Golf
“ N
I try to manage the course with sustainability in mind, trying to limit fertiliser applications and chemical applications as much as possible but, on occasions, disease control measures are a necessity
orthern Ireland has produced its fair share of famous golfers and, thanks to a golfing academy at a local agricultural college - the College of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) - that trend is set to continue.
One of the country’s best known players, Rory McIlroy, opened the facility back in 2009, which is referred to as the ‘Greenkeeping and Golf Academy’ and is situated at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus near Antrim town. The training facility at the academy
includes a three-hole golf course that extends to 700m. The three holes include a dog-leg par 4 first over 300m, a short par 3 second over 130m with a lateral water hazard, and the final par 4 over 270m. Looking after this course is an important
task and falls under the remit of Stuart Nixon, who is the golf course manager as well as an instructor and head greenkeeper. Stuart’s greenkeeping CV includes his ten
year stint as head greenkeeper at the college. Stuart picks up the story: “I joined Greenmount in April 1999 as a greenkeeper, a post I undertook for ten years, until I was promoted to golf course manager and instructor in December 2009.” Stuart has various responsibilities at the
college, including managing a 170 strong machinery and equipment portfolio.
He said: “My current position involves the management of the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy and maintenance of CAFRE’s horticulture and sportsturf machinery fleet of about 170 pieces of kit. My post also includes training and assessment of sportsturf students studying the Level 2, Level 3 and Foundation Degree programmes.” The college’s golf course and two sports
pitches are maintained by two full time greenkeepers, and assisted by Golfing Union of Ireland sponsored cadets. The newest part of the golf course was constructed in 2005. The greens are approximately 500 square metres, each constructed to USGA specification. Tee boxes are constructed with fifty percent sand and fifty percent sandy loam, both being covered by a fully automatic irrigation system. The greens are tined in April with 12mm
tines; topdressed and direct seeded using Barenbrug Bar 2 and repeated again in August.
Stuart said: “We also aim to carry out sand injection with a Graden machine in all greens every August to a depth of 30mm. Greens are tined with micro tines throughout the year.”
“We carry out regular topdressing
throughout the season, aiming for once a week/fortnight depending on weather conditions and staffing levels. Regular
Head greenkeeper at the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy is Stuart Nixon who has worked at Greenmount since 1999
PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 I 27
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