Video: Hampshire golf course battles summer drought to keep players on course

As Hampshire experiences one of its hottest and driest summers on record, the team at Boundary Lakes Golf Course, located at Utilita Bowl in Southampton, has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to protect the course and maintain the best possible playing conditions for golfers.

A new behind-the-scenes video reveals the challenges faced by the course's greenkeeping team during prolonged periods of extreme heat and limited rainfall, and the measures taken to safeguard the health of the turf.

With temperatures soaring and water supplies under increasing pressure, course maintenance has required a careful balancing act. Rather than pursuing presentation at all costs, the team has focused on protecting the long-term health of the course, adapting their approach to mowing and greenkeeping practices throughout the summer.

During the hottest periods, greens were cut less frequently to reduce stress on the grass, with some areas left uncut for several days when conditions became particularly severe, instead seeing the team ironing the greens. 

Water management has also been a major challenge. Boundary Lakes relies on a network of lakes around the course to provide irrigation for greens and tees, but supplies have been stretched to their limits. The course's irrigation lagoon ran dry during the summer, leaving the team increasingly dependent on the remaining water available within the surrounding lakes. 

Despite the difficult conditions, the greenkeeping team has continued to prioritise the most important playing surfaces while carefully managing limited resources.

Looking ahead, plans are in place to raise and line the irrigation lagoon, roughly doubling its water storage capacity ahead of next season, a step that should ease the pressure if next summer brings similar conditions.

The video offers an insight into the expertise and decision-making required to maintain a golf course during extreme weather, highlighting the work that often goes unnoticed by players.

Watch the full video on YouTube, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaaICyA-SKc