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In this month’s issue of EL, we conclude our discussion with Ryan Reid and Gerhard Van Rooyen at Fancourt.
JC: Regional differences can have a defining effect on what works in a turf grass environment.
As you will have read, my ‘go-to’ joke about grass here is how my sleep is disturbed by the sound of the Kikuyu grass growing in my back garden, adding that it is not really difficult to be an effective gardener in a sub-tropical region of Africa!
That is obviously simplistic, so given you have been at various facilities, what are the major challenges for the courses at Fancourt?
GVR: It’s been a very interesting learning curve for me at Fancourt.
At the beginning of my career, I worked at Oppenheimer Golf Park, which is in the highveld area in South Africa.
On the highveld, Kikuyu grass grows vigorously during the summer, which is also the rainy season, but during the winter the region experiences frost and the Kikuyu goes completely dormant.
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In contrast, Fancourt is located in an area where the winter rainfall region meets the summer rainfall region.
This means that this area basically receives rain throughout the year, and since there is no frost, the Kikuyu grass never becomes 100% dormant.
In the summer months the growth rate of the Kikuyu grass reaches its peak, but in the winter, it slows down, but still grows.
The maintenance practices of the kikuyu in this area are therefore somewhat different from those in the highveld. Also, as this area is a year-round rainfall area with no winter frosts, it is a paradise for poa-annua grass, which makes it challenging to control.
The other key factor is for every golf course is traffic, and if you are trying to get recovery from any maintenance practices, or adverse weather, then high traffic volumes won’t help.
Wherever you are in South Africa there will be regional climatic variations, and all of these are likely to unique challenges for the greens’ staff, if you are intent on having a perfectly manicured, which is in top condition, throughout the year.
JC: Back to Kikuyu grass – I have always referred to it as nature’s grass-based answer to Astroturf, as it is easy to ‘present’, is pretty weed resistant, and makes for great wrist-breaking rough, but it can be very invasive, thirsty, and it can get very spongy! – and so on new build courses, it out of favour here in South Africa.
Should we restrict ourselves solely to using grass types that are ‘native’ to the region where the golf course is, i.e., ‘horses for the course’, and always be mindful of any potential environmental impact?
GVR: Not necessarily, however as the type of turf grass used is fundamental to both a golf course’s playability, and the type of playing experience you want to create, one needs to take in consideration the climate of the specific area, the available water resources and the amount of traffic the course will get.
Once these factors have been determined, a decision can be taken of what type of grass to use.
For example, in South Africa, areas with a dry climate and limited water resources, kikuyu and kweek grass are the options that will perform best.
At Fancourt, we have three different playing experiences, so as The Links needs to play as a classic links course, the fairways need to be firm so that you can play running approach shots – not much chance of achieving that with a kikuyu grass surface!
So, while, the overall need might be to have the golf courses presenting and playing in different ways, one should always look at the available choices, their environmental suitability, sustainability, and the available budgets, etc., thereby
ensuring that the goals, within the original plan, are cost-effective, sustainable and consistently, in terms of the playing experience.
JC: So, as a general rule, should we always ‘go local’ in turf terms?
GVR: ‘Local’ grasses generally have the advantages that they will be well suited to the prevailing weather and climatic conditions, which will not necessarily be the case with exotic grass options.
A non-native turf grass option, could give the ‘look’ and feel, which we mentioned previously, there could well be maintenance factors and environmental challenges that will mute the advantage
That said, if an exotic grass strain fits your climate conditions, has the look and creates the playing conditions you planned for the course, as well, hopefully other positive attributes i.e., it wants less water, then it should be tested in controlled conditions.
The bottom line is in finding the best balance, versus the key goals, of sustainability, budget and the aesthetics i.e., the look and playability.
JC: Budgets in every business sector, are taking more strain now, than ever.
In terms of balance, can you both offer 5 suggestions, in bullet point terms, about how to effect processes that will be both budget friendly and environmentally sensitive, an especially important consideration for the smaller clubs, both in terms of the golf course and its broader operations?
GVR: The prevailing local conditions will probably be the most important factor here, so the following are some generic touch-points that can been applied almost anywhere:
- GCM cultural practices and the intervals
- Speed of play i.e., green speeds
- Mowing cycles
- Bunker standards
- Water features
- Course presentation,
- The volumes of traffic it will be catering to
- The budget it will have available
Off this base, it will then it will be a case, in broad strokes’ terms, of trying to:
- Create wild / natural areas, which serve multiple aesthetic and ecological purposes, because, for example, wild flowers and grasses will attract insects, small animals, ground nesting birds.
It should also provide an area of interest for non-golfers, if it is positioned correctly, and there is the added advantage that it will reduce maintenance costs, especially if this was a previously a manicured area of the golf course.
- Buy or invest in a good irrigation system or look at an alternative, which is to up-spec an existing system.
- Either of these options will ensure the most effective use of the water you have available, with the added bonus that you be helping to protects one of the World’s most precious resources.
- Recycle at every opportunity.
This will include organic matter, and making your own compost, to separating all rubbish products. The latter is especially important if you are golf estate, or a club, which has a hotel on site, or a large residential component.
- Make sure that you manage run-off water as effectively as possible.
In most areas in South Africa, but not all, we have been having very high rainfall for the past couple of years.
That said, we are in a water stressed region, so the good times, and lots of rainfall should not be taken for granted and will definitely not last forever.
- Make sure that your facility’s water storage is as effective as it can possibly be.
Any dams that are created in the process, can, with a little imagination, soon become very attractive areas, and add considerable to the visual appeal of any golf course, especially if they also become views for golf estate residents or hotel guest to look at.
The other added benefit is that they can become a magnet for all types of smaller animals, water creatures and birdlife.
- As a matter of course, look for greener energy options – the solar alternative, especially for homeowners on estates, and in general, is a no-brainer for South Africa – especially with the continual load-shedding that we are experiencing.
JC: Ryan, in terms of the ‘member experience’, what are your thoughts on water, dams, etc., on the golf course?
RR: I really agree with the comments made about the water features, which if properly positioned (not always possible to achieve if the primary purpose is for water storage) add to the aesthetic beauty of courses and residential property views.
Water features can create a win-win scenario for golfers (not every player loves the water though!), and estate residents.
My final comment would be that solar can be a tricky solution, as a guaranteed source of power is always needed when it comes to irrigation, especially in the heat of summer on cool season courses.
Therefore, a solar option needs to be the ‘real’ deal – especially in terms of the battery storage capacity, wherein the effective, and real cost, of any solution will be.
