How was the decision to open courses in England made and what happens next?
Golf is able to resume in England from Wednesday 13 May - but what does that mean for the nation's greenkeepers?
In his address on Sunday 10 May the Prime Minister made it clear that outdoor sports would be allowed from Wednesday 13 May as a means of providing healthy exercise to UK residents, so long as you only did so with members of your own household or one other person.
Immediately following the conclusion of the Prime Minister’s announcement, members of golf’s governing bodies and other leading organisations spoke on a conference call to discuss the implications for the game of golf.
Taking advice from Members of Parliament, it was clear golf was included within the Prime Minister’s statement as an outdoor sport, meaning golf clubs in England are free to open from Wednesday.
Every golf club has faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 crisis and the organisations were incredibly mindful that an opening date of Wednesday would place significant pressures on some greenkeeping teams, while others would find it easier to achieve. While a two-day period gave a degree of time to prepare the course for opening – it was more welcome, say, than an announcement the facilities could open the following day – it is still a short period of time for the majority of clubs whose course has been maintained to a very limited extent for the previous seven weeks or more.
Ultimately the opening of golf courses provides a fantastic opportunity for members of the public to rediscover their enjoyment of the game and to engage in some hearty competition with a friend or members of their family out on the golf course. It’s a chance to swing your clubs, blow off some steam and spend some time out in nature and so the golf industry unanimously welcomed the news.
Throughout recent weeks BIGGA has worked with members of the golfing media to temper the expectations of golfers so that when the moment comes and they’re stood on the tee, they’ll know what to expect when they see the course in an unfamiliar condition. There will be a select few who will expect their courses to be in pristine condition after almost two months without play, but the majority will understand that in these difficult circumstances a skeleton staff has done a limited amount to keep the course and themselves healthy.
We’re advising greenkeepers to take this opportunity to show what they can achieve and what it takes to get a golf course back into top condition. This has been a nightmare situation, but if golfers are made aware of the reasons why a course is in an unexpected condition, greenkeepers will be able to talk them through the steps that are necessary to get a golf course back up to scratch.
It’s an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency and professionalism in the design and implementation of recovery plans.
The first priority has clearly been to assess what needs to be done to move from only performing essential maintenance to getting the course in a playable condition. This will take a period of time and if you feel it may be detrimental to the health of the club, discuss the matter with members of club management. If you are armed with the facts and a compelling argument you may be able to delay the opening of the course. If your efforts prove fruitless and serious damage is caused, you will have the data to show you advised against opening.
The second priority must be to convey to golfers what to expect when they get out on the course for the first time. Social media, greenkeeper's blogs and a noticeboard beside the first tee all provide opportunities to inform golfers about what to expect.
The present situation provides an opportunity for the greenkeeper to prove his worth. It will be abundantly clear to golfers that the course condition is not what they are used to. The reason is clear; less greenkeeping means poorer course conditions. This isn’t always a negative and the greenkeeping team may take this opportunity to implement a more natural, rugged look to the golf course, which will reduce the cost of inputs and allow them to focus their efforts elsewhere.
The most important thing to consider is whether golfers are aware of the conditions that greenkeepers face and the challenges they have overcome. If they aren’t aware, how will you overcome this?
Effective communication with golfers will explain the nature of the problem and then provide an indication of the remedy and the length of time it will take for this to be corrected, including an indication of any costs and the length of man hours required.
By quantifying the problems you face, golfers and members of club management will gain a greater understanding of the challenges you face.
Questions golfers may have that you could choose to answer:
Why are the areas around tees unkempt?
Example answer: Tees and green surrounds can only be mown to a maximum of twice a week and the height of cut has been raised to encourage long-term turf health. This must be reduced steadily to prevent damaging the health of the turf. Topdressing of tees was not one of the activities that was considered essential and so you may see an increase in worm casts on the teeing area.
Tee banks and pathways were permitted to be maintained once a week during this period and so are likely to have more growth on them than you would anticipate.
Why can’t I find my ball in the rough?
Example answer: Managed roughs and grass paths have only been mown to a maximum of once per week and only roughs considered to be in direct play could be mown. Thicker grass species are fast growing and will have taken advantage of this situation, so your ball may be more difficult to find until the greenkeepers are able to implement a cultural practice to restore thinner grass species.
Why are there weeds in the bunker?
Example answer: The maintenance of bunkers, penalty areas and wider practice facilities was not considered essential and so have been intentionally neglected during this period. As greenkeepers work to restore playing conditions on the tees, greens and fairways, you are likely to see a reduced standard within the bunkers and other penalty areas for an extended period. A solution may be to mark bunkers as GUR and allow a free drop.
Why are the greens slower than usual?
Example answer: The height of cut has been raised to reflect the fact the greenkeepers have been unable to undertake cultural practices that support the health of the turf during regular conditions. Practices such as topdressing, spraying and aeration have not been permitted and these are important to keep the turf healthy and disease-free. They also help keep greens hard and firm, so it’s likely that you may perceive them to be a little slower than usual.
The official guidelines have also restricted the greenkeeping team to only mowing the greens to a maximum of three times per week and with reduced staffing levels, that means we’ve had to reduce the amount of care and attention we’re able to show our greens. The process of restoring greens to their optimum condition will take a period of time as cutting heights must be steadily dropped to avoid causing the turf undue shock, while other practices such as topdressing will be gradually introduced when safe and practicable.
Where is the course furniture?
Example answer: To reduce contact and the risk of cross-contamination around the course, the club has made the decision to remove bunker rakes and other furniture from around the course. Other steps should be taken to reduce your contact with standing fixtures and so you should leave the flagstick in the hole when putting and avoid the use of ball washers where possible.
The greenkeeping team will be responsible for the maintenance of bunkers so if your ball should find its way into a hazard, either take a free drop beside the bunker or play it as it lies.
Why are there greenkeepers on the course when I’m playing?
Example answer: To secure the future of the golf club, we have utilised the Government’s Job Retention Scheme as a means of reducing costs throughout this period of reduced income. While these staff will be reintroduced when business conditions make this possible, at present we are running with reduced staffing levels. Therefore, for the remaining greenkeepers to achieve their necessary duties they will be required to work throughout the day and you are more likely to encounter them in the course of your round.
At all times the greenkeeper has the right of way out on the course and you should wait to hit your ball until they have cleared the area and it is safe to do so.
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