PUBLIC PLACES
Rob keeps club members updated with course maintenance information by means of regular blogs and videos, even to the extent of aerial footage by drone
” Drone view of Hever’s parkland course landscape
environment include having a bio-mass heating system for the clubhouse and a natural reed-bed filtration and cleansing waste water treatment system. Other recent improvements are the creation of an off-line irrigation storage pond to harvest winter water, which helps demand in times of need and at the same time provide additional wildlife habitat. The club’s course signage has also been refreshed with each hole renamed to reflect historical links to the Castle. Like all golf clubs, it has been a stop-start year at Hever. Its courses were reopened to members and guests in mid-May, but the second spell of lockdown stretching into December frustratingly curtailed a summer and part autumn of play. Furloughing had again trimmed Rob’s team to a skeleton crew to keep the lid on maintenance. In his time as Head Greenkeeper, Rob
Head Greenkeeper Rob Peers amongst the wildflower plantings
keeps club members updated with course maintenance information by means of regular blogs and videos, even to the extent of aerial footage by drone. This is a channel of communication that has been especially valued during this year of uncertainty. The club is pretty much self-sufficient in
terms of machinery. Earlier this autumn, Rob ‘took’ members into his equipment shed by video to tell them how he would be going about the refurbishment and reseeding of two of the fairways. He explained that the club’s Vertidrain 7456 would be going down a couple of inches, with 18mm tines, to break up the surface sufficiently for seed application and root development, and its Speedseed 1200 would be applying the thirty or so bags of Barenbrug seed in waiting.
During the weeks of no play last spring,
Rob and his much reduced crew adopted what he called a ‘robust plan’ to keep on top of things and protect the grass plants everywhere by regular irrigation and a slightly higher cut mowing regime. At the time, Rob described the courses as ‘not perhaps in top technical condition, but absolutely healthy and in readiness to return to playing conditions in quick time.’ Rob describes the year as ‘a crazy one, but not too bad all things considered.’ His annual STRI audit in September showed a pretty much clean bill of health, which was pleasing given the unusually trying conditions in terms of weather and manpower. As we go to press, Hever’s beautiful gardens remain open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday, but under strict Covid 19 restrictions, though the Castle itself is closed until the second lockdown is lifted. Play is not yet possible at Hever Golf Club, but it will be more than ready when the time comes.
Come rain, shine or pandemic this winter, both Neil and Rob will continue to see that this historic landscape continues to be a thing of beauty.
Aeration and topdressing keeps greens in top condition 52 PC December/January 2021
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