Golf
EIGCA (including me) have been working mainly on these kind of projects for more than ten years now, including two ex-presidents. This doesn’t necessary give all of these projects the ‘seal of approval’, but it has helped the projects they are working on to be better designed and sympathetically planned, with the focus being on sustainability rather than financial profit. We’ve been working on more than a dozen of these ‘landfill’ projects, however, we prefer to call them ‘Environment Agency approved inert soil recovery’ projects. We prefer this term because we are providing a sustainable soil remediation service for building and development projects in the locality. The soils that are excavated from building sites comprise topsoil, subsoil, rock, gravel, sand, clay and sometimes peat. All these inert materials need to be removed from site, but the contractor has to pay a significant sum to county and local authority tip/landfill sites for the privilege. If the contractor deposits these inert materials on a golf course site or on farmland (subject to being in possession of the correct permits by Environment Agency), the cost is lower (to be paid to the golf club) than it would be to a county/local authority. For a golf club in financial straits, though, it is still a reasonable sum.
This reasonable sum, when added up on a rate per lorry load, can soon equate to a significant amount of income. This revenue can then be used to develop the golf facilities further.
On our numerous projects scattered
around the UK, from as far south as the Isle of Wight, to London and the South-East, to the north of England and even in Scotland, we are improving golf facilities at no cost to the owner.
The case for 9-hole courses
Some golfers criticise 9-hole courses and regard them as a limited challenge, however, I’ve played some very challenging 9-hole courses and really enjoyed them. For the golfer, there are advantages that outweigh the disadvantages. For example, if you play only 9-holes it takes less time to play (speeding up play is a big issue for the international governing golf authorities), it’s less tiring for children and older people and less expensive for a green fee. For the environment, less land is
required, therefore, less intensively maintained grass, less fertiliser, less water for irrigation - sustainably, it makes good economic and environmental sense to develop 9-hole courses. Even specialist golf operators I have spoken to say that they can make 9-hole courses work profitably. So, if there are struggling 18-hole
golf courses (they could be municipal, pay and play or private members clubs) in the UK in urban/suburban areas (on land that is not large or safe enough for 18-holes), my idea is as follows; apply for planning consent to convert the facility to:
- 9-holes full length course with generous teeing complexes and greens
- a high quality 300 metre length practice area/driving range
- 3 or 6-hole pitch and putt course - practice chipping green - adventure golf course - car-parking for 200 cars - clubhouse for golfers and functions - small pro-shop
All facilities would be open-access, family friendly at affordable prices. This is not a simple project to develop without careful thought and planning. If the local authority was well informed, they will see that there is a benefit to them in terms of offering an exciting sports facility within their borough/district, which is responding to potential demand relating to golf being a sport reintroduced at the 2016 Brazil Olympics. The key to this project being successful is the way in which it would need to be funded - by achieving consent for inert soil importation and/or residential properties away from main golf playing areas. The planning application would, therefore, need to be handled by an experienced professional.
Conclusion
In the 1990s and 2000s, there were literally hundreds of golf courses developed throughout the UK, and probably most of them started business with a £1m, £2m or £3 overdraft. It’s not surprising that so many of them are now struggling financially or have been sold over and over, devaluing as each sale goes through.
This is unsustainable. The amount of debt in the golf industry is enormous, and I’m not willing to put a figure on it. However, the importation of inert soils to remodel existing courses is an interesting prospect.
Another way of looking at it is this.
The excesses of the previous two decades may well return, but I am not sure about this personally. Golf developers and operators are far more cautious in 2013 and, in this respect, are looking to maximise on the facilities they have, to make them as good as they can be and, where necessary, make improvements economically.
Email:
jonathan@gaunt-golf-design.com Web:
www.gaunt-golf-design.com
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013 PC 17 The 9 of Herts
The 9 of Herts Golf Course offers a 9-hole course and driving range with a philosophy to create “an environment of golf for all the family”.
Situated between Northwood and Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, this is an innovative and modern approach to golf which is demonstrated by their philosophy to “feel free”
- to wear what you are comfortable in
- to play golf your own way - we’ve all started somewhere and it doesn’t matter if you ‘top’ a few!
- to turn up and play (as the club do not insist on pre-booked tee times)
- to play the course more than once (subject to a small extra payment!)
- to just turn up and use the range
- to play on your own (the club don’t insist on playing in pairs, 3 or 4-balls)
- to hire golf clubs and shoes if you don’t have your own
- to have fun
The Par 32, 1882 yard course offers panoramic views across Hertfordshire and the rolling Chiltern Hills. With green fees starting at just £7 for adults and £5 for juniors, and a basket of fifty driving range balls from just £2.50, the 9 of Herts is certainly encouraging families to take up the game without ‘rip-off’ rates.
The eleven bay driving range is over 240 yards in length and provides room to shape shots and watch ball flight. It is well equipped with the highest standard of range mats, tees and one-piece balls to give golfers the best possible ‘feel’ when hitting their shots. With a number of nets and chipping targets, several yardage markers, practice at the 9 of Herts is kept both interesting and challenging to encourage families to take up the game.
The club offers a small pro shop providing all the essentials, whilst the small clubhouse offers a range light of refreshments and a sun terrace.
There’s a large car park for over seventy vehicles, including four disabled bays.
The course is part of Crown Golf’s portfolio which also includes, St Mellion, Merrist Wood and The Hertfordshire.
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