Long Ashton members give new greens the thumbs up

The replacement of the traditional clay-based greens with free-draining ones, costing £400,000, was the first time a contract of this size for greens re-construction had been carried out in the region.

Following the opening of the new greens for play, Long Ashton Golf Club's General Manager, Vicky Rose, said: "The response from club members and visitors has been excellent. Many members have been really surprised at how well the ball has rolled on the new greens. It was certainly a massive project but it was felt that with a trend to wetter weather incorporating really heavy rain, particularly in winter, that the club needed to ensure the greens were playable even after the heaviest rainfall."

The heavy showers of the past few weeks appear to have vindicated that decision. Course Manager, James Braithwaite, who supervised the project on behalf of the club, commented: "On Easter Sunday there was 21mm of rainfall in just four hours and over 15mm of this was in the last hour! The greens surfaces were flooded but within 10 minutes of the rain ceasing the greens were dry, firm and playable."

Club Chairman, Ken Trowbridge, added: "With well draining fairways and tees, the free-draining greens has been the last part of the jigsaw to provide year round golf for members and visitors. The club are currently making small changes to the course to ensure that Long Ashton Golf Club remains open and that members can use trolleys in all but really exceptional winter weather conditions."

To read in more detail about the project to re-construct the greens at Long Ashton Golf Club, follow this link.