New head greenkeeper Darren Marston-Smith is making a huge impression at Chesham and Ley Hill Golf Club. Darren, the former head greenkeeper at prestigious Moor Park, joined the Chesham club in August, and he has initiated an extensive programme of improvements which are propelling the course to a whole new level!
This has been a significant investment for C&LH, but the club are hoping that Darren’s experience and expertise will take the course forward, and underpin the other improvements that the Trustees have initiated over the last few years.
The most noticeable change is the height of the rough. The greenkeeping team have cut the rough down to 1.5″ and have introduced a first-cut around the perimeter of all the fairways. The size of the fairways have also been increased so that the carry from the tee’s is less severe, This change has been particularly well received by the club’s older members and shorter hitters! The fringes to the greens have been improved and a new apron is being created on many of the fairways.
Another interesting enhancement is the introduction of bent grass to the greens. A trial is underway to change the dominant grass from smooth stalk meadow to bent. This will make the greens truer, faster and better draining. Already the club has started to see lots more positive feedback on the GolfNow website, which Ley Hill uses to manage its green fee bookings, and the club has seen a distinct increase in visitors compared to previous years.
Watch out for further improvements as Darren gets his teeth into Chesham’s golf course!