course update 21st Jan

Well things are moving along well with our flood damaged areas. A special point to make again is that we can not rush bringing back into play flood and salt damaged greens. For the fact that it now looks like we will be able to save the greens to then open them up to play to early and totally destroy patches on them is not acceptable.

The working bee was very successful and we will be having a few more down the track when the areas that need work are safe to work on. At the moment the ground is so slippery it is too dangerous to walk or work in some areas.

Ill go hole by hole to update where we are at as of today

1st - tee is good and is able to be mowed
        fairway cleaned of debris but too wet and slippery to mow
        green cleaned up and is being mowed
2nd - tee is good and being mowed
         fairway to wet to walk on , started to remove mud from worst areas ( 2 weeks out )
        green cleared of mud and washed down turf very fragile and no play on surface for 2 weeks
3rd - tee cleared of mud and washed down turf very fragile possible need over sowing out for 4 weeks
         fairway very dangerous and out of play until further notice as per duty of care issues. mud started to be pushed off where we can get bunker bike into
        green cleared of mud and washed down turf very fragile ( 2 weeks out)
4th - tee cleared but not able to be mowed as equipment impossible to get to area to mow (1-2 weeks)
        fairway very wet too wet to mow or walk and is a safety concern until dried out and mown (1-2 weeks)
        green mud brushed off and washed down turf and had a light cut and is still about 1 to 2 weeks away from play
5th - tee cleared from debris and light mud, not mowed as cannot get equipment to area to mow 1 week away
        fairway growing well still very wet and not able to be mowed at this stage will need to be nipped then lowered and equipment not able to access area (1-2 weeks from play)
        Green mud broomed off and had a light mow turf under stress and greens mower not able to access this side of the course (1 - 3 weeks)
6th - tee cleared but not mown as not able to get mowers to area to mow (1 to 2 weeks)
        fairway OK but not able to be mowed as access to available
       green mud broomed off and had a light mow turf under stress and greens mower not able to access this area (2-3 weeks )
7th - tee OK but not mowed as no access to this area to get mowers to
      fairway very wet and slippery and a safety hazard some area to have mud pushed off when we can get bunker bikes on to the area (3 to 4 weeks out)
      green mud pushed off and hosed down green area very slippery and green under stress (3 to 4 weeks out)
8th - tee men's OK ladies not OK will need a new top as this tee was qld blue and is dead. not mowed (men's 1-2 weeks ladies 5+ weeks)
         fairway safety hazard still very wet and slippery well need some mud pushed off when machinery can get on to it then mowing (3-4 weeks)
         green mud pushed off broomed and under a little stress (1-2 weeks)
9th - tees OK but not mowed as to dangerous to attempt as slippage towards creek, and access to tee not available as too wet (1-2 weeks)
       fairway very wet not possible to mow to dried out ( 1-2 weeks away)
      green mud broomed off and had light mow under a little stress (1 to 2 weeks out)
10th - tee fine and being mowed
          fairway some mowed and rest needs to be dried out
          green fine
11th - tee fine
          fairway a little wet most has been mown
          green mud broomed off and being mowed is ok
12th - tee to be mowed next week
          fairway  has been mowed and ok
          green fine
13th - tee fine
          fairway alittle wet some mown
          green ok
14th - tee ok
          fairway top half good and mowed in gully mud to be pushed of  gully is hazardous to walking and machinery too slippery to work mud off to side ( 2-3 weeks gully out )
         green mud of green but still to be pushed off surrounds green under light stress (1-2 weeks)
15th - tee mud pushed off and tee hosed down still under much stress (3 to 4 weeks out)
          fairway duty of care hazardous area alot is still unsafe to work safe areas have had mud pushed off and is very slippery to walk on (3 to 4 weeks out)
          green mud pushed off 3 times , hosed off but under immense stress (4 to 5 weeks out)
16th  - tee mud pushed off and hosed down turf under great stress (3 to 4 weeks out)
           fairway ok
           green ok
17th - tee ok
          fairway very wet some areas around green been pushed off still more to go (3 to 4 weeks out)
          green mud pushed off twice and hosed down turf under immense stress (4 to 5 weeks out)
18th - tee mud pushed off and hosed down turf under great stress (3 to 4 weeks out)
          fairway very wet to wet for equipment to get on (1-2 weeks)
          green mud broomed off and had light mow green ok

So there is the current position of the course please note that the groundstaff have been putting in a huge effort into getting the course open to play, and going above and beyond the call of duty.It is a unfortunate situation where in alot of instances we cant use volunteers as it is too dangerous or with operating machinery not holding a ticket along with the fact that alot of places are simply inaccessible.I believe that alot has been achieved in 7 days.

We would all like things moved along as quickly as  possible but the fact remains that if forced to move along quicker than what we are  currently doing, it will put those areas under stress at risk of dying back and undoing all the good we have done so far, resulting in areas having to be rebuilt at greater cost and longer time out of action.

Pete