The back tee will be enlarged, providing an extra 10m of teeing area. While we have machinery in the area, we will address the path between the 2nd green and 3rd tee.
The proposed change to the fairway bunkers includes the addition of two bunkers on the left side of the fairway and the refurbishment of the bunkers on the right side. The area short of the left-hand fairway bunker has long been an issue, with the steepness, playability and the way it connects with the hazard being less than desirable. The addition of these bunkers will improve the sightlines from the tee, and catch balls that would currently be catapulted into the hazard. These bunkers will also address the extreme undulation in this area, which is difficult to navigate.
The bunkers on the right-hand side of the fairway have changed considerably over time. The entry points have raised and are too steep, and the wind has undermined the face, which is now very close to the path on 4th green. This bunker will be reconstructed, moving it away from the path and improving the entry points. The surrounding area will be reshaped, connecting the reconstructed bunker to the undulations and strengthening the ball collection areas.
The green is to be reconstructed entirely and seeded with bent grass. The green has suffered from underground gases from the old rubbish tip, causing health issues with the turf, resulting in the green shrinking considerably from its original size. To address the gas issues, the green will be constructed with a gravel layer under the surface, allowing the gases to escape.
The green complex design will increase the green size, providing more pin positions and a better connection with the surrounds. The existing front left bunker will be reduced in size, opening up the access to the green and allowing the new bunkers on the left to be seen. Three additional bunkers will be constructed on the left side of the green, catching balls that miss the green and would currently bounce into the hazard or be lost. The existing right-hand greenside bunkers will be refurbished to improve the entry points and floor depth.
We expect the 3rd hole to be out of play through the cooler months, with the hole coming back into play around September. Fortunately, we have an excellent 19th hole that allows us to have the full 18 holes open and no temporary greens.
Once again, the work will be lead by our Course Superintendent James Newell, while working closely with Ross Watson and our course shaper Jeff Lindemann. Our course maintenance team are very skilled and over the past few years, has proven to be very capable of executing the design brief and achieving this in very tight time windows. We are very grateful to have such a well-balanced, motivated course team.
The board understands the changes to the 3rd hole are substantial and welcomes comments and feedback from members. If you have any questions, please feel free to address them to me.
Thank you
Kind Regards
Rob Hurley
General Manager