Each month Geoff Smith, the course manager at Abridge, will provide an update of the schedule of works currently being undertaken to improve the course at Abridge and ensure it remains one of the ‘must play’ top golf courses in Essex.

Happy new year to you all from myself and the greenkeeping team at Abridge. We have been planning the ‘new dawn at Abridge’ for some time and I can ensure you that there are really exciting times ahead on the golf course in 2019. With so much going on, my green keeping team are all really looking forward to enhancing the playing experience for all of our members and visitors in the coming year.

Irrigation Lake.

In 2018 the golf club invested heavily in a new irrigation system at Abridge. We were able to water and maintain almost all of the fairways during one of the hottest summers on record.  As part of the decision making process it was agreed to install an irrigation lake so we can store and then supply our own water.

If you have played the golf course in the last 2 weeks then you will know that these works have started so I thought that you may appreciate a full schedule of programmed works! It’s not set in stone as many factors can lead to change. Here is some video footage of what we are doing at the moment…

1. The first job is to clear the area of trees adhering to the plans approved; this will take approximately 4-6 weeks.

2. We then have to put in place some temporary protection and monitoring for wildlife that may or may not be there for a period of time and then the plan is to start the main construction of the lake.

3, Once completed we are then in the hands of the weather to start filling it and then at some stage we will be able to stop being totally reliant on expensive mains water to irrigate our Golf course. This makes us more environmentally sustainable and responsible as a Golf Course and user of water.

4. Then when construction is finished and suitable conditions replacement tree planting and landscaping will take place.

As the saying goes ‘Rome was not built in a day!’ and we know there is a lot of work to be done but my staff and I are all very keen to get it done and we also have the passion and desire to take the condition of the  course to the next level. This work takes time, investment, patience with some disruption and inconvenience that will require understanding and compassion from you, the Golfer and a little bit of luck with regards to the weather!

That’s it for now but over the coming months I will update you further on our progress to include

1. Expansion of the new Irrigation system to other parts of the Golf Course.
2. Re constructing some bunkers, starting with the 13^th greenside.
3. Drainage of the 18^th Green and other areas.
4. Completion of the buggy path around the back 9 holes giving us a buggy path all around the course.

Happy golfing at Abridge and here’s to a great 2019.

Geoff Smith

E: geoffabridgegolf@gmail.com