A Temple to excellence Temple Golf Club has many golf clubs. Head Greenkeeper lar newsletter, the division of Martin took over in '91 hav- progressive ideas of Martin Gunn and his Chairman responsibility among the green- ing been First Assistant before management both on and off of Green, Malcolm Peake, have keeping team and reconstruc- that while Malcolm, who owns the golf course. produced a blueprint which tion work on the course itself a retail business in nearby should provide the continuity while they also provide input Maidenhead and was asked to emple Golf Club sits high to ensure the club's continuing to the R&A Turf Advisory and join the club's Board of Man- Tabove the River Thames and sustained improvement. Research Working party agement with a view to being between Henley, Marlow ad Among their work has been chaired by Nick Park. Chairman of Green. Maidenhead and when it the introduction of a "natural" comes to progressive manage- course management technique, ment and consideration of con- a sustained commitment to servation is also head and conservation and the environ- ¥ ULTRA PLANT shoulders above most other ment, the production of a regu- Machinery for the professionals in sports ground maintenance

The U.P.60: ^^ H.L.40 and U.P.40 For all round top NSC^ Dual lift trailer cuts ^^ dressing - it's in use ^^^ out double handling, at Murryfield today feeding accurately into the fine turf top dresser

35 Farlough Road, Newmills, Dungannon Co. Tyrone, AD Northern Ireland. BT71 4DU REF 473 Malcolm Peake and Martin Gunn outside the clubhouse TEL/FAX: (INT 44) 018687 47582 A Temple to excellence Martin examines the fungi growing on the dead A report had been done by A huge area of the course went the STRI in 1987 but little from being well maintained at action was taken on the three to four inch high rough strength of it and when to meadow grass that you another report was commis- could go up to your waist in. sioned Jeff Perris of the STRI Temple Golf Club is owned said things had got worst since by the Oppenheimer family the first report. and Raymond Oppenheimer "I knew things weren't right," was, along with Gerald Mick- said Malcolm by way of expla- lem of Sunningdale renown, a nation as to why he sought out Doyen of English golf. a job most self respecting golf "The Oppenheimer family club member wouldn't touch farmed locally and were with a bunker rake. involved in organic farming "I've learned a lot since then well before it was generally and the Board invited me to recognised. We were never serve a second term," he asked to maintain the course explained. that way but it seemed a natu- "The issues that Malcolm was ral course to follow," explained shouting about gave me the Martin. carrot which I needed to grab. He was right in his concerns about the golf course but didn't 'I use a very natural know why, and I knew we could work together to improve management things," said Martin. technique with no Temple Golf Club had always been well presented but there overseeding and the had been very little hollow tin- ing or aeration done on the greens have become course. "We were well aware that stronger and the course would have to stronger' become a lot worst before it got better while at the same time it would require more "The initial response was so investment," said Martin. negative it was unbelievable - The new team would there- 'this is not a nature park, it's a fore be in the uncomfortable golf course' - but once they position of having a course not started to see species like looking good but costing more orchids increase in number the money to get it to that state. same people who had been Questions were asked. complaining at the beginning "I use a very natural manage- were ringing me up in the ment technique with no over- evening and saying that they seeding and the greens have had seen people walking about become stronger and stronger where the orchids were." with bents coming back up to They are involved with con- about 60%," explained Martin. servation groups including the "Right at the start the conser- Berks, Bucks and Oxon Natu- vation issue was very important ralist Trust and the Windsor to us as we wanted the natural and Maidenhead Urban grasses to return to the course. Wildlife Group which produced A Temple to excellence a comprehensive report of the "Nick Park also fixed me up course in 1992 while they are with a day at Valderamma also involved with David while I was in Spain. I had the Stubbs and his European Ecol- opportunity to play but frankly ogy Unit. it was too interesting and I "We have a tree, well out of used up two rolls of film just the way of play, which is dead taking in how they operate but has some wonderful fungi there. You can learn from every growing on it and woodpecker course you visit." holes. There is absolutely no Another scheme which Mar- reason to cut it down and to tin employs at Temple involves me is a good example of golf each of his five man team are and conservation working trained and have designated ake the stress out of transportation by letting Carryall together. I've taken a group of area of responsibility on the Ttake the strain. It's a course winner every time. 30 students from Hungary course over and above their round the course.The conserva- normal duties. Whether carrying people, turf maintenance equipment or any tion work has helped us to Deputy Head Greenkeeper number of other things that receive numerous grants over need shifting - this excep- the years." tionally quiet, lightweight, yet Martin also encourages stu- 'Improving dents to visit the course to hardworking machine lets you experience a working golf club communication: perform around the golf and learn from the manage- If members know ment techniques he employs. course, free of stress to you and your turf. He and Malcolm also pro- when something is And, as one of the most dependable utility vehicles duce a regular report for the available, with a durable aluminium/Armorflex body shell, it members which keeps every- being done and why, one informed as to work on the won't leave you stranded in the rough. golf course as well as giving they are more likely Economic to run, it's more general information to accept it' available with a wide choice about greenkeeping matters. of options, such as our "The idea is to improve com- munication because if members Gareth Austin is responsible for Driving Range-Protective know when something is being Woodlands, Boundaries and Enclosure and Machinery done and why it is being done Amenity Horticulture; First they are more likely to accept Assistant Ian Hewitt for Equip- Loading Ramp. Whether it," said Malcolm. ment Repairs, Servicing and you're working the fairways, tees or greens, Carryall is ALL The pair work extremely well Maintenance , Data Recording you need to carry. For further information and a no-obligation together and make a point of and Spares; Assistant Russell Clark Irrigation, Installation, demonstration of the Carryall, telephone 01480 476971. visiting other golf clubs every three or four months just to Repairs, Servicing and Mainte- talk to the Head Greenkeeper nance; Assistant Saunders yet or Course Manager and find to be confirmed but possibly CARRYALL out how they see things and First Aid, Health and Safety how they manage elements of while Trainee Tony Taylor is their job. already interested in Engine DRIVE IT TO WORK "We've had a day at Wood- Maintenance. hall Spa, a day at Sunningdale Having developed the staff AD LELY (UK) LIMITED, STATION ROAD, ST NEOTS, HUNTINGDON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE19 1QH and, of course, Lindrick while and course management struc- REF TELEPHONE 01480 476971 FACSIMILE 01480 216167 61 at Royal County Down I organ- tures Martin and Malcolm ised a short visit to their Head turned their attention to the Greenkeeper who was a mar- layout of the course itself. vellous man," said Malcolm. "Raymond Oppenheimer A Temple to excellence Equipment list never allowed any change at "I'm getting comments from consider that many of these Temple without prior consulta- members that they are now people, in the form of commit- John Deere 1950 Tractor tion with a golf course architect able to play chip and run shots tees, are responsible for the day Iseki 537 Tractor among them Henry Cotton, a and going back to playing shots to day running of the nation's Iseki 4270 Tractor former professional of Temple they haven't done for many golf courses. Charterhouse 2m Level GC, Frank Pennick and Donald years. It is much more excit- It is hardly surprising that a Spiker Steel. It was only natural for us ing." lot of courses, many of them Iseki FC Scarifier Collector to contact Donald when we had All the construction work has high profile, are in a state of Jacobsen 5 Ram lifts with reached this stage of our devel- been carried out in-house and decline," said Malcolm. Fairway Units opment. at every phase, in fact, for all Martin adds a cautionary Jacobsen Hydraulic Rangers I rang him not just to talk the significant work carried out note to his colleagues not fortu- Hardi Sprayer AMK 800 about architecture but also on the course it is pho- nate enough to have the conti- Tractor Mounted Pallet Forks Chiltern MX 4055 Front End because he has been Chairman tographed and put in an album. nuity he enjoys. Loader of Green at Denham for many "This is very useful. We found "I believe that a lot of Course Chiltern RA 90 Front Linkage years," explained Malcolm. Managers and Head Green- Kit "He came and asked what we 'Very few courses keepers are not going to survive Lewis Lugger 22 Front End wanted to do and we said that this period unless the problems Loader we wanted him to review the reach their true of continuity are solved. People Lewis Landlord 400 Backhoe course generally. We decided to are setting objectives almost on Lewis Landlord 400 Backhoe walk round the course and he potential because a year to year basis and you Weeks 2.5 Tonne Hydraulic would ask us on the tee what can't survive like that. You need Tip Trailer we thought and he would they are prevented by direction which stretches for a Fraser FC 68 5 Tonne either agree or not as the case period of time." Hydraulic Tip Trailer the very people who may be. Martin has nothing but praise Fairway Brush "Then he did us a report hole- for his own Board of Manage- Cushman Utility Truckster misguidedly seek to by-hole which is now our long ment which has backed him to Jacobsen 2310 Utility Truckster term plan of what we want to improve them' the hilt. Cushman Slitter achieve. "I have seen a marked Sarral Roller "The more I talked to Donald after the first two years that we increase in my budgets in Cushman Brush the more I came to realise that need comparisons. People machinery and labour and we Smithco Low Profile Sprayer we had some superb short par would conveniently forget how now have a different set of Jacobsen Hydraulic Top fours. We wanted to extend the bad something once was and by objectives. When I first took over Dresser course where possible, but not showing them the photographs the objective was "To Maintain Cushman Low Transfer Trailer if it might be to the detriment they could actually see the the Golf Course" now it is "To Toro 3100 of a hole. improvement which had been Maintain, Improve and Take Toro 3000 Much of the work involved made. I was getting bored with Forward the Golf Course' which Toro GM3 changing the shapes of the people saying 'I'm sure that was is a very different concept." John Deere 2653 greens or, more accurately, better before'," said Malcolm. BeaverT12 returning them to how Willie The album and the monthly Jacobsen Turf Cat Park Jnr had designed them in report to the Board will give the Toro Greensair THE ONE THING WHICH WOULD Two Etesia PSE 2 Stoke the first place. people who follow Martin and MAKE THE JOB SO MUCH EASIER IS Mowers "We are trying to return to Malcolm a total history of what Honda IIRB 275 QXE Rotary Willie Park Jnr's design, and has gone on at the Club and Mower particularly the bunkering, and they way it has developed and Gravelly Pro Rotary Mower that is where Donald helped provide the continuity which is Two Knapsack Blowers us," said Martin. missing at many golf clubs. Assorted Chainsaws "It's quite exciting as we are "Very few courses reach their Assorted Strimmers and getting quite close to it now. true potential because they are Recipricators Reshaping the greens have prevented from doing so by the Cylinder Grinder given us an immense variety of very people who misguidedly Welder new pin placements which seek to improve them. It is a ' If rabbits had to cross a road Post Drill some of he members haven't damming indictment of the to get here" Workshop Tools and Tool Kit - Martin Gunn, Temple GC even seen yet," added Malcolm. golfing population when you