Some wildlife action on the course (and in the clubhouse!)

Just a few photos of wildlife seen on the course.  There have been more sightings of Adders this summer, probably due to the very hot and dry spell of weather we had.

Adder (female)

Adder (male) 

This one had entered the pro shop and had to be moved to a more suitable habitat

Barn owl at one of the nest boxes

Common Blue

Common Blue Damselfly

Ruddy Darter

Muntjac

Small Copper

Yellowhammer feeding on the seed in divot mix on a tee.

As usual we have sheep grazing on the stewardship fields

Summer wild flowers

A selection of wild flowers that could be seen on the course this summer.  As well as providing a splash of colour these native flowers provide an excellent nectar source for insects.  The wispy rough grassland that provides the best golfing rough is also best for wildlife diversity.

Weather summary for February

February was wet and very cold with the last three days remaining below freezing all day.  The lowest temperature was  -4.4° on the 28th when the average temperature for the day was  -3.3°.  We've had a weather station since the year 2000 and this was the coldest February we've recorded.  The average temperature was only 2.8°; the February average for the last 17 years is  5.1° and last year the average was  6.7°.  The highest temperature was  10.1° on the 15th.  We had 50mm of rain which is well above the 36mm average for the month. 

Gorse and heather management

During the recent spell of frosty weather we've made good progress on gorse management by coppicing.  We've also been cutting back gorse where it is invading an the area of recently established heather right of the 11th hole.  Although areas of coppiced gorse look unsightly at first, they soon recover and the resultant fresh growth provides an excellent habitat for wildlife.  The photo below illustrates how old stands of gorse get very leggy and open, this offers limited opportunities for nesting birds and other wildlife compared with dense young growth.

Gorse coppicing

Removing gorse from a recently established area of heather

Golf Environment Awards and GEO certification

Aldeburgh GC were one of four finalists in the Environmental Golf Course of the Year category in the  2018 Golf Environment Awards, the winners were Carnoustie golf club.  The awards showcase sustainable golf course management and the work that golf clubs do to develop and improve wildlife habitats.   Golf Environment Awards web site 
We have also recently achieved GEO certification which recognises our commitment to sustainable golf course management.  The GEO foundation works worldwide and is "Dedicated to inspire support and credibly share golf's commitment to nature, resources and community".  GEO website

The Aldeburgh team at the Golf Environment Awards presentation dinner

Storm damage

The recent high winds destroyed the shelter by the 1st tee; there were also quite a number of branches broken off trees and lots of debris scattered around the course.

Weather summary for January

January was a wet month with close to average temperatures but more frosty mornings than we've experienced in recent years.  The total rainfall was 62.2mm (the January average is 45.7mm) with the rain spread fairly evenly over the month, there were only 9 days with no rain at all.  The average temperature was 5.5°, with a maximum of 13.6° on the 28th and a minimum of -1.5° on the 27th.

12th bunker construction

The bunker left of the 12th green has been moved and enlarged and the surrounding slopes have been re-shaped. 

Stripping the old turf

Starting to shape the bunker

After turfing

Tee marker posts

The old tee marker posts were getting a bit worn out so they've been replaced with some smart new ones from Pinseeker.

10th tee construction

The construction work on the new championship/medal tee on the 10th hole was finished off today.

Stripping the old tee

Levelling the topsoil

Laying the turf