EcoBunker at Kings Lynn Golf Club
Kings Lynn G.C. Completes Phase 3 of Sustainable EcoBunker Project
Faced with the challenges of sandy soil and bunker erosion, Kings Lynn golf club has employed synthetic bunker experts EcoBunker to meet their ongoing maintenance challenges. Now in the third phase of a 40 bunker renovation project, the team and members at Kings Lynn are already enjoying the benefits that the EcoBunker system brings to their course.
“We’re a sandy course which can cause real structural problems with the bunkers,” said Michael Fahy, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Kings Lynn. “Our bunker walls erode very easily, and we have had several occasions where they’ve collapsed completely. With EcoBunker we are getting that strength and integrity along with a sharp looking finish. The members love the looks and the playability, and the team love how easy they are to maintain.”
With a mix of high wall and low edged bunkers, and several significant height transitions leading into greens, the bunkering at Kings Lynn poses a variety of maintenance challenges. But whatever the type of bunker – all of which EcoBunker offer ultra-low maintenance solutions - the local surroundings pose consistent challenges across the course.
“We have a real problem with soil erosion and rabbit scraping and burrowing, which quickly contaminates the bunker sand,” continued Michael. “To counter this, we have fitted EcoTec bunker liners alongside the synthetic walls to create a fully closed system. This requires virtually no maintenance and eliminates all contamination. Previously we could spend half a day picking out stones, weeding walls and topping up sand on a single bunker, but now we simply brush the faces, knock the sand off and strim the top edge. We’re saving time and budget with every bunker we replace.”
Now in the third phase of renovations, all Par 3’s have been completed and the team is moving on to those bunkers next most in need of attention. Having been trained by EcoBunker during the first installation, Michael and his colleagues, Tim Race and Mason Bernstein, use the EcoBunker system to renovate the bunkers themselves and plan the schedule of work accordingly.
“We re-build a few bunkers each winter, knowing that by the time we get to the last phase, the first EcoBunkers we built will still have many years life left in them, even though it could be a 10 year project. The club are investing for the long term which makes so much more sense than the continual rebuilding and patching of the traditional bunkering on the course.”
For more information on how EcoBunker can help meet the challenges faced at your course, visit www.ecobunker.co.uk
The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service and AECG announce a collaboration to enhance agronomic excellence in Spanish Golf Clubs
The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service, a department dedicated to providing agronomy expertise and leadership to more than 350 courses worldwide, and the Spanish Association of Golf Courses (AECG) proudly announce a collaboration.
Their work together is aimed at bringing the Sustainable Agronomy Service closer to AECG member clubs. Through the implementation of advanced agronomic techniques, this initiative seeks to elevate course quality standards and playing quality while optimising costs within a sustainable framework.
Powered by The R&A’s experience supporting 28 world-class championships annually, including The Open and the AIG Women’s Open, this service will integrate proven agronomic methodologies tailored to Spain’s environmental context.
Paul Woodham, Head of Sustainable Agronomy - Europe at The R&A, commented, “This partnership reinforces our commitment to sustainability in golf. Together with AECG, we aim to promote knowledge sharing and champion best practice in management across Spanish golf courses. The R&A agronomists are working closely with golf clubs to implement research outcomes of The R&A Golf Course 2030 (GC2030) initiative to promote sustainability within the Spanish golf industry and promote a pathway to excellence in agronomic and course management.”
Luis Cornejo, R&A Agronomist for Southern Europe added, “Delivering optimal playing conditions is a major challenge in our climate, as we operate in a complex environment with climatic variability, resource availability, restrictions and productivity demands. Our service aims to transfer the most advanced agronomic knowledge and expertise from major tournament preparations to our clients, enabling each club to maximise its course’s potential within its own capabilities.”
Carlos Pitarch, Vice-President of AECG, commented, “We are proud to collaborate with The R&A and we look forward to their support in agronomy and research which will benefit our members. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to responsible, sustainable golf course practices in Spain. This collaboration leverages The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service’s expertise in golf course maintenance planning, championship agronomy, benchmarking and operational sustainability reviews, paired with AECG’s regional knowledge and membership reach to maximise impact.”
This alliance marks a key step in promoting sustainable and efficient golf course management, ensuring resilience and growth for the sport for generations to come.
For information about The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service, please contact: sustainableagronomy@randa.org or visit www.randa.org/sustainability/agronomy.
Work Smarter Not Harder With Toro’s Robotic Mowers
Robotic mowing has arrived and with it comes the new generation of working smarter, not harder, thanks to Toro.
With the brand’s new range of robotic mowing solutions for the fairways and the roughs available through distributor Reesink Turfcare, customers can now focus on getting the job done consistently and efficiently and instead prioritise time and skill on the greens, tees, and bunkers.
“The arrival of autonomous technology is what we’ve all been waiting for,” comments Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager, Reesink Turfcare. “And Toro’s vision of this delivers professional-quality results with minimal input required, solving the problem of reduced resources, labour shortages, and rising operational costs.”
All the products launching simultaneously – the Toro GeoLink Solutions Autonomous Fairway Mower, Turf Pro range of robot mowers and Range Pro ball picker – work on Real Time Kinematic (RTK) geo-positioning technology coming from a GPS based satellite system for ultra-precise navigation.
This functionality allows for areas to be mapped, setting invisible boundaries in which the machines can operate autonomously. When they reach the edge of the predefined work zone based on satellite positioning, they intelligently keep within it.
Operation is straight-forward: wireless monitoring and control of the units is through a computer or mobile phone where it is possible to customise working perimeters, no-go zones, mowing patterns, cutting height and transport paths.
No boundary wires are required: the mowers can mow a consistent pattern with minimal overlap and are accurate to two centimetres. The system can identify missed areas and will reroute the mower to cover them later.
Jon says: “These mowers free up your greenkeeping team to focus on the essential attentive care that the tees, greens, and bunkers require, while Toro technology carefully maintains the fairways and roughs, intelligently working with minimal input.”