Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, Richmond

Following the successful completion of the reconstruction of the back 9 holes of The Outer Course at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club in 2009, the Club employed the services of the same golf course architect, Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert, consultant and project manager Charles Henderson of Sports Agronomy Services, and MJ Abbott Limited as main contractor and irrigation designer and installer, to reconstruct the remaining front 9 holes.

The project commenced on 10th June 2013 and was completed on 18th October 2013.

Following difficulties obtaining final planning approval due to archaeology, tree protection, River Thames flood compensation, access restrictions, badger setts and a 30 inch gas main, the project got underway a year later than originally planned and included the following scope of works:

• Construction of man-made badger sett for relocation of badgers
• Fencing off existing badger setts with one-way gates
• Construction of reinforced concrete crossing points over existing gas main to allow machinery access to working areas
• Tree protection fencing
• Reconstruction of 9 green complexes and 1 chipping green
• Construction of 2 new tee complexes
• Reconstruction of 20 bunkers
• Construction of "Taylor mound" complexes (named after renowned golf course architect J H Taylor, original designer of Royal Mid-Surrey's two 18-hole courses) to match existing features
• Construction of wetlands as flood compensation areas
• Drainage to all green, tee and bunker complexes
• Design and installation of replacement irrigation to greens and tees
• Design and installation of mist irrigation to the new bunker complexes
• Cultivation and seeding of all green and tee surfaces
• Cultivation and turfing of all green, tee and bunker surrounds.

Project architect, Martin Ebert, commented that standards had remained at a consistently high level throughout the construction works. “MJ Abbott endeavoured at all times to follow the design brief and detailed plans provided to them while demonstrating maximum consideration at all times to golfers, the golf course and its historic setting,” he said.

“Royal Mid-Surrey members can look forward to playing the full 18-hole Outer Course again in 2014, using a complete set of top quality greens that have been built to the same design style and construction specifications by the same company,” Martin pointed out. “I am delighted that all 18 greens strike a perfect balance, providing a suitable golfing challenge, visual attractiveness, interesting surface contours, great playability and good maintainability.”

Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club:  www.rmsgc.co.uk