Hampshire golf club’s £700,000 course investment

Like other golf clubs in England, the government’s easing of restrictions allowed Waterlooville to reopen last Wednesday.

The 18-hole championship course, designed by the great Sir Henry Cotton, has undergone improvements since last autumn aimed at cementing the club’s position as one of the finest golfing venues in Hampshire.

Course improvement projects include the implementation of a new irrigation system, allowing the greenkeepers to more efficiently water a greater area - thereby improving the quality of a larger playing area whilst minimising water wastage.

The £240k project saw the installation of new pipework, as well as a new pumphouse featuring two pumps that alternate and share the workload, a new tank two and a half times the size of the previous one, new control boxes and new irrigation heads on the greens, approaches and tees.

The bunkers also underwent renovation. Added when the course was originally laid out in the 1970s, all 32 bunkers had become featureless and high maintenance.

Waterlooville engaged Welsh company Durabunker to redesign and renovate 23 of the course’s bunkers with a further nine filled-in after member feedback.

Two of the larger bunkers were split into two new bunkers each, giving the course a grand total of 25.

Durabunker excavated the bunkers before installing new drainage in each of them before they were filled with China Clay sand.

‘The new bunkers are now a positive feature giving definition and shape to the holes,’ said Waterlooville club manager Mark Wycherley. ‘They will also greatly reduce maintenance and withstand heavy rain better with minimal wash and improved drainage.’

Earlier this year, and also approved by the members, the 3rd and 4th greens were drained by MJ Abbott, and later in the year the Salisbury company will be returning to renew the drainage on the 13th and 18th fairways.

Secondary drainage will be added to the entire course to allow water to percolate better down to the primary drainage and enabling the surface to dry out more quickly.

The improvements will end up seeing over £700,000 of investment in the course, which also included £180,000 of investment into new industry-leading Toro machinery earlier in 2019.

Toro machinery is the greenkeeping equipment, predominantly mowers, but also large sprayers, spiking equipment and lightweight flatbed vehicles.

‘Toro is known as the best equipment on the market,’ said Wycherley. ‘Jacobsen and John Deere might argue otherwise but right now, Toro has the reputation as the number one due to quality, reliability and life span. It costs more, but is worth it.’

Waterlooville GC’s other major winter addition is James Crawford.

He has joined as head professional and taken over the running of the professional shop from the club, introducing a range of new brands and a larger stockholding.

He has invested £37,000 of his own money in a new swing studio from which he and his assistant can teach, offer custom fitting and run competitions for the members.

Crawford has introduced new beginner ladies coaching, as well as free junior taster sessions with a junior coaching programme launching later this year.

He was previously head professional for three years at Royal Ascot GC, and before that spent around six years as the head assistant at the Storrington-based West Sussex GC.

‘James has been a welcome breath of fresh air,’ Wycherley enthused.

Regarding business since last Wednesday’s reopening, Wycherley added: 'It has been busy. Not busier than expected, although I did expect things to start tailing off slightly after the initial excitement - but there is no sign of this happening.

'We have coped well, the preparation was key and we received good industry guidance which we used as the basis.

'Overall, members have been very respectful of the site specific guidance we issued and we have had no major misdemeanours.

‘I think most, if not all, are of the same view - it is just good to get out, enjoy the sun and have a game of golf.

'Most people are grateful for that and happy to oblige with the safety measures we have put in place.'

Portsmouth Golf Centre reopened its driving range after the restrictions were eased, with the course itself opening at the beginning of this week..

Owner Terry Healy said: 'There are lots of extra processes to follow, but we're keeping everyone safe and that's what counts.

'We have 10 minute starting intervals, plenty of hand gel and are only allowing two people into the building at a time.

'I knew we had to be well-prepared, but I've been blown away by the support we've had - we are heavily booked every day for the next fortnight.

'There are some people who are coming out of isolation for the first time by coming to play golf; I think that's absolutely beautiful.

‘Let's hope the great weather continues.'