It is the golf course where Bernhard Langer famously played a televised shot out of an ancient ash tree. It is also where seven crew members of a Halifax bomber lost their lives during take off on a bombing mission to France during the Second World War.
J
ust one mile from the historic city of York lies the magnificent Fulford Golf Club, steeped in history, and which celebrated its centenary in 2006. The current layout was designed by Major Charles MacKenzie, brother and business partner of Dr. Alister MacKenzie (he of Augusta fame). Over the years it has played host to many important amateur and professional tournaments.
Major winners such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam have graced the fairways of Fulford when, for twenty years it hosted the Benson & Hedges, Sun Alliance, and Murphy’s Cup tournaments as well as hosting the inaugural British Ladies Open Championship. But, it is surely the image of a flaxen- haired Bernhard Langer clambering
twenty feet up the magnificent ash tree by the 17th green, to play his third shot from the branches, that sticks in the memory. Fulford has a reputation for having some of the best greens on the European Tour. Clearly, they were to Ian Woosnam’s liking in 1985 when he blitzed round in just 62 strokes, still the ‘all-comers’ record.
BUILT predominantly on sandy heathland, the 18-hole 6830 yard par 72 course is set in 250 acres of prime Yorkshire countryside. The course remains very popular with over 30,000 rounds of golf being played every year by its 700 members and visitors alike. Fulford is managed by a team of seven Greenkeepers. Mark Mennell is Head Greenkeeper and is is the longest
serving employee at the club. He is in his thirty fourth year, seventeen of which have been as Head Greenkeeper. His assistant, Colin Loseby, is not far behind with twenty two years under his belt. Greg Corbett (10 years), Adam Freakstone (4), Alex Pansar (3), Iain Leakslot (4), Mick Mead (part time seasonal - 12 years) make up the complement of greens staff. Mark has seen many changes at the club during his time and has had to keep pace with ever changing maintenance regimes. “We are seeing a return to a minimalist approach to feeding, topdressing and watering again. In recent years we have substantially reduced the inputs to greens, tees and fairways. We will occasionally apply a liquid organic feed to the fairways but that is about it.” “We have also reduced the frequency
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