“I want to get my staff up to speed in order to achieve my vision of how the course will look.”
over in Denmark - I went booted-and- suited and the Managing Director met me in denim jeans and a ski jacket! I have found the Danes to be a very relaxed and family orientated people. It’s also a great opportunity for my wife and son.”
When Alex visited the site in March 2006 it was still under construction. The course was difficult to see, as it was heavily covered in snow. “We are situated 36 kilometres west of Copenhagen,” he says. “The opening date is obviously weather dependent. Denmark had such a hard winter in 2005 and it really depends on what this winter brings, but we are aiming for sometime in the spring of this year. “The course design will make an ideal championship venue, if the club wishes to pursue this route. To cater for spectators there is a lot of space between the holes, which has been built into the design of the golf course. We also have excellent practice facilities, including a large six hectares practice ground, and several chipping and practice greens.”
THE Ledreborg Palace Golf Course is situated in the grounds of the palace and the site is steeped in history. “The design had to be changed, due to
restrictions from the authorities” says Alex. “Needless to say, this caused some delay to the project. When plant was originally brought in, they were only permitted to cut and fill plus or minus half a metre of soil across the whole area, so the course had to make the most of the natural topography. Fortunately that is stunning! But during this process dark patches were discovered on the soil that interested archaeologists. Bamboo canes
were put in, as markers, to allow work to continue, and the contractors carefully worked around these areas. The patches turned out to be burial mounds. Work was held up on some of the holes, but the archaeologists have now completed their work.” “These are going to be exceptional facilities and the company understands that you need to have good equipment and high-calibre staff to turn their investment into their dream,” he says. Staff recruitment will be high on Alex’s agenda and he is keen to build a good team. “There will be around ten staff during the summer which will be reduced in the winter,” says Alex. “I will see how things go in the first year. I am not sure to what level Danish greenkeepers are trained, so I want to get my staff up to speed in order to achieve my vision of how the course will look.” Alex feels it is really important to portray a professional image, and have well-trained staff, as this helps to promote greenkeeping and the golf club industry in Denmark, so all the staff will be provided with uniforms “Greenkeeping in the UK has come a really long way and is now highly regarded worldwide,” he says.
VERY environmentally aware, the company has elected to sow the course with pure fescue. “This has low nutritional and water requirements and is fairly disease tolerant,” says Alex. “It may sound strange, but managing fescue is something I have always wanted to do.”
A full Rain Bird irrigation system has been installed to greens, tees, approaches
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and fairways, but Alex will not want to over-use this because of the fescue. “Two lakes are being formed which will fill up during the winter and we will draw on these if, and when, the need arises,” he says.
Once the greenkeeping sheds have been completed Alex will be having a brand new fleet of machinery. “I have chosen Jacobsen machines as I have always liked their quality of cut. Local dealers, Svenningsens, have provided an excellent service throughout, which helped make the choice of machinery even easier.”. Bernhard grinders will be installed in the workshop. “A regular sharpening programme for mower blades is something which I strongly believe in. Blades that cut cleanly certainly make a marked difference to turf health and overall presentation standards on a course.” “I am really looking forward to the challenges of managing the Ledreborg Palace Golf Course and enriching the environment in which it is set.”
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