Golf “I would suggest that sustainable bunker
construction will be of benefit to any course manager and, although we are a traditional links course, the spin off for inland courses is that shallower revetted edges can be built in this way, and I know that a number of courses have also incorporated a liner in addition to synthetic edges to offer a complete solution.” “Maintenance savings from edging work alone would be appealing for most courses, having the added benefit of bunker shapes not changing or moving ever closer to greens is also a very positive benefit of building bunkers in this way. The fact that all material used is recycled is the cherry on the cake as far as I’m concerned.” The 100 million dollar question, of course, is how does the return on investment stack up? This is the key; can a recycled product which flies against traditional values and long held principles win the economic argument as well as the fundamental debate around natural vs synthetic? The fanciful thought of recycling waste material, that would otherwise be put to landfill, to build bunkers edges that are durable, long-lasting and maintenance free, is one thing, but can they really be affordable? Are they truly sustainable? Will they produce a return on investment? One of Durabunker’s recent clients from
the USA, Fieldstone Golf Club in Philadelphia certainly think so. Course Manager Damon DiGiorgio commented; “We were sceptical at
first, but once pricing was established, I did a financial analysis of Durabunker vs a standard natural grass sloped bunker. While initial costs are higher, cost of maintenance is greatly reduced due to zero mowing, zero fertilising, zero pesticide applications, zero resodding and repair, zero watering, almost zero edging and so on. Having studied the numbers, we are confident our return on investment will be met within a matter of years.” Rhydian concludes; “I think it’s true to say
that, due to some of the high profile courses in our portfolio, there is a danger that the average golf club assumes that this product is only affordable for these high end clubs. The fact of the matter is we have built at council run public courses, such as City of Wakefield Golf Club, and many less celebrated venues, such as North Manchester Golf Club and Royston Golf Club, who were incidentally the first golf club to ever invest in multiple synthetic bunkers. We are as proud of our association with these courses as any and, in some ways, take greater satisfaction that they are benefitting from the product.” “The variety of courses we have worked with shows that the system is certainly affordable for the vast majority of golf clubs who have a longer term vision for their course and finances. We have also worked hard to pass on cost savings to our clients’ which have been a result of improved efficiency in production and a desire to see
Maintenance savings from edging work alone would be appealing for most courses, having the added benefit of bunker shapes not changing or moving ever closer to greens is also a very positive benefit of building bunkers in this way
”
the product being accessible to most every club out there.” “The one exception is my home club
Maesteg GC, who could not afford to invest in the product at any sort of level. Considering that it was the birthplace of the product and they have supported our journey the whole way, they did get a one off deal when they recently rebuilt several bunkers. Sometimes it’s good to give a little back!!”
The Headland approach...
The first step to solving any turfgrass problem is to identify the issues affecting it.
Next, it’s essential to understand your needs and requirements before giving any advice and support.
Then, and only then, can a structured plan be built to improve plant health and turf quality.
But that’s not the end.
Our support continues with weather information via ‘weathercheck’ - a forecasting package tailored for the turf industry and mapped to your specific location.
www.headlandamenity.com Fertilisers | Wetting Agents | Biostimulants | Pesticides | Adjuvants & Spraying Aids PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 I 47
...not all plant health and nutrition companies are the same
See us at
Saltex 2016 Stand D087
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 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164