The picture above shows Cluee having to retrieve a golf club that had allegedly slipped out of a golfers hand as he played his shot? Well that’s what the member told me! He will remain anonymous . Personally I think it had been thrown up in frustration of a bad shot into a tree on the 18th hole!

Frustratingly for us ,we have had more rain and the forecast is not great, So all buggy’s must stick to the paths at all times and we also ask that Trolley’s stick to the paths on the Front 9 holes at all times unless you have the approved ‘Winter Wheels’ on your Trolley. Thank you

There maybe a few temporary greens in play, please check with the pro shop for details

BY THE WAY MITCHELL SUMMERS I HAVE PUT YOUR 7 IRON WE RESCUED IN THE PRO SHOP FOR YOU TO PICK UP ! LOL

Well we have had until today, a good drying week and that’s enabled us to get a lot of work done on the course

We have cut the Range, cut all the Rough, cut approaches, cut greens twice, cut surrounds and also chnaged holes

We have also managed to get the shattermaster and Verti-drain out on some of the fairways which are both doing a great job.

Finally the last two paths have been dug out and ready for filling up next week

We have also blown and cleared the thousands of leaves that are now starting to heavily fall.

Sadly by the time you play this weekend we have had another deluge of rain and the leaves are covering the Course, but honestly it did not look like that yesterday!

Well chuffed with one of our new lady members who is not only sticking to the paths with her trolley but she is even playing to the paths ! Now that’s caring about your Course ! Thank you

Owing to all the rain we have had the last night and what is forecast over the weekend, can Trolleys now stick to the paths at all times on the front 9 holes please, unless you have the approved ‘Winter Wheels’ on your Trolley. Also Bugg’ys obviously must stay on the paths at ALL times. Please stay in the right hand rough on the 13th and to the left of the path on the 14th rough. For all Golfers it really is a more pleasant walk by sticking to the paths when possible.

Many thanks for your help on this issue and can i ask all of you if you see anyone not sticking to what we have asked to please tell that Golfer to adhere to our requests, they are only spoiling YOUR Golf Course.

That’s it for now. Good luck to on England Saturday Morning

ENJOY YOUR COURSE, ENJOY YOUR CLUB………….IT’S YOURS REMEMBER!

A change this week at least for a few days. There is a slight frost this morning but should not be a problem. The 8th green is playing to the practice green and the 13th is still on a temporary green . Buggy’s to paths only and only on the Front 9 holes. Trolleys except winter wheeled must stay on the paths holes 1-5.

Hi all its not often i get fed up and on my soap box but my staff and i have found the last few weeks a little disappointing and I felt it was time to get a few points across to a minority of Members and Visitors that are spoiling things for everybody else

This very very unusual wet weather we have had since the end of September is making us all fed up, not just you guys as golfers, we are trying to work in it ! It’s very early to be this wet but contrary to belief it’s not something we can control, nor are the ground conditions we have, especially when over 75mm ( 3 inches) of rain have fallen in the last 6 days! Most of Essex is on clay and many courses have holes closed, no buggy’s or no Trolleys at all. We are all suffering from wet greens! Last year in Sep and Oct we only had 31.2mm of rain for the whole two months .To date we have had 146mm of rain since early September. I will let you work the differences out ! Please show some understanding and patience when the Course is so wet, the weather is not something we can do anything about! I fully get your frustrations, do you ‘get’ ours!?

Despite this my staff and I are doing our best to complete the Buggy and Trolley path on the back 9 holes as fast as we can. The Board backed us with the investment of nearly £50,000 to build the paths on 18 holes to protect our Course, sorry, YOUR Course from the perils of Wet Winter wear and enable ALL golfers to either use a trolley or a Buggy on a path and to able to play some Golf.

SOAP BOX NEXT COMMENT:– Why then, I ask, do a few people when asked to stay off certain areas if using a Trolley,( except with approved Winter Wheels), or a Buggy decide that these requests DO NOT APPLY TO THEM! I think its disrespectful to the Course, to my staff for all the hard-work we are doing and definitely disrespectful to fellow members and other Golfers! Please stop and think of not just yourself?

The last few summers have been very dry and the Course and Members were crying out for some proper Irrigation . Again the Board backed the Courses need and we installed an amazing Irrigation System which has proved its benefit the last 2 summers already. However, we are very aware we need to do some meaningful drainage. Over the last 6 years we have drained 7 greens, and built over 12 km of paths to keep things open, and next year we intend to try and start draining areas on the first 4 holes. Rome was not built in a day and neither solving some of Abridge’s Winter issues will be either. It takes time and Money ! Myself and my team are fully committed to keep improving things but sometimes the weather and other factors out of our control will stop us,

A little understanding of some things and decisions made go along way !! Throwing criticism and moans at people that are trying to do their best is easy ! Rules that applied last year or years before may not be the rules this year as things and circumstances have changed.

I have said this many times, all decisions we make re the Course are only ever done for ‘everybody’s’ benefit, not because we want to be awkward!

NEXT MOAN:- Ropes and signs are put out on the course to inform you and make you safe and to stop you walking through areas causing damage

THEY APPLY TO EVERYONE !!!!

My next rant is that in the last 4 weeks 3 of my staff have nearly been hit by a golf ball where golfers cant wait for us to get out the way and waive the golfer to play their shot. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE! a golfer would not hit a ball towards another golfer , so what is it are we different ? Are do you think we are not worthy and expendable !! Again i will let you mkae your mind up on that one !

Well , I think that’s my rant over! If I offend anyone and these moans do not apply to you please except my apologies but it is a little frustrating to hear issues around Trolleys and Buggys and wet Golf Courses when so much has been done the last few years and some of us are trying our very best.

The forecast is hopefully a little drier next week, let’s hope so for all of our sakes.

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE ALL BUGGY’S ARE ONLY ALLOWED ON THE FRONT 9 HOLES ONLY AND MUST STICK TO THE PATHS AT ALL TIMES.

TROLLEY’S MUST STICK TO THE PATHS AT ALL TIMES ON HOLES 1-5. THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE TROLLEYS WITH APPROVED WINTER WHEELS MAY TAKE THEM OFF THE PATHS BUT WE ASK YOU STICK TO THE ROUGHS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE COURSE.

Please also be aware that owing to the wet a couple of temporary greens are in use and we are struggling to cut and iron certain greens. Please check with Pro shop for updates

Enjoy your Golf enjoy your Club……..it’s yours remember!

Over the last 72 hours we have had over 55mm of rain and more rain is forecast all week ! Buggy’s are only allowed on the front 9 holes AND MUST STICK TO THE PATHS! Trolleys are on BUT MUST STICK TO THE PATHS THE FIRST FIVE HOLES. Winter Wheeled Trolley’s are allowed on the course on all 18 holes. Thank you

More rain all weekend is forecast. Buggy’s only allowed on paths and the front 9 holes only. Trolley’s are on.

Sadly we cannot change the weather and the next few days is not looking good! Buggy’s are to paths only on the front 9 holes and roughs only on back 9 holes other than holes 11,12 and 15 where Buggy’s must stay on the paths. Trolley’s are on.

Owing to the large amount of rain we have had the last few days buggy’s are only allowed to the paths and on the front 9 holes only. Trolley’s are on.

We will try and get buggy’s on as soon as it dry’s up a bit !