MOTHER NATURE’S ROLE AT ROYAL DORNOCH
ROYAL Dornoch duo Neil Hampton and Eoin Riddell were quizzed recently by a US-based journalist keen to get the inside track on setting-up a world-class golf facility.
After reaching out to Royal Dornoch Golf Club and Sunningdale, Jack Hirsh has penned an intriguing article for “Golf Magazine/GOLF.com” on the maintenance costs and contrasting challenges facing greenkeeping teams in the UK and America.
He noted that traditional links, like The Championship and the Struie Course at Royal Dornoch, were designed to favour bump and run approaches to the greens.
Readers were reminded that Scottish links offered a starkly different colour palette to the lusher, greener fairways experienced by players on the USPGA Tour.
“I would probably say 90 percent of it is the weather,” explained long-time course manager Eoin.
“Obviously we are dry and windy most of the time during the season and certainly have been this season. And, you know, we’re not into the lush, green, stripy look that a lot of American courses strive for.
“Over in America, you have obviously a lot of problems with the kind of diseases there. But over here, it’s not as prevalent, certainly on links courses. So our budget for fertilizers and chemicals will be probably, for the year, what you guys would probably use in a month.
“We hardly spray any fungicides, maybe once a year if we need to. We don’t spray any pesticides, but we still spray herbicides for weeds.”
While Mother Nature continues to play a key role in seasonal conditions in the Highlands, the golf club isn’t tempted to cut corners in terms of maintenance.
General manager Neil noted Royal Dornoch’s 20-strong greenkeeping team operates with an annual budget in the region of £1million – to ensure both courses provide the memorable golfing experience expected by members and visitors alike.
Eoin suggested that most top American courses would expect to have greens, fairways and tees cut daily.
Given the weather prevalent at Royal Dornoch, his team don’t have to use the mowers as often.
“When we’re dry and firm, we don’t tend to take many divots so we obviously save a bit there,” said Eoin. “Our day-to-day routine is probably similar to [U.S. courses], but we’re taking off less grass. So the job is done a lot quicker. You’re saving on fuel. You’re saving on all different things.”
Eoin observed that Royal Dornoch had embraced measures designed to preserve and even enhance the natural environment.
“We don’t use mains water. We have our own water sources,” he explained.
Read the full story at golf.com/travel/scottish-club-maintenance-budget