Golf W
inning the 2011 Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year award has got to be my greatest professional achievement to date, and I
Antony Wainwright, Turton golf Club
am honoured and proud to have received this accolade. During my six years here at Turton Golf Course, conservation and enhancement of our out-of-play natural habitats has been my main focus, as they offer refuge for native wildlife whilst playing a vital role in the character of the course. My fascination with improving these habitats stems from thirty years of learning about nature, especially birds, and observing the gradual decline of some of our once common species. In fact, I once successfully campaigned against expansion of a local golf course, long before I came to work in the field - if only I had known then what I know now about what golf can offer to improve our countryside and, ultimately, the environment. Turton Golf Course is situated on the southern slopes of Turton Heights, above the town of Bolton, and offers stunning panoramic views of the town below and surrounding hills, including five counties.
Nine of the holes were constructed in
1908 with the further nine completed in 1996, which has resulted in the course having a distinct difference between old and new areas, where more mature plantations and moorland grasses predominate at the older holes. The age of a golf course is an important factor in determining its value for wildlife, as ecological value increases with age due to the maturity of wildlife habitats. Although Turton is a predominantly ‘moorland course’, there are a few holes that could be considered ‘parkland’, especially on the lower reaches. The total area of the course is fifty-six hectares, of which are twenty hectares of prime habitats such as heath, moor, beech woodland, acid grassland and five ponds. These habitats form a substantial part of the course, and it is these which I have managed over the last few years that have no doubt helped the club to offer something different for golfers to enjoy - a thriving wildlife community that contributes to improved aesthetics, appearance and a better playing experience to our members and visitors alike. All I have done is to ‘work with the land’ we have to maximise the potential for wildlife and, therefore, provide a course that blends in with the surrounding environment. This
Antony Wainwright, Greenkeeper at Turton Golf Club in Lancashire, discusses the criteria he had to meet to receive the Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year award, and the ongoing ecological work he is carrying out at the course
Wainwright Talks - Ecology
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