SPEEDCUT
CONTRACTORS have been working flat-out on new golf course projects and
completing existing sportsturf contracts.
At Silvermere Golf
Club, near Chertsey in Surrey, Speedcut have been carrying out reshaping and
reconstruction on bunkers from holes one to six and hole 17 with the
remainder scheduled for improvement in the autumn.
Working closely with
the greenkeeping team, Speedcut have been carrying out a full refurbishment of
the driving range in readiness for the opening of a new two-storey range
building.
The driving range,
which will be ranked as one of the finest in the UK, is being drained and
regarded and is having an artificial target green installed along with nine
artificial bunkers, together with lighting 'berms' (mounds to conceal
lights).
Speedcut also
returned to Foxhills Golf Club and Resort in Surrey to improve buggy paths and
access, prior to the PGA Seniors tournament in May. They previously carried out
extensive work to tees and bunker surrounds.
At Lingfield Park
Golf Club, next to the racecourse, Speedcut have removed two dangerous storm-
damaged bridges and replaced with a new bridge deck with foundations designed to
protect from erosion risk.
Canterbury
Golf Club, the Harry S. Colt-designed course - where architect James Edwards is
planning extensive renovation with Speedcut over a five-to-six year period -
has had reshaping
done on the first and second holes involving bunkers and the approach to first
green.
And at
Abridge GC in Essex they have built a trial bunker using Astroturf as the bunker
liner for evaluation by the club – a
technique that has
proved highly successful and very competitive compared to other options
available.
Tees
have been built at Broke Hill GC, Addington Palace GC, Dulwich and Sydenham GC,
while a flooded bunker has been rebuilt at Cobtree Manor GC.
Storm
damage work repair work has been carried out at West Chiltington Golf
Club.
Turfing and seeding
work has been completed at Piltdown Golf Club, East Sussex, and the seven
rebuilt greens opened for play in early May.
"The kinder weather
so far this year has given us the opportunity to move ahead very quickly," says
Barry Pace, Speedcut contracts manager. "We are well ahead of where we thought
we would be given the ground conditions following the winter. We are taking on
some interesting new projects."
As well
as golf courses Speedcut have also been working on other sportsturf projects
including sandmastering a football pitch at Charterhouse School following fraize
mowing.
Other
work is scheduled at Plumpton Racecourse and Lingfield Park
Racecourse while football pitches constructed last year are having secondary
drainage carried out at Hadlow College, Essex,
and Wedmore in Somerset.
Dick
Franklin, managing director of Speedcut, says: "We are taking advantage of the
improving weather to complete and take on new projects and this has been a very
busy time for all the staff."
