Located near Leeds, Scarcroft Golf Club features an 18-hole parkland course known for its year-round playability.
Head Greenkeeper Matt Houseman, who has been at the club for 22 years and held his current role for 14, has continually refined his approach to turf management.
After 14 years of overseeding and cultural practices, Matt strives for better performance from his greens. Following extensive soil and surface organic matter analysis, he recently adopted a tailored comprehensive programme from Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS).
With the support of the Sales Director Alex Hawkes, Matt selected products to tackle specific challenges, optimise turf health and bring strategy to the management of his surfaces.
Matt has installed herringbone drainage systems on 14 of the club’s greens, supported by an annual program for verti-draining, aeration, scarifying, verti-cutting, hollow-coring, overseeding, and top-dressing. “Our soil started as push-up but is now 97% sand in the top 40mm,” says Matt. “Our annual average for temporary green use due to wetness has dropped to just 0.5 days over the past five years.”
Despite these efforts, last winter posed unique challenges. Heavy foot traffic, continuous rainfall, and low light levels combined to create anaerobic conditions, weakening soil structure and limiting root growth.
“We were dealing with shallow roots and a weakened plant as water remained trapped on the surface,” Matt explains. “Unable to aerate sufficiently due to the weather, we ended up with soil destabilisation. Every year is different and brings new challenges and products that we have used successfully became less effective.
“I trialled various new penetrants and soil biological cleaners to manage the problem—with mixed results.
“Eventually, Terafirm delivered a breakthrough. The results were nearly instant. One tee that had become nearly unplayable dried up quickly, and the soil structure improved within days.
“At this point, I asked Alex from OAS to create a programme over summer combining Terafirm penetrant and Tricure AD as a spreader. The idea is to take water further into the rootzone before spreading and retaining it. The results were impressive. We expanded the trial to our wettest greens towards the surface, and the improvement was immediate and lasting. We are seeing fantastic results”
This programme combines both liquid and granular forms of Terafirm and Tricure AD across the greens, effectively maintaining a free-draining, healthy soil profile. “The root system has deepened, accessing nutrients more effectively, and our thatch levels are under control,” adds Matt. He attributes these improvements to both his experience and Alex’s tailored support in crafting a programme that meets Scarcroft’s evolving needs.
Initially introduced to Terafirm Liquid, Matt was impressed by its impact on water movement through the soil profile, a crucial factor in addressing water retention issues that had long affected the greens. “We had persistent water pooling problems on the greens, but Terafirm Liquid made a visible difference by directing water down, through the root zones to the drains that we have installed,” explains Matt.
This success and the wet conditions of last Autumn and Winter led him to adopt Terafirm Granular, adding flexibility during the wetter months. “With the granular version, I can easily treat areas that are too steep or saturated for a sprayer,” he adds. “Within a week, areas that were constantly damp dried up—it was remarkable to see.”
The Terafirm products are part of a broader moisture management strategy that includes OAS wetting agents Tricure and Tricure AD Granular, which have helped to improve soil conditions and stress tolerance, encourage deeper root growth, and enable the plant to access nutrients within the soil profile. “These wetting agents, combined with our ongoing overseeding and cultural practices, have been instrumental in improving water movement and soil structure,” Matt notes.
Reflecting on the impact of these combined efforts, Matt acknowledges that the club has implemented many products and cultural practices over the years that have contributed to where the greens are currently.
Still, he attributes the recent positive results to the bespoke programme that OAS has helped him devise, along with Alex’s support. This now extends to a greens nutrition programme which includes OAS’s C-Complex, a fine-turf organic mineral fertiliser.
“I’ve had mixed results with other fertilisers, but the C-Complex delivers consistent, healthy growth,” he notes. “The C-Complex’s slow-release organic blend strengthens the turf’s natural defences and promotes balanced growth, which is key to our sustainability goals.”
Matt also manages disease during the winter period with the OAS 20-20-30 Programme which proactively protects against disease by altering the leaf surface environment and stimulating the plant’s natural defences. Matt advises “I believe that where possible it’s better to prevent issues rather than react to them.”
Looking ahead, Matt is optimistic about Scarcroft’s ability to uphold high standards while adapting to sustainable practices, climactic challenges and customer expectations.
