Inside Royal Lytham's championship week

James Hutchinson joins the home greenkeeping team for the AIG Women's Open.

An already excellent year took a turn for the even better when I was given an opportunity to work alongside one of the very best teams in the business, and I've seen a lot... 535 to be precise.

Led by a chap who is unquestionably also one of the best (I smell obsequious sycophantism going on here), let me give you a very brief insight into the workings of the Royal Lytham & St Annes greenkeeping team as they steamrolled their way to a first-class performance at one of golf's biggest events.

Features, articles and blogs are usually directed at the volunteers of a major competition, and quite rightly so. However, on occasion, the 'home team' can be overlooked, so with that in mind, let me introduce you to the guys here at Royal Lytham & St Annes who make all this happen on a daily basis or, for the purpose of this feature, in the run-up to the AIG Women's Open.

 

Firstly, the guys mention a 'normal' day consists of setting the alarm for 3am and being on site by 4am. This is followed by a brief update from the bossman (Paul Smith) at 4.30am as to what both he and The R&A are looking for, and then it's all systems go, with approximately 25 John Deere machines all leaving at the same time with their lights on full flash, which is actually an exhilarating sight to witness.

However, this was not unusual as the homies had been undertaking similar hours and tasks for many months prior to any kind of set-up taking place! All 166 bunkers need edging and weeding, with the windblown sand raked back where it belongs on a regular basis. It is a long and time-consuming task and, as mentioned, one that was carried out regularly before the contractors even stepped foot on site.

An early finish may have been about 9pm during the week of the Open, but it was often much later. 

There are 14 full-timers on the team: Paul Smith (head), Craig Harrison (deputy), Rick Whittaker (first assistant), Glen Mullen (mechanic), Mark Davies, Callum Davis, Chris Morris, Oliver Ashton, Jake Baron, Dean Glover, Kit Gregory, Kinley Barrett, Matty Hodgkinson and the bloke who's writing this feature (me). Jamie Cook (greens mower) helped out during the week of the championship, moving the number to 15.

Some of the team are well travelled, including Kit, who spent time approximately 10,500 miles away at Royal Melbourne GC, Australia, and Matty, who plied his trade in the Bahamas. Ollie also spent time at Pinehurst and in Luxembourg, whereas Craig has experience of the French and Singapore Opens. Impressive stuff, fellas.

Downtime includes Sky telly showing the golf, which was actually being played live approximately 100 metres away but somehow always seems better to watch on a screen, and cornhole chucking, which is a hugely intense game of throwing a bean bag through a small hole. If you've played, you'll understand. If you haven't, then the atmosphere can be cut with a strimmer. Jake and Kit were the men to beat on this one! And robot mower racing too, which was supplied by Husqvarna. As it happens, a certain Mr Rick Whittaker topped the leaderboard with a rapid time of 17.8 seconds. Also, as it happens, Rick runs the team of robots that mow parts of the course, practice facilities and 9-hole short course here at Lytham. Coincidence? I think not. I reckon Rick used his considerable techie knowledge to somehow speed up the bot (only joking, Rick, envy is a terrible thing!).

I managed to freeload some time with the bossman Paul, and here are his thoughts:

"The team spirit was a credit to both the home and away teams, working professionally and enjoying the championship as one. It's helpful to set the right inclusive environment from the very beginning and build upon it. You can't do enough planning with your team. The advance week and week of a modern championship are particularly intense, and a good team helps in delivering overall success. Every event is an opportunity to learn. A post-wash-up team review will provide an opportunity to deliver a better championship going forward.

"The mood, vibe and behaviours filter down from the top. It certainly felt that throughout the championship the spirit was positive despite the long hours and tiredness. This was my fifth Women's Open; every major has a story. It's been quite a journey with the recent course changes, the challenging grow-in due to the weather while keeping sight of the Women's Open. It has been another difficult year for greenkeeping. We can all be very satisfied with what has been achieved. Now our focus turns to The Open, which we are very excited about.

"It's not until the final putt is sunk (wasn't sure this was going to happen; it made for a great climax to a great week) that you can truly relax and reflect upon the culmination of our hard work over the months and years in advance."

Thanks, Paul.

 

The wildlife on site did not appear to be too fazed by 55,000 people milling around. In fact, there was a family of sparrowhawks that managed to raise their young both before and during the competition. The chicks have now fledged, but you can often see or hear them hopping around in the canopy of the trees adjacent to the first championship tee.

Meadow pipits are plentiful, which the sparrowhawks are pleased about, whereas the oystercatchers, kestrels and many of our other feathered friends carried on regardless... It's as if they've seen it all before... maybe once or twice.

A BioBlitz was also carried out prior to the Open starting, and this proved to be quite fruitful. Three hundred and thirty-three different flora and fauna were identified, including a lesser elm bark beetle, puss moth and a hedgehog. Not many of those left, I'm sorry to say.

However, on a lighter note, a greenfinch was spotted (RSPB Red List species) and I am happy to say we have since observed a family of juveniles near the maintenance facility, thus suggesting a healthy habitat in which to raise wildlife families.

We also found nesting wagtails. These were in their usual awkward nesting place in a piece of machinery (wagtails often nest in gaps in metal equipment) and the team swiftly placed a sign indicating their whereabouts. The machine stayed put and wasn't moved throughout the nesting period, so great work, team!

Unfortunately, the drought-like conditions put the mockers on many wildflowers being found. Maybe next year will be a wet one and we'll see orchids galore growing freely, or maybe not.

So, going back to 'obsequious sycophantism', can I not rake bunkers in the morning, Paul?