SPRING NEWSLETTER 2011

CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS

Claire Penman has taken over from Andrew Carcary as Company Secretary and has settled in well. Claire is an Angus County Player with a current handicap of 1.5 and has a BA (Hons) degree in Accounts and Finance from Dundee University. I hope she continues to enjoy a challenging job. I commend the course update by the Greens Convenor and hope that all golfers, locals and visitors alike enjoy our traditional links this season. 

February 2011 Alan Crow Chairman  

COURSE UPDATE 

The WINTER COURSE has been enjoyed by local and visiting enthusiasts before and after December’s Arctic blast when the hollow at the 1st and the slope on the 5th provided good sledging! The decision to offer full greens and a ‘no mats’ facility appears to have been a success in terms of increased revenue since the start of the year, with considerable numbers coming to play when frost, mud and flood have made their home courses less enjoyable or unplayable. Significantly shortening the 4th and 7th has reduced the wear on these fairways and allowed a progressive course which can be briskly played with a minimum of fuss with a half set and hands kept warm in pockets ‘twixt shots. 

Extensive COURSE MANAGEMENT was undertaken during the frozen conditions, most notably at the 11th to allow the refurbished bunker to be seen from the tee. Similarly at the 12th encroaching gorse on the right has been removed so that the full width of the green can be seen and utilised. This is laborious and tedious work which requires to be done on an annual basis all over the courses to allow other species e.g. heather to survive. The plaque on the 14th tee provides more information. 

BUNKER REFURBISHMENT has taken place to the right of the 6th green and the approach, bilaterally at the front of the 7th green, on the 11th fairway and to the left of the green and to the left of the 16th green - all beautifully revetted. 

NEW BUNKERS have been formed on the 2nd fairway on the left at 250 and 290 yards from the medal tee the former in a natural hollow which was gathering a lot of balls and becoming heavily divotted as a result. 

Continuing COASTAL EROSION at the 2nd and 6th holes has meant deferring plans to go back at the 2nd tee, until the effect of minor modifications to the ‘fishtail’ rock armour by Angus Council can be assessed. 

TEE CONSTRUCTION: The red tee on the 2nd is threatened and may have to come inland to the winter tee. New yellow and white tees have been constructed at the 6th as there is now only 5 yards to the dune edge from the existing medal tee, creating holes of 480 and 510 yards. 

The unsightly coarse mounds behind the 5th green have been re-sculpted and turfed with indigenous grasses to good effect and it is planned to do the same behind the 1st green as part of next year’s winter programme, whilst the 2nd tee is being improved to accommodate the red tee. The old yellow tee at the 6th, to the left of the 5th green, has been stripped and removed to form a greenside hollow and allow the construction of a new white 10th tee as proposed by Hawtree, creating a hole of 430 yards which will vie with the 3rd, 9th, 11th, 16th and 17th as ‘signature holes’ on our links. The winter tee at the 17th has been enlarged and renovated and will become the yellow tee, the smaller existing yellow tee was successfully used this winter to reduce the amount of walking round ropes. 

BLUE TEES have been identified in response to perceptions that the carry on some holes can be too demanding to create a shorter, more approachable course, in conjunction with gorse management and appropriate trimming of rough. The course will measure 5773 yards, Par 70, the data has been sent to the SGU, who have given an SSS rating of 69. 

The PITCH AND PUTT COURSE may come under MGLL management subject to the outcome of negotiations with Angus Council. This could provide further facilities for beginners, juniors and practise of the ‘short game’. The airfield remains the best place to practise shots longer than 150 yards. 

AGRONOMY: STRI continue to appraise and advise on an annual basis and the disc seeding operations inSeptember have helped the conversion to finer grass species although there will always be a proportion of annual meadow grass in the greens. The aim is to minimise this to maintain firm surfaces with a good sward which will hold a well struck shot from the fairway to provide an authentic links golf experience. 

The PATH POLICY suggested by the ecologist has started to allow recovery of the rough in some areas. It is imperative that GUR and other signage to control traffic are adhered to as closely as possible so that grasses in high traffic areas can survive in a very marginal environment. 

RETURFING of worn areas at the 2nd, 6th, 8th and 14th has been undertaken. 

RABBITS continue to undermine our efforts and a trapper is fully engaged trying to control another of Nature’s sometimes irrestible forces. However there can be no excuse for litter and dog poo and Angus District Council have provided more signs at the main points of access to the courses and the possibility of providing bag dispensers is being considered. 

Finally, no report would be complete without a reference to divots and pitchmarks, ravages inflicted on the hallowed turf by two-legged rabbits! An ongoing programme of re-seeding divots is in place and it is a well kept secret that golfers who repair pitchmarks, hole more putts! 

February 2011
J A Grant Greens Convenor  

MGLL WORKING GROUP 

The MGLL working group consists of Tom Cole, David May, Jason Boyd and Claire Penman. They meet monthly and as a result of their extensive work the following will be implemented during 2011:- 

• Upgrading of existing website for MGLL  
• Online booking system  
• Corporate deals and membership  
• New hardware for MGLL office  
• Promotional letters to be sent to golf clubs 

450TH ANNIVERSARY GROUP 

The group consists of members of the Royal Montrose Golf Club, Montrose Caledonia and Montrose Mercantile and the main aims are as follows:- 

• Promotional Exposure of the Course to a much wider public so more will play  
• Exposure of the Clubs so they receive more income  
• Celebrate the fact that our historic Course is 450 years old  
• Market Montrose and Angus  
• Benefits to our shops/businesses and accommodation providers 

February 2011
David May
450th Anniversary Group  

TOURNAMENT UPDATE 

FIXTURES 2011 

Date	Competition
7 May	Spring Tournament (Men)
9, 10, 12 May	Spring Tournament (Ladies)
Various dates throughout the Summer	Junior Links Championship and Junior Cockerill Cup
12th June	Munross Trophy Ladies 36 Hole Open
5th June	Open Texas Scramble
12th June	Open Texas Scramble
12th July	Junior 18 Hole Open
23rd July	Pro-Am
25th – 29th July	5-Day Open Tournament
29th July	Ladies’ 18 Hole Open
6th Sept	Seniors’ Open
1 Oct	Tri-Am

We would like to wish every golfer a successful and more especially an enjoyable year. 

February 2011
F Milsom K Dickson C Simpson
Tournament Committee