Drainage Nov 28th 2013

Drainage work now complete on holes 14 and 12, pipe and gravel in place and now re turfed and back in play.. We will be hopefully be starting hole 13 over the next few weeks weather permitting..

More photos from drainage work - we've put two new pipes around the 16th green area and are currently working on the left hand side of the 14th green.

Over the past few weeks we've started abit of drainage work on a few areas of the course, we're hoping this should help dry up areas in the coming wet winter months .. We started on 10 as you can see with the photos.. Please feel free to ask rusty about the tractor :)

Nov 2013 Greens verti drained down to 11inches, solid tined (3inches) after to help close up the holes.. We then ironed and cut after to get the greens straight back in play! This should help dry them out through the winter months!

Team profiles - Brett Moggridge

Brett Moggridge - Course Manager
Qualifications - BSc (Hons) in agriculture, spraying certificates pa1 and pa2, also currently in his second year of gaining his cpd diploma in Greenkeeping.
Interests - golf, poker, country file, Indian food and most importantly the Bigga website :)
Nicknames - Sinclair, Brett Dog, Luca modric, Brettal's, garlic man and known to the team as the 'gaffer'
Brett aka the MAIN MAN around this place and all round handy man (bodge it and scarper sometimes more like :) has been with the club since day dot, if he was anymore laid back he would be horizontal.
He specialises in machine maintenance, irrigation and green speed, his least favourite job is cutting grass!
Brett can usually found in the works van, in the shed, in the clubhouse or on the odd occasion driving around the course on a buggy with his knee hanging out and note pad in hand! Note this is between Monday to Thursday!! On a Friday he is like Paul Daniels and can not be found anywhere whilst the lads are raking all the bunkers :)
Brett is famous for a few things including - somehow seeing a completely different weather forecast from us all.. Drinking like a fish (but can't keep it down)
Favourite sayings include - it will be ok, voujon tonight ain't I and the most common one - ' I've done 1 and 2 can you do 3 to 18.

Brett has great respect from all the boys and is a joy to work under!!

Team profiles - Steve Hirons

Steve Hirons - deputy head greenkeeper
Qualifications - NVQ level's 1-2-3 in sports turf management, diploma in horticulture, spraying certificates pa1, pa2a and currently in his second year of gaining his cpd Greenkeeping diploma..
Nicknames - scroggsy, joe swash, O2, hobbit, Luke Donald, and jacamo.
Work experiences and ex clubs - Chipping Norton gc, Banbury gc, Pierpont gc (Belgium) mk dons fc and oxford utd fc.

Interests - football, pool, fishing, organising.
Steve deputy head Greenkeeper has been here now for nearly 11 years and has all the responsibility's brett can't be bothered to do :)  Steve specializes in spraying, organising, turfing and cutting aprons. His dislikes are - tees, rough, fairways,holes, bunkers, hand tools, mechanics, cold and wet weather, washing up, heights and spiders (probably shouldn't be a Greenkeeper)
This summer Steve done a couple of months work experience at a championship course in Belgium but came back early because he missed brett and the boys too much, steve is constantly saying he's going on a fitness regime starting Monday and is always fighting his waist size (usually losing)
His favourite sayings are - I hate that hole cutter, I don't do tractors, just got to see Pam quick, who s milk can I use, can I have some new boots please, who s used all my butter, I'm on a diet and my waist size is 32..
Famous for asking Pam if she's got 2 minutes free for a chat!!!

PLEASE note - most of this profile has been written by Brett, Ollie and Rusty!! Cheers guys!

Team profiles - Ollie Hemblen

Ollie Hemblen - First assistant

Qualifications - NVQ levels 1-2 in sports turf management
Nicknames - Hembo, babe, the tank, mouth, bbm, bt and hovis
Past clubs - Hartwell ford, Banbury golf club, Cherwell edge
Experiences - Mk Dons Fc, Rye Hill gc,
Interests - drinking, football, phones, and most importantly twitter
Babe (aka Hemblen) has been at the club now for ten years and is currently in the role of first assistant, he specialises in.... talking non stop from the time he wakes up to the time he sleeps (if he sleeps?) haha.. All round competent at his job and does actually specialise in fixing things (bbm - Brett's baby mechanic) loves to get his hands dirty, also great on the back arm! His least favourite job is hedge trimming!
His favourite sayings include - shall we? Beer? Pub? Fosters? Babe, one sugar in mine, and on a regular basis 'I'm skint'
Can usually be found in Brett's pocket :)
Once famous for winning an Owen Wilson lookalike competiton!!