This week The Golf Business magazine (The Golf Business | News and features for the golf industry) picked up an article written by Eastbourne Herald reporter India Wentworth.
(Wentworth is a fitting name for a reporter covering a golf course story don't you think?)
Here's the piece...
Is this a revolutionary moment in greenkeeping? November 16, 2022
A Sussex golf club has become the first club in the world to try a new hybrid grass after two of its greens were severely damaged by vandals, and so far, it appears to be a success.
According to Sussex World, the club was approached by the grounds manager at nearby Devonshire Park, Danny Negus, who convinced it to try hybrid grass on the 2nd green and use a traditional reseeding repair on the 15th.
Negus explained that hybrid grass is a mix of synthetic fibres stitched into the ground alongside real grass. The fibres are cut slightly shorter than the real grass so that the ball rolls on the real grass, but the fibres add stability to the structure. The technology is already used in other major sports such as football and cricket but has never been used on a golf green before.
He said: “This is innovative. It’s never been done before in the world of golf and as such has an element of risk – no one knows the relationship between the ball and the surface. We had no idea if it would work to play golf on – you can make educated predictions, but you can’t guarantee it, you need someone to have a go through live trials.”
The project would have cost around £56,000 but Negus found turf companies that offered their services for free in return for all data gained from the experiment being released to the industry for free.
Since the hybrid work was done in May, ProPitch – a company that tests sports surfaces all over the world – has been carrying out regular checks on the 2nd and 15th greens to compare how they perform. The club has also been collecting data on the surfaces and all data will be presented to the industry once the greens have been up and running for a year.
According to Negus, it’s already looking good. He said: “So far, the results are very promising. Once you get a year in, I think that’s when data will be shared, and more golf clubs could follow suit. We’re on the brink of an exciting revelation, this is a brilliant coup for Eastbourne.”
Furthermore, the 2nd and 3rd greens were hit with criminal damage again in October – but the 2nd green was back playing again by the next morning.
Vice-captain Pete O’Neill said: “Playing-wise I was very surprised. I must admit I’m very impressed. Members have generally taken to it quite well.”
Negus said: “I’m not currently saying this should be used at one of the golf majors, but for members’ clubs you have to be looking at getting people round your course and keeping the course playable. I think there’s a big future in this.
The reality is people are coming round to the idea – it’s used in other sports so eventually golf has to follow suit. There will be more environmental restrictions coming so if you’re not looking at ways to mitigate future risks then what are you doing? You need to move with the times.”
Councillor Margaret Bannister, Eastbourne Borough Council lead member for tourism and culture, said: “Eastbourne Downs Golf Course is truly unique and there are few courses in the country that can match its stunning national park location with flourishing wildlife and coastal views all the way across Eastbourne to Hastings. Danny and his team are leading the way in hybrid green technology and the results of this are extremely promising, really putting Eastbourne Downs on the golfing map.”
Club captain Rasoul Shahilow said: “We’re very proud to be leading the way with this.”
Comment:
It's fair to say that golf101 was responsible for bringing this 'good news' story to the attention of the local press.
It's right to highlight innovation when it's on the doorstep, I think.
But it's also right to note that this article has gone to print at a time when the state of the course at Eastbourne Downs is, outside of the greens, as poor as many of the members can recall.
Right now it's pretty much the only topic of conversation at the club.
(Important to state that Danny Negus is not directly involved with the greenkeeping at Eastbourne Downs).
Some remedial action has been taken this week with additional staff drafted in to cut fairways and tee boxes.
It's activity that's long overdue.
The lack of effective course maintenance in recent months has resulted in Eastbourne Downs not just having a 'hybrid' 2nd Green, but a 'hybrid course'. The decent standard of the greens being in stark contrast to the poor standard of the rest of the course.
Time will tell whether the 'repairs' to the course this week (aka 'mowing the grass') will trigger a sustained improvement in its upkeep.
The members at the Downs can but hope.