5 hours ago
With the club currently amid a four-week break from home fixtures, the pitch at Station Park has undergone some vital maintenance work. The club is indebted to Nairn Golf Club and their course manager Richie Ewan and team for their efforts in carrying out these endeavours and the use of the machinery to do so. After taking expert advice from Robert Ewing, of Aitkens Growing Company (with Mr Ewing emphasising the importance of carrying out post-match pitch repairs) and with the condition of the pitch having been closely monitored by Richie over the last year, the decision was taken to aerate the surface at the end of last season before embarking on a full over-seed and sanding programme during the close season with the goalmouths also re-turfed. The next step was to fertilise the pitch and this was carried out last month. Now, the surface needed aerated again and the break in fixtures allowed this to be done this week. In preparation for this, the pitch had to be cut and this season, that work has been carried out by Shaun Smith and Derek Steel – the club are grateful to them both for this and all the rest of the hard work they carry out at Station Park throughout the week, every week. Already, the difference is noticeable with water draining from the pitch far more easily than it was this time 12 months ago, meaning the surface is less likely to cut up on a rainy match day as it did during some fixtures last winter. The pitch has hosted 16 matches and two C Licence Assessments so far this season, with a maximum of 18 fixtures to go (depending on cup progression) and has received a rating of 5 out of 5 from the match referee for every single first team game – an achievement that would not have been possible without the work of Shaun and Derek plus Andy Konczak, Alan Watson and all the other volunteers and of course, Richie and his team from the Golf Club. Nairn Golf Club is one of Scotland’s finest courses, ranked 11th in the top 100 courses in the country. It is a traditional Links course created from Highland wilderness of gorse and heather and tests the talents of professionals and amateurs alike. Founded in 1887, it has hosted a large number of important championships, such as the 1999 Walker Cup and the 2012 Curtis Cup. The Club consists of the 18-hole Championship Course and the 9-hole Cameron Course, making it a welcoming golfing experience for all abilities. The modern Clubhouse has all the facilities and amenities visitors could expect from the ‘19th hole’ – the fully-licenced, well-stocked bar serves refreshments all day while the chef provides excellent standard of cooking, from breakfasts and light bites to full dinner menus. The Nairn Golf Club is located at Seabank Road, Nairn, IV12 4HB and for further information or to book a tee time, visit their website http://www.nairngolfclub.co.uk/, phone 01667 453208 or email bookings@nairngolfclub.co.uk. Graeme Macleod
