Return to flip book view

THE BALTRAY BULLETIN During recent times, unrepaired pitch marks have become a real problem. This is very disappointing as only members have beenplaying the course and it is clear that some members are not taking due care of your own course. Please do your part as a member and repair pitch marks when you are playing, even if you do not cause a pitch mark, please keep aneye out and if you see any that are unrepaired, please repair them as you play! Thank you, Management Committee APRIL 2024 - BALTRAY BULLETIN EDITION 10News in this editionUpdate from Management CommitteeLadies Club NewsCourse News Junior Club NewsUpcoming course works/informationSocial Committee News PLEASEREPAIRPITCHMARKS

Member Guest - New By LawPlease be aware that the Management Committee have agreed to introduce a new bye law which comes intoeffect from 1st May 2024 in relation to members bringing guests to play. This will provide fairness to allmembers of the club and help towards ensuring that there is more space available to members to enjoy agame. Member Guest Bye Law as Follows:A member may only introduce a maximum of 15 guests per year excluding semi-open competitions. From November 1st – March 31st (Winter) each year members are only permitted to introduce guests on aMonday, Thursday and Friday. The cost of introducing a guest is €50 per guest for 18 holes and €25 for 9holes. Update from the Management CommitteeClub Communications In an effort to keep improving club communications, we areon the look out for someone that may have some expertise inphotography and general communications to help to supportcollating and distributing the various communications thatare required throughout the year. If you feel that you have the necessary skills and enoughspare time to fulfill the role of Club Communications Officer,please contact the General Manager by emailingryan@countylouthgolfclub.ie to discuss the role further. Annual Subscriptions - Payment Deadline 17th March 2024:Thank you to all members who have paid their subscription orsigned up to the premium credit facility.Any members who are yet to pay, please be aware that youare now at risk of your membership being cancelled and weencourage your to make payment as soon as possible. Catering Update You may have seen the news recently that Rory and Navinhave taken over the lease to The Weavers in town. Navin would like to let all members know that he has nointention of leaving the club as he is really enjoyingdelivering the catering service to the club. He willeffectively be a silent partner in this venture, similar tohow they operate with Rory not being actively involved ona day to day basis in the club. This is a strategic decision for their business to grow theirbuying power with suppliers and have a larger resourcesavailable to them, which will in turn support the offering tothe golf club. We wish them the very best with this new venture.Pro Shop Balance - Now available on your membershipaccountYou are now able to view your the balance of your proshop account live on the County Louth Members App. You will see your Pro shop account appear in your Appwhen you login in as below. Please note it may take acouple days for your balance to appear while Scottupdates the system. New 5 Day Members The process for deciding on who will be successful in theupcoming 5 day membership intake has now been completed. Following a very exhaustive process, 25 people have beenoffered 5 day membership of the club and we wish the newmembers every success into the future as members of theclub. Care Of The Course As you know, the weather continues to be a real challenge inorder to maintain the course to the standards we come toexpect and enjoy. Since April 1st there has already been 2inches of rainfall, unseasonably high and on top of thewettest March since records began. Please do your part to protect the course whilst playing andadhere to the course protection measures that are in place atall times.

Divot Bags We would like to thank all members for their continued support with the use of divot bags. It has anextremely positive impact on the condition of the links, and I would encourage all members to continue withtheir use of the divot bags for the season ahead. Greens Greens will receive their 4th top dressing of the season –10 tonnes applied.Greens will receive their 3rd wetting agent application ofthe year.Greens to receive an application of iron and ammonia toencourage some early season growth and also add somecolour. The 2nd green will be pot seeded for the first time thisyear. Over recent years we have begun an intensive potseeding programme to further improve the sward andincrease the fescue content of the green. We will aim tocarry out this process at least three times throughout theplaying season.Some localised hand seeding work will take place onselective areas of greens over the month of April. (Nodisruption to play)Greens will receive the first of a monthly application ofAttraxor. This is a growth regulator which targets Meadowgrass (Poa Annua). It discourages the meadow grass fromseeding and tightens the sward refining the surfacefurther. Updates from The Course Committee Surrounds Surrounds to receive an application of iron and ammonia toencourage some early season growth and add some colour. Surrounds will receive their 3rd wetting agent application ofthe year. Surrounds will receive their 2nd top dressing of the season –10 tonnes applied.Selective seeding work and localised dressing will take place onsome weaker areas and high traffic areas. Surrounds will receive the first of a monthly application ofAttraxor. This is a growth regulator which targets Meadow grass(Poa Annua). It discourages the meadow grass from seedingand tightens the sward refining the surface further. Tees Tees will be spiked, aerated and pot seeded (20g/m2) to increaseour fescue content on the tee surfaces. Tees will receive their 3rd wetting agent application of the year. Tees will receive their 3rd top dressing of the season – 15 tonnesapplied.Tees will receive an application of fertiliser to help encouragegrowth. Sulphate of ammonia will be applied. Weed control – a herbicide will be applied to eradicate any weedinvasion. Tees will receive the first of a monthly application of Attraxor. Thisis a growth regulator which targets Meadow grass (Poa Annua). Itdiscourages the meadow grass from seeding and tightens the swardrefining the surface further.Fairways Fairways will receive an application of sulphate of iron and sulphateof ammonia to encourage growth and enhance colour.No Fairway over-seeding will take place this Spring. This year we willover-seed the fairways just once – September.Weed control – a herbicide will be applied to eradicate any weedinvasion. Grass Walkways Walkways will be spiked with a 13mm solid tine to relievecompaction.Walkways will be top-dressed and pot seeded.Walkways will receive an application of wetting agent to encouragewater retention within the rootzone. The new walkways are progressing well. We will review theircondition at the end of April in terms of when they will be ready toopen for play. Can I ask all members to please adhere to signage Re;alternate routing to certain tees to protect the new turf. (4,5,8,9,15)Bunkers The faces of all bunkers will be blow torched to keep them clean ofany unwanted grasses and weeds. The tops turf of all revetted bunkers will be top-dressed as an whenrequired to improve smoothness and to encourage the turf toestablish.Localised seeding work around the tops of selected bunkers will becarried out throughout April. Rough Roughs will be raked using our Terra Rake to remove any unwantedorganic matter and allow the fescue grasses to thrive. This willcomplete all work on the rough this season. Selected areas of the rough and carrys will be sprayed with agraminicide to eradicate any unwanted rye grass/Yorkshire FogCourse Manager, Wayne Murray reports that the following tasks will be carried out in April.

Social Committee UpdateWe are glad to announce the full list of dates and sponsors for this years 9 hole social competitions.Timesheets will open on Thursdays at 20.00hrs 8 days prior to the 9-hole competitions. Please see noticeboard for all rules and playing criteria Thank you to allthat came alongfor the Easter Egghunt on 3rd April.Great fun was hadby all!

Update from the Ladies Committee Lady Captain Fleur’s Charity -SOSADThis years Charity Box Competition is in aid of SOSAD, Lady Captain Fleur's charity. The competition will run from 1stApril to mid September. PAYMENT €50 one payment only. This can be done by entering the “ Lady Captain's Charity in aid of SOSAD “ on the Proshop computer. Please make sure that there are sufficient funds in your competition purse, as payment will be madeimmediately when you click the button. Entries close on Sunday 28th April. ALTERNATIVELY one can pay cash €50 in abrown envelope with your name on it, into the slot opposite locker no 3.Once paid please sign the book, just the once, on the counter in the front locker room. COMPETITION no need to sign the book again, play all summer both 9’s holes - The best of 3 cards — 3 divisions Model Local Rule L2 applies, each card must have your name, HI & CH, date & 2 signatures Please return cards into the usual slot beside the computer. ECLECTIC RINGS COMPETITION 2024 No Entry Fee No book signing Everyone is automatically entered The computer will calculate your best 18 Hole score from all the returned 18 Hole singles competitions & Play in Pink4Ball between 1st April & 30th September. BIRDIES 2024 Please sign the book in the locker room. Entry fee €5 cash - the usual place for payment The computer will do the calculations on the singles competitions you play between 1st April & 30th September.Presentation Evening The next ladies presentation evening takes place on Tuesday 9th April. This promises to be another great evening of funcelebrating the recent winners. Updated Terms of Competition The ladies updated terms of competition are available to view in the documents section of your membership account onyour App and online. They are also available in the locker room, please be sure to familiarize yourself with the terms ofcompetition for the year ahead. WHS Handicap UpdatePlease visit the Golf Ireland Website following thelink below for all information relating the the WHSHandicap updates which have come into effectsince April 1st https://www.golfireland.ie/2024-whs-update-resources

Go Cashless Where Possible In an effort to improve theoverall security of the club,the Management Committeekindly ask all members andguests to please use yourDebit/Credit card forpayments. Please DO NOT use cashwhen making paymentswherever possible. Thank You for your supportof this safety initiative!

Updates from The Junior Committee Cars travelled in convoy to the second day of GolfIreland Ulster Girls Winter Festival - @ Laganview GolfCentre. Great day had by all juniorsWe're thrilled to announce Ellen O'Shaughnessy's selection to compete in theupcoming home matches. With a fantastic outcome, with the boys securing a9-5 victory and the girls achieving a remarkable 7-3 result. Well Done Ellen. The Winter League Presentation for our juniors was made extra special by the assistance of the Presidents, Captains, andVice Captains, thank you.

Updates from The Junior Committee Should anyone have any queries please, do not hesitate to contact us by email onjuniorcommittee@countylouthgolfclub.comCongratulation to Jack McKenna who earned his firstIrish cap at the U-16 Quadrangular in Ayr Belleisle ,Scotland where the Irish team went on to win!!Ellen O'Shaughnessy was on the team and contributed tothe Golf Ireland squad that travelled to French lastmonth to compete for the U21 Esmond Trophy at Golf DeSt Cloud. Well done, Ellen.Upcoming Podcasts and Video UpdatesIf you have any questions about the course, please email them the General Manager viaryan@countylouthgolfclub.com and the most common questions will be answered in future video updatesWe are glad to bring you the first of our course information videos with Course manager, Wayne Murray wherewe discuss why the course appears so green and soft of late please click the link below to watch the video. https://youtu.be/JVWRsWSkZSw End - Baltray Bulletin, 10th Edition