Hello golfers,

  

Ron Hawley an Appreciation 

He may have been small in stature but Ron Hawley was big in most of the things he tackled in 90 crowded and stimulating years. He was a distinguished engineer in a variety of disciplines and rubbed shoulders with many of the key figures in a profession that is still under-valued. 

There was something of an engineering quality about his golf. His stance, approach and execution seemed to imply he was in control, well most of the time. He hardly rose above tee height but there was power in those steely arms. 

Hunting for Ron's ball was one of the endearing characteristics of an individual who liked a challenge. His eyes, worn by years of workshop and work bench pre-occupations, found difficulty in following the flight of something so small but the appeal for help was unnecessary. The balls followed Napper instructions. 

A conversation with Ron could be illuminating and extraordinary. Helping Frank Whittle from a distance with a niggling problem in developing the jet engine, familiarity with the problems of the Comet and tinkering in Japan with sensitive parts of the only nuclear power reactor Britain exported held the listener spellbound. 

He took great pride too in the help he provided in the launch of the Goss cut, a DIY tool that made it easier to cut plastic without breaking the sheet material. He was delighted when he discovered I had been a customer and had kept the simple piece of old technology. 

Golf and Ron were like twins, experiencing a relationship that was competitive, frustrating and successful. He was near to retirement age when he threw himself into the sport and enjoyed every minute of it, well almost. 

He seemed to be a permanent part of the Bletchingley furniture and the sight of him preparing for action - apart from rainy days - gave this youngster a lift. Age appeared to have passed him by and left him untouched but he wrestled with a variety of uncomfortable complaints and had to resort to the buggy to maintain contact with the game. The sight of Ron behind the wheel haring down the 16th was my last vision of a lovely man who will probably now be driving sedately down the first on some heavenly course.

Roland Gribben


 

Course Update- Autumn Hollowtining 

The hollow tining of greens is an essential part of most golf course maintenance programmes. It's a recognised and proven technique carried out every year at most UK golf clubs. But at those clubs you'll hear members bemoaning the holey putting surfaces. Here we give you the lowdown on what hollow tining is and why it occurs.

So what is hollow tining? 

It's the physical removal of cores of turf from a playing surface. The holes are generally 13-16mm in diameter and of varying depths depending on the reason for the tine. The cores are ejected, swept up and removed. They make excellent compost. When completed, a smaller mass of soil will occupy the same area of green/tee/fairway.

Why is it done? 

Course traffic causes the ground to become compacted and hardened. This means drainage is less efficient and the grass's roots are prevented from absorbing oxygen. Hollow tining allows the compacted turf to expand and air and moisture to be more easily absorbed. 

The coring helps address the problem of thatch. (Thatch is a layer of grass stems, roots, and debris that settle and accumulate over time.) A thin layer is acceptable but too much thatch will hold water like a sponge. 

Tining also removes accumulated fibre in the grass's root zone. It allows for the exchange of a poor soil for a better one through top dressing. That's why the greens are normally covered in sandy top dressing immediately after they're cored. 

In addition, coring allows for overseeding: another effective way of improving the quality of the playing surface.

When is it done? 

Hollow tining is generally done out-with the main playing season: often in early autumn. It's important that the tining is completed before the weather turns wet and cold so there's time for growth and for the holes to seal up. So the best time to hollow tine is late August / early September, but this coincides with the playing season at most clubs. It's a difficult balancing act for greenkeepers. Some clubs will look to hollow tine very early in the spring season.

Is it a treatment for diseased greens? 

It's generally accepted that drier surfaces will be less susceptible to diseases like fusarium. As hollow tining is a good way of improving drainage it's also a way of preventing the spread of disease. 

Is solid tining the same thing? 

Not quite. Solid tining doesn't go as deep as hollow tining. It's useful for aerating the upper level of the root zone but it won't relieve the problem of compaction. It can be carried out at any point through the year and is particularly good where there is sandy soil that doesn't need much compaction relief.


   

Gentle Reminder 

1. Slow play. Should members find themselves losing a hole from the group in front, or being pressured from a group behind; then a call through must be made. Any group of golfers who feel that they are losing momentum or being held up, then a POLITE REQUEST to the group ahead should be made, to allow them to play through. Any group that receives such a request, should be considerate to themselves AND other golfers. 

2. Handicap split between Division 1 and 2 for Men Golfers. After changing the split between Division 1 and 2 from 18 to 16 handicap, the Competitions and Matches Committee believe a revision of the split is now necessary. So from 1st September 2016 the split will now take place at 17. Division 1 therefore up to 17. Division 2 from 17.50 to 28. 

3. AGM - 20th September - pre AGM 9-hole Competition from 4.30pm. Sign-up sheet will be placed on the noticeboard. It will be in groups of 4, with the 2 best scores counting on each hole.

CSI Hub 

The member's login on the main website has now been removed and replaced with the CSI Hub. If you haven't registered with the new CSI hub I would do so in order to book member's tee times. This can be found once logged in under members then click BRS members. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on 01883 744848.