I spend a fair bit of my time visiting sporting facilities across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. In many instances their location has a bearing on how they are managed and maintained. No two sites are the same. Geographical location, climatic conditions and the physical nature and properties of the underlying soils all play a part in the ongoing maintenance of each venue. But, have you ever
The most northerly facility is Whalsay Golf Club on Whalsay Island which lies off the east coast of Shetland’s Mainland at coordinates 60°22’ N 0°55’ W. The mean annual rainfall is 924.4mm. The average air temperature in January is 3.3°C and, in August, 16.1°C
wondered where the most extreme sporting venues are in the British Isles? It was a fair bet that the most northerly would be on one of the Scottish islands and, equally, that the most southerly would likely be in the Channel Islands. But, what of east and west? And what type of venue were they - football, golf, cricket? Well, with the aid of Google maps, countless phone calls, and a bit of skulduggery, I have been able to pinpoint the four most extreme sites in the British Isles. Of the four, two are golf courses, the third a set of bowling greens and, the fourth, a general sports turf facility that provides football and cricket. Laurence Gale MSc dons his deerstalker and gets out his spyglass!
WHALSAY lies off the east coast of Shetland’s largest island, Mainland, and is reached by a regular 30 minute ferry link from Laxo. The name comes from the Old Norse meaning Whale Island, though, for generations of Scottish fishermen, it has been better known as The Bonny Isle. The island measures five and a half miles from south west to north east, and is two miles wide. With a population of around a 1000 it is one of Shetland’s more densely populated islands. Visitors travelling to Whalsay by ferry
arrive in Symbister Harbour, which is the focus of island life and activity. Those arriving by air will find that the airstrip, at Skaw on the northern tip of the island, is also the home of Whalsay Golf Club, so play stops if there is an incoming or outgoing charter flight! It is likeley that, as well as being the most northerly club in the British Isles, it is the only one in the world that includes an airstrip amongst its hazards! Not unwelcome distractions include gulls, skuas, seals, otters and the wonderful site of porpoises swimming just offshore.
Golf has been played on the
Shetland Islands since the late nineteenth century when the Laird of Shetland and his family took an interest in the sport. There are only two other courses - Shetland, an 18 hole course just outside Lerwick and the 9 hole Asta course just outside Tingwall.
The Whalsay Golf Club was formed in 1976. The club received various small grants for grass cutting machinery and, until about 1989, club members did all the work on the course on a voluntary basis.
In 1989 eighteen new tees were built and the course was recognised by the Scottish Golf Union in 1990. In 1992 the Ladies course was recognised by the SGU.
The first Greenkeeper was employed in 1994 and the new clubhouse was built in 1996 when the club purchased land close to the 18th green.
The club was delighted to have been part of the Natwest Inter Island Games, held in Shetland in 2005. Club membership has increased rapidly over the years and now stands at XXXX Today the course is managed and maintained by two Greenkeepers, John Simpson and, err, John Simpson, both of whom are retired fishermen. John senior is 60 years old and ‘junior’ is 59. They are not related. They work full time in the summer months from 8.00am
GOING TO EXTREMES
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