“The message is loud and clear, if we are not managing in a sustainable way we simply have no future”
One year on Paul Lowe, Head Greenkeeper at Bromborough Golf Club on the Wirral, talks about how his move to sustainability is going and offers some sound advice on networking.
It’s been just over a year since my last article, and what a year! Probably the most testing we have experienced. The poor weather and extreme growth has tested every greenkeeper. Our machines have been continually on the go, as have we. Both man and machine are getting tired and are in need of a service, or a rest at least. If all this is not enough we are hit with the credit crunch, or whatever it’s called. But, the harsh reality is, the revenue is not as plentiful as it was some years ago. Along with the poor weather we are all tightening our financial belts.
In my last article I explained about our quest for a sustainable future. Climbing the sustainable ladder, whilst still reaching members’ high expectations, will always be difficult. So, with the current climate, was last year a good time to start on our sustainable quest? Yes, I believe it was.
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In times of adversity comes an opportunity
This year the weather has meant the financial strain has meant we are becoming more frugal. Our greens are already expensive to maintain, they are 100% Poa, thatchy, soft and unsustainable, and this summer’s rain has only made matters worse. The term unsustainable is often used loosely, but I believe our greens were truly
unsustainable. If we had continued in the same vein and kept with the high input regimes, the thatch would continue to grow and our greens would have no future. Our finances could not sustain the amount needed to produce a good surface for the majority of the year. And, with the future looking no better, a change was necessary.
Despite things looking so bleak an opportunity has arisen. I believe we are left with little choice. Some things are
more important than colour and the target style golf our amateur hackers desire. For example:
• Financial cost • Long term playing quality • Environmental impact • Future chemical restrictions
• Social responsibility and public relations
The message is loud and clear, if we are not managing in a sustainable way we simply have no future. As a Course
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