GOLF and the environment
fast rules...
greenkeeping staff has been the refurbishment of the irrigation water storage system, which was originally installed in the late 1970s. The brief was to replace the old
corrugated water storage tanks and replace them with larger capacity ones, plus a new pumping station, which will be fed from a bespoke water recycling plant that is due to be commissioned in September 2010. With the hotel undergoing a £5 million
refurbishment, it was seen as the perfect opportunity to install a sustainable water recycling plant to collect rainwater off roofs and hard standing areas for use out on the course.
Of course, one could say that, with £5 million being spent on the hotel, it seems a tad churlish to expect the greenkeeping staff to make cutbacks, but Rob saw this as a positive rather than a negative! Rob has always been keen on sustainable watering, and the new system has the ability to collect around 200
cubic metres of water each day, storing it in one of two new 300 cubic metre tanks. If Rob had to water greens, tees and
fairways in one hit, it would take about 800 cubic metres to complete the task. Whilst this is rarely required, the new system will certainly reduce the strain on the mains water supply and reduce costs considerably.
The staff undertook the complete
rebuild of the water storage facility, with Head Mechanic, Bob Hill (more of him later), using his welding skills, dismantling the old tanks and helping to erect the new ones, including the fitting and placement of four brand new Grundfos pumps which are controlled by a Rainbird control system. The eventual saving to the club by doing the work in- house was in excess of £20,000. The new system can be operated from a mobile phone and is linked into a computer that allows Rob to alter the amounts of water being applied at any time, anywhere on the course. There is also a weather station that
keeps records of evaportranspiration rates, which helps him decide on the amount of water required. Rob has a team of twenty greenkeepers and gardeners, plus mechanic Bob. Greensmowers are usually bench set at 3.5mm in the summer which, in reality, means the actual height of cut will be between 2 and 2.5mm. Winter bench HOC is 5mm.
Bench settings for other areas are: tees 7mm, collars 7mm, fairways 12mm, semi rough 25mm and rough 75mm. It is an early start for the staff, beginning at 5.30am every morning to ensure the course is set up for the day’s play. Greens are mown with pedestrian G1000 Toro mowers, bunkers raked and holes changed, if necessary. Tees, approaches and fairways are mown every other day, with any other cutting completed when required.
Staff work until 2.00pm, but some are put on standby for any unforeseen works. Weekends see a team of eleven staff come in to set up the courses.
15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156