Course
Opened – Tournament back nine in 1984 ( built with another 9 holes that is no longer used in the event) / Tournament front nine in 1994
Course Designer – Tournament back 9 – Frank Pennink / Re design of back 9 and new front nine by Karl Grohs.
Special Features - This is a good solid test of golf built on a parkland/woodland site with a number of lakes coming into play on the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 8th and 9th predominantly.
General Playability - The course will relatively easy this year with the rough having burnt away in the last 4 weeks.
Undulating/Flat – Relatively flat
Treelined/exposed - Front nine is more parkland and exposed, the back nine has more woodland and is less exposed.
Many / few water hazards - Quite a few, see special features above.
Changes to the Course – None this year.
Greens
Type of grass - Bent / Poa Annua
Height of cut - 3mm
Speed/stimp reading – 10' 6
Any specific comments – Will need to keep some water on the greens to keep them alive in this heat so may not be as firm as we would otherwise wish for.
Fairways
Type of grass – Rye/Poa
Height of cut – 11mm
General width and contouring – Average width but quite a lot of movement through the drive zone makes them harder to hit.
Any specific comments - Recent very hot weather has left them dry and hard .
Tees
Type of grass – Bent/Poa
Height of cut - 8mm
Any specific comments – none
Collars
Type of grass - Bent/Poa
Height of cut – 8mm
Any specific comments – none
Rough
Type of grass – Rye/Poa
Semi-rough - Height of cut – 1.8m wide at 30mm
Intermediate – Height of cut – 1.8m wide at 64mm
Rough - Height of cut – Maintained rough at 100mm (Unmaintained outside of this)
Any specific comments – The maintained rough has all but disappeared in the recent very hot and dry weather, so will not present any real penalty.
Weather
In advance – The last month has been very hot and dry with no rain in the last 8 weeks.
Forecast for tournament – Hot weather is set to continue through until Friday (max 35 degrees) with probable storms leading to cooler temperatures at the weekend.
