FFHANGER
of the green. The centre of the green is now three inches higher than the edges, so bowls just keep on going into the ditch - it’s very frustrating.” They are not alone though. Many greens suffer similar problems, he says.
The turf will be stripped back about two and half feet, the edges packed and gradually levelled off, then the turf rolled back, with new pre-formed concrete ditch sections laid in the perimeter channels. “The work will make a huge difference to play,” predicts Tony.
Although the club is shielded from the financial hit of grounds maintenance, Tony knows only too well the price private clubs must pay to keep their greens pristine. The town’s greens tally is about 15, mostly leased from the council, but one club has been forced to return two of its four because it simply cannot afford the
upkeep. Annual maintenance costs for one
green can be £8,000, or around £12,000 for two, he says. “It’s a lot of money to find.”
But, back at St John’s, Tony is wrestling with another problem - moss. “It’s particularly bad this year - the worst I’ve ever seen in fact. About 15% of the area of the green is affected. The dampness and lack of sun doesn’t help. “Cumberland turf was laid originally but, over the years, a ‘mongrel’ has evolved. Our biggest problem is wear and tear of the areas where members bowl from. The green is divided into six lanes and to limit wear, we have to move these over each day using a colour-coded system.” St John’s does not rest in splendid isolation atop the cliff but, in fact, forms part of a larger council facility called Helen Park Gardens, which features
pitch and putt, petanque (boules) and play areas, all maintained by Eastbourne BC, which appointed Wyevale Grounds Maintenance on 1 January on a 10-year contract to maintain its sportsgrounds and amenity areas. With 15 years service under his belt, Eastbourne’s parks and gardens manager, Gareth Williams, is no stranger to conditions prevailing on the cliff-top facility or to the quality of the bowls surfaces locally. “We have some high-class greens in the town,” he states proudly, before turning his attention to the coastal erosion issue. “After the cliff fall some years ago, we erected galvanised railings to protect walkers. We also monitor the paths at least monthly for signs of any movement.”
Climate change means that maintenance to the St John’s green is a year-round undertaking, he explains.
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