STOP PRESS!! Please note there are a number of tee times still available for the SUMMER OPEN due to take place on Wednesday 11 August that can be reserved through the PRO shop.

JULY NEWSLETTER

Dave Bundy, Club Captain

There have been two great highlights in July. The first being Jay Henby's Charity Day, which was extremely well supported and a great day all round. Roger put a tremendous amount of love, time and effort into ensuring that the day went well, and I know that he was delighted with the amount raised and the support that he received from members of the Club. Once again, many thanks on behalf of Roger and his family.

All we need to do now is to convince him to organise a Charity Day for the Club next year!

The other highlight of July was undoubtedly our Open Week. With the exception of very heavy rain on the afternoon of our Three Ball Better Ball the weather was kind to us.

We were delighted to receive visitors from all over the South West and much further a-field. All were most complimentary on their welcome, our excellent course and our catering. With a good sprinkling of visitors and our own members in the prizes, our Open Week proved to be another great success.

Thanks go to all concerned including John and Rob for their work in the shop, to the Competitions and Handicaps Committee for checking the cards, Ian and Margaret in the office and particularly Graeme and his boys for the continuing excellence of the course.

With Cornwall v The Rest of the World, Presidents Day and Ladies Captains Day to come in the early part of August, we look forward to our usual busy time, great golf and more of this 'Barbecue Weather'.

Ian Roddy, Club Secretary/Manager

In last month's newsletter I paid tribute to the dedication of the staff at the Club. However, I am also mindful that without out team of volunteers we would struggle in terms of maintaining the high standards that have been set. Those who are worthy of particular mention are Pete Walters, who is able to lend his hand to most DIY jobs around the club house, John Highman, who recently did a fine job in repairing the flag pole. Rodney Duke, who laboured over the re-varnishing of all the benches out on the course. Not forgetting Pat Fletcher, who reports all our Club results to the local papers on a weekly basis and can be found tidying up the club house area prior to big events. For the ladies, there is of course Christine Hicks who provides the floral displays in and around the club house, Gwen (and Harry) Stoneman, our starters on the 1st tee for competitions and Helen Davey and Julia Fox who organise the 200 Club.

As some members may have read in the local press, the Club has been chosen to play a key role, in conjunction with Callington Sports Partnership, in co-ordinating delivery of after school golf sessions in primary and secondary schools in North Cornwall. Whilst the Club has previously been involved in delivering a limited amount of coaching for local primary schools, recent grant funding from Sport England will enable schools in Launceston, Camelford, Wadebridge and Bude to take part. Naturally the management committee is delighted that the Club has been chosen to undertake this role that further extends our close links with the local community, as well as actively encouraging children and young people to take up golf.

Graeme Gallimore, Course Manager

After the coldest and harshest winter for 30 years the recent summer sun has been long awaited and most welcome, however this prolonged period of fine weather is now beginning to cause further problems that have been unfamiliar in recent summers.  The Met Office figures indicate the first 6 months have been the driest since 1929. The lack of moisture has reduced the frequency of grass cutting allowing the green staff to carry out some alternative maintenance tasks for example, gorse and tree maintenance and much needed Japanese Knotweed clearance.

Some early morning golfers might wonder why they have had to putt on some greens with dew on, the simple answer is to try and keep that little bit of moisture on the plant longer.  The affect of over cutting and close mowing of grass swards leads to the grass plant becoming stressed because too much leaf tissue is being removed, reducing the plants capability to produce enough carbohydrates to maintain plant health.

Soil and air temperatures have increased, resulting in a rise in Evapotranspiration (ET) rates, averaging a daily loss of 3 mm.  This deficit has been made up by irrigation water.  The staff are also trying to soak a few greens at a time to get the moisture down 3-4 inches where the finer grass species roots are and then allow them to dry out.  Watering deeply and less frequently provides for improved turf growth of the finer species.

The best way to control drought stress is by plant management.  Increase the height of cut during dry periods, reduce grooming and verticutting activities. Do not feed during dry conditions unless you have adequate watering resources.

Does watering in the day cause any further stress to the grass plant?  No.

Mid-day watering cools the turf and and reduces heat stress on hot summer days.  Daytime watering can sometimes be relatively inefficient due to substantial evaporation losses. Night watering helps to conserve water because of minimal evaporation, however, it can incite or aggravate disease problems.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the green staff for their flexibility and all their hard work in the run up to and during the pro am.  There was some excellent feedback with many pro's saying that they have never played Launceston in such good condition.  Thank you and well done Gav, Andy, Ali and Bez!

John Tozer, Club Professional

A Summery hello from John and Rob, am just writing this and reflecting on the fact that missing that 15 inch putt on the 18th green in the pro am wasn't such a problem!  When you consider that last Saturday we had a very successful charity day for a little lad called Jay Hensby, who at the tender age of nearly two has already had brain surgery.  I know Roger wouldn't mind me saying how overwhelmed he was with the response from members, visitors and other sponsors who made the day such a great success and I'm sure you'll be delighted to know he has raised over £2,200. 

Whilst on the subject of my putting there is an unkind rumour that perhaps my ability with the magic wand on the green is a little suspect, with this in mind I invite all and sundry to a little challenge!  You are invited to test me over 12 holes round the putting  green!  You win I donate £1 to Jays Charity I win you pay £2 to the Charity.  Might have to increase prices to cover losses??

We've just finished a very successful open week with much praise for the condition of the course.  We had over 1200 golfers from the Saturday through to the following Sunday.  Congratulations to all those who were winners and commiserations to those who weren't.

On a personal note well done to Elaine Thomas who picked Louis Oosthuizen to triumph in the open even though her words were "Who's that?  I've never heard of him" she's very pleased now as she won a Callaway driver.  On the same day Graham Cornish managed, I was told, a lucky bounce off the rake resulted in him winning a taylormade driver for nearest the pin in the Texas Scramble on Sunday.

Anyone who has not entered the member / guest day there are a few remaining tee times for Saturday the 24th July, please book in the competitions book.

Sorry this is short but as I am playing with the Captain at Woodbury next week I had better get some practice in, although he has assured me he's playing so well at the moment I don't need to take my clubs .... we'll see?

Regards

John and Rob

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