With The Open Championship starting this week we have some brilliant Open Specials in store on various products so pop by to catch the latest bargains on drivers, clothing and golf shoes from Adidas, Callaway and PING.

   

Having spent a little time with Willie and Steve this week i'd like to share a little info on exactly how Willie and his team keep the course in such great shape, especially the greens!! 

Last Thursday they were taking some readings on the 18th green. The speed at that point, using the Stimpmeter, was 10.1. As a guide to the speed of the greens of the golf we all watch on TV they can vary between 9.5 and 12 so the speeds we are currently running at are right up there with the best!  

The Clegghammer, which to most looks like the Beatles Yellow Submarine rising from the green (as seen below), is a machine that gives data on the density/firmness of the surfaces. The second machine allows Willie to ensure that the greens are of the correct compounds to allow the ball to react with the green upon landing - this is of course providing it's not a thin or low groove shot that tends to remove any spin we create!

   

Moisture is also key and all the numbers that Willie records are advised through the STRI - a governing body that believes know better than our guys! The perfect moisture reading of a green such as Lundies should be around 15%. As you can see from my photos below we are again about spot on!

   

The figures listed on the Clegghammer are also perfect at 120. While most of this probably doesn't make sense to many I hope it's just another little insight into to the great work that gets done here and help us all be a little more appreciative of what we have. A great course in what recently visitors have been describing to me as the best greens they've played on!

I hope the above makes sense as it's my take on what Willie took time to explain when we met.