Golf


What additional machinery has been brought in to prepare the course each day?


It’s important that we have the right equipment and the correct number, which is why we are delighted to have sponsors who assist us. Our major sponsor is Ransomes Jacobsen and they supply twenty‐eight additional mowers and all the uniforms for the staff to wear during the tournament too. We couldn’t make it without them. It will be all orange! Other sponsors of the maintenance team, such as Melspring, Aqua‐ Aid EU, Capillary Concrete, Syngenta and Barenbrug, sponsor at different levels of involvement, such as meals for all the greenkeepers, housing, transport etc.


The only other additional machinery is fifteen additional rotary mowers from Honda and a few extra blowers to keep the course looking clear. We have some magnificent Oak trees on the course, but leaves are not an issue for us generally.


What time will the crew be starting and finishing work each day?


We normally start at 6.00am and work until the afternoon. But, during the tournament,


we will be starting at 5.00am and back to the compound around 8.30am, and again on the course when the last player has finished each day.


What’s the weather generally like in this part of northern France in September?


We can’t worry about the weather. We would like the Ryder Cup to be played in beautiful late summer sunshine, of‐course, but can only wait and see.


The drainage is now very good. Le Golf National is a clay‐based golf course and used to be very difficult to play in winter, even the trolleys had difficulty negotiating around it. So, we have vastly improved the drainage and irrigation systems and have been sanding and changing the soil profile and structure, to maximise the aeration and filtration.


How soon after the tournament do you expect to be able to hand the course back to the members?


15th November is the target date. It is daunting to think that it took five and a half months to build up and we have only six


weeks to reinstate after the Ryder Cup. It will be a challenge, particularly if it rains during the tournament. Over 60,000 visitors a day will have a massive impact on the turfed areas, but we are very confident we will be able to hand the course back on the date agreed.


Will you be taking a holiday after the event?


No long holidays this year. I’m not even thinking about it. We have this amazing moment happening. All the team and myself are working very hard. We want to be out on the golf course every day, it’s exhilarating, and on the Sunday when it’s all over it will be strange and a bit sad, but right now it’s enormously enjoyable!


After the event my priority is to give holidays to my assistants ‐ my team. I will be here full time until the last truck has gone and will take a break at Christmas.


Thank you for your time.


20 I PC JUNE/JULY 2018


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