Not so rough


Set in the shadows of the famous Jack and Jill windmills on the South Downs, Pyecombe Golf Club’s Head Greenkeeper, Simon Wells, has turned the course into a haven for wildflowers by managing the rough areas


times at Pyecombe!


I


ncreasing numbers of golf courses across the UK are realising the important role they have to play in


protecting wildlife and contributing to biodiversity. As a result, many courses are actively implementing wildlife areas with the aim of protecting the habitat and encouraging some of our dwindling native species. Pyecombe Golf Club is a 116 year old club located in West Sussex which nestles in the shadows of the famous Jack and Jill windmills at the foot of the South Downs.


One visitor to the course commented that, “Pyecombe certainly deserves to be included as one of the must play downland courses in this country.” One of the past Presidents was the famous golf commentator, journalist and author, Henry Longhurst, who also owned Jack and Jill.


Owned by its members, the 18-hole course is a par 71, 6266 yards, and offers some truly striking scenery. Spread over 240 acres within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park, Pyecombe is a typical downland course but with some areas of clay and semi-mature woodlands. The fairways and rough are mainly amenity grassland and chalk grassland, but also on the course is an area of chalk heath which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. The downland terrain provides good drainage, so the course is rarely closed, even in the wettest of weather. Rangers from the South Downs Conservation Board help to look after areas of the course by organising volunteers and providing ecology reports and plans. Simon Wells, Head


Greenkeeper at Pyecombe Golf Club said “It’s vital that we strike the right balance between good playing conditions and being ecologically sound.”


Simon and his team have worked


hard to create wildflower areas along the course. “These areas look stunning during the spring when they are in full bloom, and they also help the golfers because the grass is thinner so it is easier for them to find their wayward balls!” Simon continued, “It takes time to establish, years in fact. We cut the grass and flowers annually, then rake the cut material up and remove it quickly before the nutrients penetrate the soil. Removing the nutrients ensures the growth of the grass and other unwanted flora is slowed, but the wildflowers are encouraged and flourish as a result. We used to use a


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