Misrepresenting sites online

pontardawe replied on 12/07/2023 11:55

Posted on 12/07/2023 11:55

We visited Putts Corner site 2nd week of July 2023 , have visited this site for 13 years it has always been a 4 star site with reviews to match but this year on entering the site the difference shocked us , it looked completely neglected, we usually get greeted by happy, helpful staff but this time we were greeted by a disgruntled warden who said your too early and don’t go wandering. After setting up I had a wonder round and where the site was usually full of flowers it now has overgrown hedges with brambles and nettles everywhere, the grass is seldom cut and in places very long encouraging Ticks, we were told that the club had brought in “no mow May” but this was July and the idea was to attract wildlife, I don’t know if someone in management has realised but this site is surrounded by fields, trees and obviously wildlife, when I spoke to other visitors most had the similar view to us, one who’s wife was disabled said it’s scruffy and was only going to stay overnight. Near the main bottom toilet block look what appears to be an old Wi-Fi pole has broken at its base , is leaning dangerously and is being held up by a piece of rebar and tied with a lifting sling.

The biggest problem is the site is being misrepresented on line the star rating and site photos are old , it no longer looks as per photos and recent reviews rarely give a high star rating but the club is still charging 4 star rates, I checked other club sites on line and found other sites with a no mow policy so I just can’t get my head around it, if you went to a 4 or 5 star hotel would you expect the exterior and gardens of the building to look pristine or a scruffy mess, it doesn’t make sense. We’ve decided that if this is the club’s policy from now on we don’t want to carry on being members and will cancel at the end of the season, there’s plenty of options like pitchup.com And of course the decision’s like “no mow May” has been taken by the club without taking a feeling of the members .   Don Sykes

 

Moderator Comment - Don, this is really a subject for either a review or the discussion area. As its in more general terms about the site I will move it to discussions. 

Louissprite replied on 13/07/2023 07:57

Posted on 13/07/2023 07:57

 I have had a recent experience like this in Italy. I really feel the club misrepresented the site in question not only in photographic terms but the pricing information was also out of date. I wanted to review the site but I cannot fathom how to do so. It seems ridiculously difficult to leave site reviews.  

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 13/07/2023 08:05

Posted on 12/07/2023 19:24 by JohnM20

Just a thought about no mow May. My niece’s house has a park opposite their front garden. The grass wasn’t cut in May but this has now been done. Coincidentally, immediately after cutting there has been a big increase in the number of flies, many of which find their way into her house. Now my thought, and this may be way off beam, is that the long grass prevented birds, and particularly starlings, from getting at and eating the flies and, as importantly, their grubs. So not cutting the grass may be depriving the birds from soft food that they need for their young and subsequently creating a later fly infestation.Ticks have also already been mentioned earlier in the thread. These live in long grass, the long grass that children play in.

This may be a rubbish hypothesis but does anyone else agree with this thought?

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:05

They do live in longer grass, they drop off hosts(wildlife) awaiting another host. Unfortunately ticks really don’t care if it’s rabbit, deer or human😕

PS-it’s never wise to wear shorts in long grass.

eurortraveller replied on 13/07/2023 08:41

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:41

The tree huggers say that not mowing in May lets wild flowers grow in the grass. I tried it this year in the orchard below the house - there were no flowers, and all I got was long grass like a hayfield. The whole no mow idea is fanciful. 

NutsyH replied on 13/07/2023 08:47

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:41 by eurortraveller

The tree huggers say that not mowing in May lets wild flowers grow in the grass. I tried it this year in the orchard below the house - there were no flowers, and all I got was long grass like a hayfield. The whole no mow idea is fanciful. 

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:47

Same here. No mow May was just another eco warrior idea foisted on us. Right up there with Veganuary and electric cars. Some organisations (local authorities for instance) jumped on the idea to save money.

My 15 year old dog got ticks this year for the first time ever, despite being regularly treated against ticks etc.

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 13/07/2023 08:55

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:41 by eurortraveller

The tree huggers say that not mowing in May lets wild flowers grow in the grass. I tried it this year in the orchard below the house - there were no flowers, and all I got was long grass like a hayfield. The whole no mow idea is fanciful. 

Posted on 13/07/2023 08:55

Fanciful?, it depends on the way it is thought out & executed. If it’s used as a way to skip cutting it may be fanciful. If it is researched & ‘best way’ is followed then it is really positive. When folk who are basically negative to the idea try it looking for failure they will find failure. If it’s approached positively it will work.

nb-don’t expect wild flowers from a bowling green lawn, the potential flowers have already been destroyed.

Takethedogalong replied on 13/07/2023 09:21

Posted on 13/07/2023 09:21

No Mow May in a meadow, with mixed grasses, wildflower seeds present and growing? Brilliant idea👍

No Mow May in areas where thriving wildflowers not present, usually just overgrown couch grass, and very wet? Oh dear………..badly misinterpreted. 

Our next to no mow anytime of the year neighbour did no mow May this year. First week in July tried to mow grass, end result was a broken beyond repair lawn mower, and a big bill for gardeners to come out and tackle. They are however continuing with no cut the hedge more than once a year, even if it’s full of bindweed😡 Counter productive, I have had enough and we set too spraying and hacking from our-side as much as we could yesterday, as my garden is being devastated by the bindweed. I am all for gardening for nature, we have all sorts in our garden, but you have to do it properly and with a degree of awareness. All they are pleasing at the moment are the rats😡 

young thomas replied on 13/07/2023 09:53

Posted on 13/07/2023 09:53

No mow May, June, July etc....at the golf course I practice at....some of it as tall as me!

you don't just lose a ball but your clubs and probably a playing partner or two🤷🏻‍♂️

madness! Is this what Club sites are like these days?

And...don't get me going on the total lack of attention to cycle paths etc...positively dangerous with low hanging branches....

Frank Gill replied on 13/07/2023 10:09

Posted on 12/07/2023 20:03 by Wherenext

Actually John I do agree.

I find the sort of long grass in parks and concil run areas have a detrimental effect on Birdlife. I prefer areas to be planted with wildflowers, an oxymoron of a statement I know, but at least then the birds can get in amongst the flowers and the insect life, especially  Bees etc, have a ready made food bank.

Leaving long grass that purports to be for 1 month for 2-3 months is lazy and/or cost cutting exercise.

Posted on 13/07/2023 10:09

Plymouth city centre used to have amazing formal borders these then went to wild flower meadows and now all we have is a sign saying urban meadow, very long unkempt grass, aka waste land. 

As you say cost cutting. 

Tinwheeler replied on 13/07/2023 10:24

Posted on 13/07/2023 10:09 by Frank Gill

Plymouth city centre used to have amazing formal borders these then went to wild flower meadows and now all we have is a sign saying urban meadow, very long unkempt grass, aka waste land. 

As you say cost cutting. 

Posted on 13/07/2023 10:24

And don’t even mention the trees! 😤😤😤

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