag is in the middle of the picture),you cannot see the green at all.

Below a picture of the new sandy waste area on the 18th with the right hand side bank lowered and thick grasslands removed and stripped to bare sand. You can now see the green and all the bunkers surrounding the green.

Below is an example of the tree and scrub invasion in the dunes,hopefully this will be the last you will see of these trees !

There are a few other key areas which we hope to finish in the next two weeks which includes removal of scrub and a return to the more natural linksy sandy waste areas.More pictures to follow soon!

Alongside all the scrub clearance etc the team have been very busy vertidraining, everywhere that has grass is being vertidrained ! including walkways, tees, approaches, fairways. This is a very time consuming but one of the most important tasks for the year.

Vertidraining aerates the soil and helps to relieve any compaction whilst also helps promote a better soil structure, promotes quicker drying of turf and promotes desirable conditions for healthy root growth for the finer grasses we are promoting.

Having had the 5th highest rainfall on record since 1988 with 210mm of rain falling in January the course with the majority already vertidrained is coping well, the water table is high which we obviously can't control but what can control in the drainage which is regularly checked and the new pump on the 10 th is working fantastically and the course remarkably dry considering the weather we have had.

We will be aerating the greens again soon to keep the surfaces as dry , firm and smooth as possible.

Alongside this will be an application of seaweed , iron and a little potash to keep the greens healthy and strong.  

Hope the weather allows us to get out on the links golfing a bit more soon,

Royal St David's Links Team,

Rhys Butler, Links Manager.