Tues 29th December
Well I thought it was worth squeezing in another blog before the new year. This period is usually a quite one but this year has been far from quite. From 10am on Christmas Eve , Christmas Day and the next 48 hours we received around 100mm of rain. This is an unbelievable amount of water in such a short period. To put that into context it's a quarter of the total rainfall for the previous 11 months. The course simply could not take that volume of water. I went to the course on Boxing Day whilst the rain was still beating down. I have never seen the devastation of flood water in my previous 18 years. Even the wettest year on record, 2012 did not have such volume in one period of rainfall. The ditches on the 1st, 8th, 9th and 10th are all linked and fed from a stream that enters the course left of the first. This comes from welham road. The volume of water entering the course was dramatic, far more than the outlets could discharge. This led to a back up of water within the ditches until they reached breaking point. The water came out of the ditches, over the banks and flooded large portions of the 9th fairway and 1st hole. Within hours of me being at the course on Boxing Day it flowed like a river down the 9th and across the tee towards the 12th hole. After another hour the water was rising so fast it reached the height of the road near the 10th green. Crossing the road it then flowed in front of the green and found it's way into the 10th ditch.
Walking the rest of the course it was a similar scene else where. Water flowing like a river down the 10th fairway across the front of the 13th and towards the 14th pond and ditch.
The new section of ditch on the 20th has saved a lot of flooding. It was full to bursting flowing into the 17th and into the outlet ditch at the 14th. The derwent holes, 21-24 are underwater, the river derwent is rising quickly. The flood defences holding back a lot of water but still very wet.
A very sad scene.
Returning to the course each day the flood water across most of the course is receding. A number of wet areas are land locked and will probably need pumping out. The ground is saturated and although the standing water is reducing there are a lot of areas still too wet for play to resume. Walking the course yesterday there are a few holes that are starting to become playable. Unfortunately there are only 5 that are consecutive and accessible. The main areas still holding the course back in terms of getting some play going is around the 19th green to the 20th tee and the 27th tee area. If these improve then we could get around 10 holes back in play. The majority of greens would be on temporary greens however. The staff have a lot of work to do to return the course back to reasonable condition and unfortunately the weather forecast isnt great. Areas that are going to take a lot longer to recover are the 1st due to flood water and saturated conditions, 9th tee and fairway, 11th tee is inaccessible due to flood water, 11th green and 12th tee saturated due to springs discharging. 4th approach, 5th fairway and 1st green due to springs discharging, 14th green, 15th/17th tee due to wet/ saturated ground conditions, the areas around 19/20/27 as mentioned above and obviously the holes on 21-24 effected by the flooding. The course is inspected daily and the staff making every effort to get you golfing again.
Anyone who walks the course whist it is closed might think there's no water on the greens so why can't we play?
Unfortunately it's not that simple, we need to ensure there are at least around 9 consecutive holes to play( these don't have to be the normal order of play), but the main point we have to consider is how golfers would access each tee, green and how traffic would flow around the holes that are open. If areas within the route are wet enough that play would cause irreversible damage then we can't allow play. We can use ropes and divert traffic as much as possible, if there is nowhere to send golfers we have no other option. The long term condition of the course has to be considered and if I feel that would be compromised opening the course in unfit conditions would be irresponsible. I can understand golfers frustrations at the present time, can I just remind all that up to Boxing Day we were only closed 4 times for the rest of the year.
Please ring the course info line on 01653695955 or the pro shop for daily updates.
Below are pictures taken from Boxing Day. 
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