continues, “and maybe repeat the application four weeks later.” The general fertiliser regime is dictated by the results of analysis following annual soil sampling carried out by Headland’s Adrian Masters. “I’ll send in my report, which Vic then discusses with his agronomist, and everything goes on from there,” he says. “This is a popular course and everything has to be ‘top whack’.”


Thurlestone is situated in a wealthy catchment area and has over 800 members and a long waiting list. The village consists of 65% holiday homes, all in the higher price bracket. Once the season starts their owners descend on the area, some of them by private helicopter. Most of them play golf and this puts more pressure on Vic and his team. “Our members and visitors like fast greens. Years ago we would scarify twice a year in spring and autumn but now, in summer, we scarify the greens every ten days and verti- drain once a month.” he reveals. The greens and fairways are cut every day and the rough about once a week. A granular fertiliser (Vic doesn’t use liquids) is applied just once in summer and again in autumn.


As well as golf, the club also


provides tennis and owns ten grass courts, which are maintained, during the season, by an extra, part time member of staff. But, if a court is booked early in the morning, it’s up to Vic’s greenstaff to mow and mark out. On top of everything else Vic has three public beaches to look after. “They are on our land,” he explains. “The local council used to clean them, but they’ve cut back. We have to keep them tidy for the holidaymakers, so I’ll send a couple of the lads down twice a week with litter tongs, black bags and a tractor. In winter we only go occasionally, before the Christmas holidays or half term.” By October, the fixtures list has shrunk from the in season ‘one competition a day’ to one or two a week, and Thurlestone receives its second topdressing of the year, the first of which was in spring. As the autumn and winter gales


arrive to batter Thurlestone’s 300 acres the greenstaff, some of whom have been putting in 10 hour plus working days, shorten their hours. “He hasn’t got a massive team but they’re very loyal,” says Adrian Masters.


“I think,” he says “like everyone else in this business, if you’re not keen and quite happy, you’d wonder what it’s all about.” Thankfully for Thurlestone golf club, he is, and he doesn’t!


Carol Dutton. Email: carol.dutton@thornton-le-dale.net


Kyoeisha Co. Ltd of Japan, a ISO 9001 company


39


On top of everything else Vic has three public beaches to look after!


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