Last week I had the pleasure to meet some very dedicated local authority staff who have spent many years looking after two quite different local authority public open spaces in Staffordshire. 

I visited Victoria Park in Staffordshire and Stone Cemetery, also in Staffs, as part of my Green Flag Awards 2021 judging campaign.

I always enjoy the opportunity to meet the people who have the responsibility of managing these sites. Far too often they are not receiving the recognition they deserve for the work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure these facilities meet the expectations of their local communities. 

Victoria Park was my first destination, set in two hectares of prime Stafford town centre land on the banks of the river Sow.

It is the town’s showpiece park and within its small boundaries, the park  provides a wealth of community facilities - toilets, café, bandstand, bowling green, shelters, bird aviaries, play areas and education rooms to name a few. All are well used and enjoyed by a passing crowd of everyday visitors.

The other site was Stone Cemetery, again run by the same local authority, Stafford Borough Council, - and again a nicely maintained facility. So much so, I will be revisiting both these sites again soon to get a more in-depth insight into the running of these two facilities, which will enable me to produce a feature article on the trials and tribulations of managing and maintaining local authority public open spaces. 

Rewilding

While on the subject of local authority parks and open spaces I recently read a very interesting article on rewilding - where local authorities are being encouraged to rewild some of their land assets to combat climate change and the loss of wildlife. 

The definition of rewilding as stated by Rewilding Britain is, “Britain should be teeming with wildlife. Instead many of our wildlife populations – from songbirds to insects and plankton – are collapsing. To repair our planet we must urgently achieve net carbon zero — and natural climate solutions can contribute significantly to this aim. Protecting our living world and our climate are largely one and the same. And rewilding, the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature can take care of itself, plays a vital role in both.” 

I personally think many of our golf courses, schools and local authorities are contributing to enhancing (rewilding) where they can. It is generally down to how much they can achieve without compromising or infringing on their primary functions.

We will no doubt hear a lot more about rewilding and its benefits in the coming years. 

On a final note, I also managed to call in to see Andy Wood at Enville Golf Club last week, who like most course managers, has been working flat out to get the course ready for the new golfing summer season.

Again we will shortly be featuring a snapshot of how he and his staff have been coping during such a challenging Covid year.

Turney Group have been appointed dealers for the Mean Green Machine in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.

The Turney Group team

The Mean Green Mowers, which are powered by Lithium-ion batteries, have been imported by Overton for the last 6 years who are based in Lincoln.

Richard Overton said, “It is great to have Turney Group on board to help promote the Mean Green Mowers”. There are currently two mowers in the range which is due to see more added later this year.  

Robert Millar commercial sales manager for Turney Group commented, “We are excited to take on the Mean Green Machines, with so many of our customers looking to go green it was a no brainer.

"We have councils and contractors in our area who are looking to be greener, and we are excited to be able to show them these machines and know we can assist our existing customer base going forward.”  

Royal Norwich, the first ‘Royal’ golf club ever to relocate to a new site, recently took delivery of a Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor and a Contour mowing deck.

Estate manager Peter Todd 

Peter Todd is the highly respected turf manager who, in his role as estate manager and director on the Club’s board, specified the purchase following a demonstration earlier this year.  

“I first met Rupert Price, the owner of the UK Ventrac franchise, at London Golf Club just prior to leaving to take up this appointment,” he said. “I was extremely impressed by it’s all-round capabilities, but as I was leaving to join Royal Norwich, I didn’t think it pertinent to pursue the purchase.

“However, that positive impression stayed with me and I contacted him for another demonstration, so that my new team could see it on our course and have the chance to evaluate it; a structured process of evaluation that we always go through when considering a major cap-ex machinery purchase. 

“My primary concern is the safety of my staff when operating equipment, especially on sloping terrain around greens, bunkers and tee surrounds. We demoed machines from the major manufacturers, but none could safely carry out these two prime tasks on the sloping ground.

“The Ventrac is the only machine that can handle the pronounced shaping around the course without scalping. It’s exceptionally stable, especially with its dual-wheel configuration, articulating frame and low centre of gravity. 

“I also like the out-front set-up of the Ventrac with all the attachments clearly visible to the operator. The 3-point hitch at the back is useful as we can attach drag mats and, because of its very low ground pressure, use it on greens for brushing in top dressing."

Kuhn Farm Machinery has appointed Graham Monteith as Parts & Amenity pro sales specialist covering the south of England & Wales.

He takes responsibility for the promotion, supply and delivery of Kuhn genuine parts alongside sales and technical support for the company's Amenity Pro range of amenity, horticultural and landscape maintenance equipment.
 
Growing up on a family farm in Gloucestershire, Graham has deep-rooted agricultural connections and developed his interest in machinery by working as a mechanic for a local dealership. These early acquired skills proved a useful way to finance his studies as he gained an engineering-related degree at Coventry University.
 
After a period away from the industry, Graham has pursued a wide-ranging career in agricultural engineering, working in a variety of roles with Case New Holland in Russia and north Africa, and in parts and servicing for John Deere in Africa and the Middle East. Most recently, he has worked with his brother in the family’s beef fattening and livestock haulage business.
 
Graham said, “This is an exciting time to be involved in agricultural and amenity machinery, such is the rate of change in technology and the progression towards a solutions-based approach. I’m relishing the challenge of being a part of a dynamic and progressive team at Kuhn UK.”

Registration is now open for GIE+EXPO 2021 with the organisers saying plans are underway for the Louisville, Kentucky show to bring the industry back together in person this October 20-22 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. 

 
Recent figures from the show organisers say 675 companies have already signed on to exhibit this year, an 18% increase over the same time in 2019. More than 70 are new exhibitors.

GIE-EXPO say the exhibition centre has undergone renovations recently to the demo area, meaning exhibitors are looking forward to showcasing their latest developments outdoors where attendees can test drive equipment.
 
Warren Sellers, show manager, said attendees are also keen to get back together in person. According to a recent survey of past attendees, 91% of landscape professionals and 84% of dealers are likely to attend this year.
 
On offer this year is an expanded education schedule on topics such as drones, robotics and connectivity, as well as activities including:

• Hands-on Drone Zone where attendees can fly drones with expert trainers
• Technology Summit presented by the National Association of Landscape Professionals
• UTV Test Track
• Remote Pilot Certification Course presented by the Indiana State University Aviation and Unmanned Systems Program
• Expanded In-Tree Arborist Demos and Classroom Courses, including CEU opportunities
• Opening keynote, “Leadership and a New World Order: The Need for Resilience,” featuring Retired U.S. Navy 4-star Admiral James Stavridis
• Free dealer workshops by Bob Clements International, including a discussion on Bulletproofing Your Business

“Despite the pandemic, business never stopped for those who design, install, and maintain living landscapes. While this year’s show will look different, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Louisville,” said Kris Kiser, managing partner of GIE+EXPO and OPEI President.

“We understand how important GIE+EXPO is to our industry, and we are committed to providing the education, resources and networking businesses need to thrive.”

Key Account Manager – London North 

Job Overview

With over 330 years of innovation and passion, Husqvarna provides sustainable solutions within the Professional Greenspace Maintenance. We let high performance meet usability and safety, ensuring you are ready to get the job done efficiently. Every development by Husqvarna is made with the user in mind. Husqvarna offers a wide and growing range of products and accessories, including everything from Professional Chainsaws and Professional Battery handheld products; to Professional robotic lawnmowers (Automower®). With a solid focus on the Professional Automower® solution, we offer the strongest range of sustainable turf care made in the UK and are the world leaders in robotic mowing since 1995. We are therefore looking to grow our team in this area with a talented and pro-active Key Account manager to help us reach our goals.

Key Responsibilities

The role will involve the implementation of Go to market sales and marketing strategies and this will include developing and managing freely a regional Key account Pro Automower® portfolio together with managing and growing the existing Pro Key accounts.

The negotiation of product listing, making recommendations, and implementing action plans is vital in this role and establishing a sustainable relationship with Pro Automower® customers, strong communication and relationship building is pivotal. 

In addition, the role will involve gathering market and competitor intelligence and analysis and identifying and facilitating marketing opportunities. As part of the role, you will be part of the UK Pro sales team and a strong collaboration with dealer sales team

Support efficient coordination with the various departments of the company to achieve the objectives set:

• Marketing activities which include product approach, markets, management of calls for tenders, pricing
• Manage sales administration on a regular basis
• Liaise with Supply chain for goods being despatched
• Support customers with any after sales queries 

The Candidate

A good educational background with relevant degree education or equivalent and turf maintenance knowledge and B2B sales experience would be advantageous.

Essential skills for this role include being team player but also able to work independently with a strong “self-starter” approach. In addition, strong interpersonal skills and relationship building are essential qualities with the ability to communicate, present and influence at all levels. Individuals will possess a high level of tenacity, be self-confident with a style that can enliven, engage and positively impacts individuals and groups to succeed together. Finally, you will enjoy working in a fast paced environment and have a strong commitment to results and be commercially astute, numerate and with an appreciation for pricing, costs and profitability.

Additional skills required include:-

• Must be highly experienced in: Microsoft packages, Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and CRM solutions
• Full UK driving licence. A towing (B&E) category would be advantageous

Benefits

The role includes a competitive benefits package and our sites across the globe act as culture hubs where collaboration is key to success. The role will also involve elements of home working and will give the best opportunity to combine work and private life.

How to apply

If you are interested in this role, please contact andy.scott@nigelwright.com for further details.

Key Account Manager – London South

Job Overview

With over 330 years of innovation and passion, Husqvarna provides sustainable solutions within the Professional Greenspace Maintenance. We let high performance meet usability and safety, ensuring you are ready to get the job done efficiently. Every development by Husqvarna is made with the user in mind. Husqvarna offers a wide and growing range of products and accessories, including everything from Professional Chainsaws and Professional Battery handheld products; to Professional robotic lawnmowers (Automower®). With a solid focus on the Professional Automower® solution, we offer the strongest range of sustainable turf care made in the UK and are the world leaders in robotic mowing since 1995. We are therefore looking to grow our team in this area with a talented and pro-active Key Account manager to help us reach our goals.

Key Responsibilities

The role will involve the implementation of Go to market sales and marketing strategies and this will include developing and managing freely a regional Key account Pro Automower® portfolio together with managing and growing the existing Pro Key accounts.

The negotiation of product listing, making recommendations, and implementing action plans is vital in this role and establishing a sustainable relationship with Pro Automower® customers, strong communication and relationship building is pivotal. 

In addition, the role will involve gathering market and competitor intelligence and analysis and identifying and facilitating marketing opportunities. As part of the role, you will be part of the UK Pro sales team and a strong collaboration with dealer sales team

Support efficient coordination with the various departments of the company to achieve the objectives set:

• Marketing activities which include product approach, markets, management of calls for tenders, pricing
• Manage sales administration on a regular basis
• Liaise with Supply chain for goods being despatched
• Support customers with any after sales queries 

The Candidate

A good educational background with relevant degree education or equivalent and turf maintenance knowledge and B2B sales experience would be advantageous.

Essential skills for this role include being team player but also able to work independently with a strong “self-starter” approach. In addition, strong interpersonal skills and relationship building are essential qualities with the ability to communicate, present and influence at all levels. Individuals will possess a high level of tenacity, be self-confident with a style that can enliven, engage and positively impacts individuals and groups to succeed together. Finally, you will enjoy working in a fast paced environment and have a strong commitment to results and be commercially astute, numerate and with an appreciation for pricing, costs and profitability.

Additional skills required include:-

• Must be highly experienced in: Microsoft packages, Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and CRM solutions
• Full UK driving licence. A towing (B&E) category would be advantageous

Benefits

The role includes a competitive benefits package and our sites across the globe act as culture hubs where collaboration is key to success. The role will also involve elements of home working and will give the best opportunity to combine work and private life.

How to apply

If you are interested in this role, please contact andy.scott@nigelwright.com for further details.

LOW PAY CRISIS

SPORT IN CRISIS

DRYING OUT . .

RETURNING TO FULL SPEED

ROBOTS ON THE RISE

A GAME CHANGER FOR PARKS

WORKING PRACTICES CHANGED?

OPENING UP

ROADMAP TO NORMALITY

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

BEAST FROM THE EAST RETURNS

PLAYING OUR PART

WISHES GRANTED?

TIME TO REFLECT

SELLING OUR SECTOR

SPRING WITHIN OUR SIGHTS

LOOKING AHEAD INTO 2021

A FLOOD OF WATERLOGGING ADVICE

View all of 2020's blogs here

View all of 2019's blogs here

View all of 2018's blogs here

A LIFETIME OF LEARNING
Vital for turf professionals

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Tullamore Golf Club

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES
At Trinity College Dublin

BLENDING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
Bray Golf Club

A WELL POLISHED COURSE!
Ierne Social And Sports Club

IDENTIFYING THE TRUE VALUES
Of grounds maintenance

THE INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE & ADAPT
But it will survive

WIRRAL GOLF COURSES SAVED
Renewed hope and optimism for the future

GREEN SPACE CONTRIBUTION TO WELLBEING IS UNDERVALUED
Parks invisible on national agenda

A SHINING LIGHT IN IRELAND'S SUNNY SOUTHEAST
Wexford Golf Club

GREEN SPACES DO NOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES!
Keith Kent says we must invest in people

WE SHOULD TELL THE WORLD ABOUT THE UK INDUSTRY
Right time for all sides to come together

SOIL LIFE IS PRECIOUS
Good-quality soil can help save the planet

MORE THAN JUST CUTTING GRASS
Encouraging the next generation

A BUZZ FROM DOING THE JOB
Wide experience of the turf grass industry

PAYING THEIR WAY
Low wages is the bane of the industry

AMENITY MANAGEMENT IMPACTS US ALL
Professor John Moverley

CARING FOR PARKS OF ALL TYPES
Mary Worrall

TOP FIVE FRUSTRATIONS FOR CRICKET GROUNDSMEN
What causes you the most frustration in your role?

PROFESSIONALS AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Vic Demain and Phil Sharples

BOWLS CLUBS IN PERIL
A sad decline

A VERY SPECIAL INDUSTRY
Loz looks back

SNEAK PEAK AT A ROBOTIC "GAME CHANGER"
Commercial model capable of covering 50,000 m2 teased

HALESOWEN PICK A BIG ROBOT UP FRONT
Invest in mowers

COMPRESSED AERATION
The new way

PARKS MATTER MORE THAN EVER
Recent sector developments

ON TEST
STIHL blowers

THREE CORE VALUES TO SHAPE OUR INDUSTRY
Real concerns for the future

ENGLAND'S GREEN SPACE GAP
A split along racial lines

ON TEST
EGO STX3800 strimmer with RTX2300 Rotocut head

A SECTOR FACING IMPORTANT TIMES
Review of the National Action Plan

PARKS MATTER
The role of public parks in the recovery: a discussion paper

A UNIQUE SPORTING VENUE
Wormsley private estate

A BTME OUTDOORS?
A good bet for the industry

PARKS NEED APPROPRIATE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
Q&A with Philippa Reece, Parks and Foreshore Manager at Adur and Worthing Council

CRICKET LOAM
What does it mean?

A HERCULEAN EFFORT TO GET PARKS BACK TO NORMAL
Q&A with Chris Worman, Rugby Borough Council’s parks and ground manager

ON TEST
STIHL battery products

TURFGRASS STRESS MANAGEMENT
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and antioxidants during biotic and abiotic stress in turfgrass plants

AUTUMN DISEASE MANAGEMENT
The coming months are going to prove very difficult

THE ABUSE OF PARKS . .
Is the abuse of society

WHY PARKS MATTER?
A statement from the Parks Management Forum to the Prime Minister

THE 21st CENTURY PARKS MANAGER
Innovative, creative and entrepreneurial

EAT, SLEEP, CUT, REPEAT!
Cricket under covid

TIME FOR A SINGLE SHOW?
Debate brought back into focus

A CHALLENGING TWO MONTHS
Running golf design projects from home

PRESSURE SITUATION
Cementing the reputation

A CLUB TO BE PROUD OF
10 years at the helm of Olton GC

GAME CHANGERS IN TURFCARE
The day the Lord's outfield reconstruction proved its worth

THE ESSENCE OF ESSENTIAL
Finding a sensible way forward on defining "essential maintenance"

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS
2001

HOW TO LOOK AFTER A GOLF COURSE WITH NO GOLFERS
Fundamental to the survival of almost all courses, if not of the game itself

RAIN STOPPED PLAY WOULD BE WELCOME
. . along with ‘lunch is being taken early’

PHYSICAL CONTROL OF TURFGRASS PESTS
An urgent problem

A DIVERSE & ENTERTAINING WEEK
Successful BTME 2020

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL
Opportunity to embrace new methods

ENVILLE ON THE UP
Major investments taking place

GREEN FLAG AWARDS 2019
A great success

U.S PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT SHOW EXCELS
Buoyant GIE+EXPO

LEGACY OF THE SOLHEIM CUP
At Gleneagles

A DAY OUT WITH THE LADIES
Behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup

COVENTRY UNIVERSITY'S EDIBLE GARDEN SUCCESS
2006 - present

HAIL THE GRASS MASTERS!
Boorish media comments about pitch quality are wide of the mark

CONTRACTOR SEES MULTI-DISCIPLINE SUCCESS
360 Ground Care serving professional facilities

BUSY TIMES
Judging the Green Flag Awards

TAKING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
What does it all mean in managing turf surfaces?

UNDER PRESSURE
Dry weather conditions continue to keep turf managers focused on moisture management

EDDIE SEAWARD
Death of Wimbledon’s influential grounds manager

MAJOR NEW IRRIGATION PROJECT
At Top 100 classic Berkhamsted Golf Club

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE HATTERS
Investment paying off at Kenilworth Road

ELIZABETHAN RESTORATION
At Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

WHAT IS BIOPHILIA?
The vital impact of parks and green spaces on health and well-being

WORM CONTROL
Without carbendazim

THE TRUE COST OF PETROL
Battery-powered outdoor power tools are now turning the heads of professionals

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?

As a former sports coach, an article featured on the BBC news website recently was quite disturbing in that there were reports of sport aid funding not being spent appropriately in primary schools. 

Every year, each primary school in England receive a minimum of £16,000 from the government called the PE and Sport Premium. It has been in place since 2013, when then Prime Minister David Cameron wanted to build a legacy from the London Olympics on the back of repeated warnings about childhood obesity.

This ring-fenced PE cash has cost taxpayers in excess of £1.9bn so far. Every school is meant to report on its website what the money has been spent on, but not every school is using the money well. One teacher told BBC Sport that at their former school, they had been told there was no money left for PE and they'd just have to be "creative".

According to the article, other PE professionals have repeatedly claimed some schools simply copy and paste their reports year on year because Ofsted doesn't monitor them. One PE professional, who oversees a number of primaries, claimed last year they'd discovered £100,000 of £230,000 PE funding in their area had been spent inappropriately.

I firmly believe this money should have been directly spent on providing appropriate facilities, equipment or paying for coaches to deliver a sporting curriculum. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of these allegations will be. 

 
Personally, I would like to see fully paid PE / sports coaches being brought back into primary schools with a national curriculum to help children become more active and healthy and help deliver the  government’s new obesity strategy.

A raft of measures has been revealed as part of this new strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year.

Bring back competitive sports

The urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from COVID-19. For me, the way forward is to bring back a competitive sports programme in both primary and secondary schools.

 
And more importantly invest in both facilities and staff to deliver these healthy activities. School sports have been in decline for far too many years, especially in state schools, where pupils barely get two hours of curriculum sport a week. This contrasts with some private schools where their pupils are getting more than 12 hours of sport activity per week.

Also, the decline in the standard of maintenance of sport playing fields in schools has not helped. I see far too many school playing fields devoid of any decent regular maintenance, especially in state schools.

If we want to entice the children to become fit and healthy, we need to start an active culture in promoting far better outdoor sports facilities within schools.

All young people should have the opportunity to live healthy and active lives. A positive experience of sport and physical activity at a young age can build a lifetime habit of participation and is central to meeting the government’s ambitions for a world-class education system.

Physical activity has numerous benefits for children and young people’s physical health, as well as their mental wellbeing (increasing self-esteem and emotional wellbeing and lowering anxiety and depression). Children who are physically active are happier, more resilient and more trusting of their peers. Ensuring that pupils have access to sufficient daily activity can also have wider benefits for pupils and schools, improving behaviour as well as enhancing academic achievement.

It would seem from this report that the government has for years invested this money and no doubt much of it has achieved some success in improving access to sporting curriculums, but have we seen any real benefits in terms of improved playing pitch facilities?

 
I agree with many comments about investing in schools and getting competitive sport back on the school curriculum. I am and have been a school governor for 12 years at two schools and see, at first hand, the costs of running schools along with the current trends of target setting, based around the core academic subjects (maths, English, sciences), with little time allocated to physical education.

We need to address the balance and bring back opportunities for pupils to achieve recognition in a sporting activity. I always enjoyed participating in sport, especially when I was at school, and was able to represent my school at local and county levels.

I have coached sport in schools and see the enjoyment of those who participate. However, the sessions tended to be after normal school hours, and limited to one hour, not nearly enough time to develop skills and change children’s behaviour. 

We need to see a massive change in the school curriculums to include physical activities. Bring back the PE teacher and dedicate 4 or 5 hours a week to teaching and giving pupils the opportunity to shine in another way (they are all not academic achievers).

The opportunity for young people to get involved in sport should start in primary schools, with the government setting aside ring fenced budgets to deliver sports activities. 

The aim should be to introduce pupils to a variety of sports and ensure they remain active and interested and able to compete against themselves and other schools, and eventually progress to playing sport at local sports clubs.

The benefits will be enormous in terms of learning new skills, increasing fitness levels and, above all, giving them a sense of wellbeing.

Investment in playing surfaces

For this policy to work, the government will have to enable the schools to invest in their playing surfaces and provide PE staff who are able to deliver several hours of sport a week. 

There will need to be a cultural change in schools to ensure this policy can work. Yes, there are many schools that have committed time and resources to promoting some sporting activities, but often they have been short term strategies that do not really lead to anything. 

Healthy competition between pupils is the key to enrichment; the skills learnt and taken on board while participating in sport are essential attributes for pupil development. 

In my role as TurfPro editor, I get to see many schools, and the ones that stand out are the ones that have invested in their pitches, providing excellently presented sports surfaces that are fit for purpose and encourage people to perform. 

However, it is no good providing these pitches if we have not got the infrastructure in terms of PE teachers who can inspire their pupils to take part, perform and, above all, and offer a decent sporting curriculum to work with. 

Once we have secured the changes in primary schools it would then graduate into the secondary schools system. By achieving this, we would see a massive difference in the attitude and wellbeing of pupils in all our state schools. 

Should you find yourself traveling on Ireland’s Ancient East trail and reach the Hook Head area in County Wexford, you will not be too far away from a lovely par three course called Abbey Par 3. It is run by brothers Frank and Ned Browne.

How it all began

Abbey Par 3’s origin is quite unique. What inspired Frank and Ned to start a par 3 golf course? Their father Frances had retired from farming and the land was set for a few years. Frank was a supervisor at Eastman Chemical factory in nearby Waterford but the factory closed down, which left Frank unemployed. Ned was a self-employed block layer and was keen on the idea of change. Laying blocks is a tough profession and it can take its toll on you, especially as you get older. 

A panoramic view of the course showing the clubhouse in the background

Frank saw the potential that the land had and, being in a tourist area (Hook Head, Loftus Hall, Tintern Abbey, Duncannon Fort, the John F. Kennedy Arboretum and countless sandy beaches are all within a few miles of the area), he decided to take the leap into running a par 3 golf course.

Planning permission to construct and build a par 3 golf course was first submitted to Wexford Co. Council in 2003. Due to strict planning regulations for golf courses, it took two years before permission was granted. Construction work began in June 2005. 

The weather Gods were kindly looking down on the Browne brothers as it was a very dry summer that year and construction work was made easier because of it. Construction was completed in September 2005 and within days of the grass being sown on the greens, tees and fairways, the weather broke, with plenty of rain to follow - just the perfect recipe to get the young grass seedlings established. The course was officially opened in May of 2006.

Before construction began they decided that they would build the greens to USGA specifications, and include irrigation at every green. “We wanted to do it properly as many par 3 courses in the region had soil based greens and would be either too wet in winter or too hard and compact in summer”, said Frank. The greens were sown using a fescue/bent mix.

The nearby forest gives a nice backdrop to the course

A stream runs through the entire bottom of the course. During construction they widened part of the stream to form a lake. As well as it creating a nice visual feature to the course, this lake would also be a source of water to fill the above ground 16,000 gallon irrigation tank. This proved vital particularly during dry summers. The stream had a constant flow of water and the levels didn’t drop very much. This made it a valuable and reliable source of water, though some amounts of hand watering still need to be done (which include applying wetting agents). A second lake was constructed further up the course to create a visually pleasing feature to the course.

Native fauna and flora have established in the man made lakes

Since building the lakes many wildlife have taken up residence. Ducks and otters have made it their habitat and brown trout have been spotted. Other wildlife that is seen around the course include badgers and deer.

Frank and Ned were jumping into greenkeeping without any prior knowledge or experience of the sportsturf profession. They were both members of New Ross Golf Club but knew the game of golf inside out. However, getting into greenkeeping was an entirely different matter altogether.

Brothers Ned and Frank Browne

“We got plenty of advice from the sales reps that visited us. They were very helpful. We also read up about greenkeeping in the trade magazines that were out there”, said Frank. “We later joined the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland (GCSAI) and got lots of information from other greenkeepers by attending the regional GCSAI golf outings. This networking proved very valuable to us”, he continued.

When Abbey Par 3 opened in 2006, Ireland was at the peak of an economic boom and most of Ireland was hit by golf mania. That soon came to a crashing end in September 2008, which saw many golfers not renewing their membership the following year. Abbey par 3 was no exception and the downturn affected green fees at the young course. Even the number of par 3 golf societies visiting the course dropped by almost a half.

Not being deterred by this they put their minds together and came up with a plan of adding crazy golf to the business. They did this in 2013 by cleverly using the local landmarks to good use and, with Ned’s block laying skills, built a beautiful crazy golf course, consisting of models of Hook Head lighthouse, Loftus Hall, the main street of the local village of Fethard-On-Sea and many other humorous features. It proved very popular with the locals and tourists visiting the area. The longest hole on the course is 200yds with the shortest being 75 yards.

The crazy golf course with Loftus Hall and Hook Head lighthouse

But they didn’t stop there. In 2014 they incorporated Footee Golf into the Par 3 course. Tee off for each hole was in front of the main tee box and the greens were in front of the par 3 greens.  The two sports run in harmony side by side without being in each others way. “Introducing crazy golf and footee golf has meant that we can survive as a business. Had we relied entirely on green fees from the par 3 course back then the business simply would not have survived”, said Ned.

Footee Golf and golf share the same course where the foot golf holes are placed in front of the golf greens

Covid -19

After surviving the financial crisis of 2008 and just when the economy was beginning to recover, Ireland and the world was hit with the coronavirus pandemic. Business was up 20% for Abbey Par 3 in 2019. How did Covid -19 affect Frank and Ned? “In a strange way Covid-19 has been very good for us”, said Frank.

“When golf courses were forced to shut, they were during the quietest times for us anyway. Most of our customers play their golf between April and September. Many of them are tourists who are visiting the area. Covid-19 has seen a big demand in golf and when golf courses re-opened on the 26th of April last we saw a big influx of people come to play our course. On one occasion we had to turn people away so, at the moment, business is booming”. 

Course maintenance

Talking to Frank and Ned, as I walked around the course with them, I was amazed at how much knowledge they had learned about turf maintenance over the past fifteen years. They know about the importance of aeration, nutrition and sanding and this showed in the quality of the greens. They were in great shape with a high showing of fescue/bent grass.

The greens at Abbey par 3 are in excellent condition

Frank and Ned make up the greenkeeping staff at Abbey Par 3. It is a seven day a week commitment but they enjoy the work and get to meet so many interesting people. Frank, in particular, would often spend time behind the counter receiving green fees and making tea/coffee for the clients coming in after a round out on the course.

The greens at Abbey par 3 are mown at 6mm in summer and increased to 8mm in winter. The greens are maintained using a nutritional programme based on seaweed and an organic granular fertilizer. This programme has seen a reduction in the number of disease outbreaks and little flush growth as you would see using non organic granular fertilizer. This has meant a huge saving on spraying and fertilizer costs.

Hook Head lighthouse, Europe’s oldest working lighthouse, is a popular tourist attraction and only 15km from Abbey Par 3 golf course

Hollow coring is done in autumn using 12mm tines. Deep scarifying is also carried out at this time to remove excess thatch followed up with an overseeding of a Fescue/Highland bent grass mix.

The tee boxes are clay based and are fed twice each year. The fairways receive no nutrition. The bunkers around the course are taken out of play during the winter months which saves on raking and topping up with sand.

Sometimes we underestimate the importance of par 3 golf courses. For some they are the stepping stones to joining a full 18 hole golf course. It’s the place where many of us grew up and learned how to play our golf. I hope they will continue to thrive into the future and that Abbey Par 3, in particular, will provide lots of fun for many golfers to come.