The Addington Golf Club in south London has taken the first steps on its restoration plan, working alongside the golf architecture firm Clayton, DeVries & Pont.
Having distributed CDP’s long term course plan to members, the club has hired master greenkeeper Greg Evans to oversee improvements to agronomy, commissioned a woodland management plan from John Nicholson Associates, acquired mowing equipment from Toro and a Dakota top dresser, and commissioned MJ Abbott to install a new Rain Bird irrigation system.
“With Greg Evans now advising us and in keeping with CDP’s recommendations, the long-term aspiration is to deliver firmer playing surfaces and to significantly expand the closely mown areas around the greens,” says the club’s managing director Ryan Noades. “We will shortly be installing a new state-of-the-art irrigation system. Its key features will include a new 500m3 water tank, upgraded pumps and main lines, triple row fairway irrigation and the moving of the existing greenside sprinklers to accommodate an enlargement of the green surfaces as prescribed by the Course Plan. We will be upgrading our existing sprinkler heads to the latest Rain Bird 752s and installing them in the new infrastructure in the fairways. The triple row system has been designed to limit water reaching rough areas, so that we can preserve our heather and fescue roughs.
“The timing of further phases of our plans will be influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic but all of the analysis and planning has now taken place, allowing us to start making steady, gradual improvements to our beautiful course.”
Read more: GCA spoke with the partners of CDP about plans for The Addington
Edward Cartwright, chairman of CDP, says: “We are very fortunate to be working with a club which is committed to improving its course in a patient and systematic manner. Dealing with key agronomic and woodland issues prior to undertaking the restoration of Messrs Abercromby and Colt’s architecture is undoubtedly the best way to proceed. It will also produce more sustainable and compelling results.
“We have been afforded time to research the course’s architectural heritage in depth. Our findings have helped formulate the ideas within our Course Plan which was published and sent to members in August. I am pleased to say that the feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive.”