F&F arrives 2 months early

[Mark Chaplin]

England has been basking in summer like conditions for the past 3 weeks with little or no rain. Today was in the high 70s playing at Worplesdon in the morning then West Hill in the afternoon after a rather fine lunch. Two UK top 100 courses in one day....grrreat!

Worplesdon was running freely with tight lies on the fairways and smooth medium pace greens, even high wedge approaches barely left a pitchmark.

West Hill's green were absolutely superb running quick with lots of break. Being slightly wetter in the winter than Worplesdon the fairways haven't quite recovered from the winter but poor lies were rare. Even the heather is drying out.

Down at Deal over the Easter weekend the fairways are already dry with the odd brown patch developing and the greens and surrounds were in great condition. Bump and run was the order of the day which is usually on hold until late May early June.

I'd be interested to hear how the North West and Scottish links are doing but for now we are having perfect F&F conditions in the South East. If your in London on business in the next few weeks jump on the train to Deal, Sandwich or Rye and have a ball.

[Marty Bonnar]

Being slightly wetter in the winter than Worplesdon

I'd be interested to hear how the North West and Scottish links are doing.

Mark, or should we call you Eliza? Or Maybe 'Enery 'Iggins, Just you Wait! ("In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen")

Scotland too has had the most summery April weather I can recall. However, the forecast is for the wind - what little there is - to swing to the north in the later part of this week. Those raters best bring some warm under-doodads. Still NO RAIN, though!

FBD.

[Brian_Ewen]

Martin
Ditto up here in the North East , no rain for 25 days and counting . Courses are bone dry ,but there is still a lack of growth .

24 degrees yesterday ! , in April ?.

Strange , but I played a very foggy Dukes on Friday , and it was very boggy in places ? .

[Mark Bourgeois]

Gentlemen,

Please return our American weather to us without delay and we will return yours.  Although a generous lot, we already have grown weary of gales, sideways rain, and freak snowstorms.

Undoubtedly you are facing massive storage problems with your supplies of Kummel, while on our end we are provided no such protections.

Surrender the weather or face the consequences at BUDA!

[Mark Pearce]

In NE England we haven't had any noticeable rain for weeks.  Courses are firm and fast, alright (maybe even hard) but the lack of rain in the spring has led to very little growth and our course desperately needs some, greens which were hollow tined and top dressed in March haven't had any rain and are in poor condition, a decent spell of showers and sun, which April would usually provide, is desperately needed.

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark & Brian,

The lack of growth will no doubt cause some serious problems, especially for courses without fairway watering, if some rain doesn't arrive before too long. If we believe everything we're told about global warning it could be the norm in 20 or 30 years time.

Mark