Hello golfers,

Welcome to another exciting edition to Aston Wood GC weekly newsletter. We hope that you're having a good week on and off the golf course. Enjoy the read. 

Winter is here!

As the weather takes a turn for the worst, it’s important to have a few different layering options that can combat the cold, wind and showers.

The winter clothing is now in-store including base layers, wind shirts, fleece lined sweaters, Aston Wood Logo Gilets, water proof hats plus many more garments to keep you warm and dry this winter.

Click here to view our Apparel collections.

Indoor winter league warning

Thank you for the teams that have entered in for the Winter league. Just a reminder that if you haven't entered your team yet, then you have just one week left to get your entry form back to us so you can take part.

Course maintenance

Next week we will start Hollow tining the green. The hollow tining of greens, tees and even fairways is an essential part of our golf course maintenance programme.

So what is hollow tining?

It’s the physical removal of cores of turf from a playing surface. The holes are generally 13-16mm in diameter and of varying depths depending on the reason for the tine. The cores are ejected, swept up and removed. They actually make excellent compost. When completed, a smaller mass of soil will occupy the same area of the green.

Why is it done?

Course traffic causes the ground to become compacted and hardened. This means drainage is less efficient and the grass’s roots are prevented from absorbing oxygen. Hollow tining allows the compacted turf to expand and air and moisture to be more easily absorbed.

The coring helps address the problem of thatch. (Thatch is a layer of grass stems, roots, and debris that settle and accumulate over time). A thin layer is acceptable but too much thatch will hold water like a sponge. Tining also removes accumulated fibre in the grass’s root zone. It allows for the exchange of a poor soil for a better one through top dressing.

It's the moment you've all been waiting for...

I know this is what you have been waiting all week for:

Last week’s question was:

You slice your tee shot at the 1st and think it may be out of bounds. You say nothing but play another ball from the tee. You find your original ball in bounds. Which one of the following is true?

A. You can continue with either ball.
B. You must continue with the original ball and you will be playing your second shot with it.
C. You must continue with the second ball and you will be playing your fourth shot with it.

The correct answer is " C " - As the player did not announce a provisional ball, the second ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance. Rule 27-1. The original ball is lost. 

68.4% of the responses we had got the question correct.

Congratulations to Gary Robson who correctly said C and gave the rule number he has been drawn at random and wins three Titleist golf balls.

So now to this week’s question:

In a strokeplay competition, a competitor hits his tee shot into a water hazard. He finds a ball in the water hazard and removes a leaf partially covering the ball. He discovers that the ball is not his ball. After three minutes the player has not found his ball and he proceeds under Rule 26-1b. Having dropped his ball under this Rule he will be playing what number of stroke at the hole?

A - His third stroke.
B - His fifth stroke.
C - His sixth stroke.

For a chance to win three golf balls, click here to send your answer and the rule number/ decision.