Golf Course Agronomy
Tim Lodge has been providing professional independent agronomic advice to golf courses continuously since 1995. His PhD thesis was based on research funded by the R&A and is entitled ‘The Construction, Irrigation and Fertiliser Nutrition of Golf Greens’, (1994, University of Leeds). Tim has numerous scientific publications in this field (see About Us). His technical background is now supplemented by a long career of advising golf courses throughout the UK, in particular those on the eastern side of England from Northumberland to Kent. In addition, Tim has visited golf courses and turf research institutions in south west China and in the United States from Pennsylvania down to Florida and Louisiana.
Advice to golf courses is provided according to the following three principles:
Effort should be directed towards improving the quality of the playing surfaces to meet the expectations of golfers.
No harm should be done to the living environment and where possible the environment of the golf course should be enhanced.
Effort should be proportionate to the financial capabilities of the golf course as a business and the implications of management practices should be placed in that context at all times.
Agronomy for Polo Grounds
Advice Consultancy services are tailored to suit the client. Some prefer a one-off advisory visit to resolve a particular issue while others follow a regular programme of visits, once, twice or more times each year. Due to the diverse nature of golf courses, the subjects that particular advisory visits tend to focus on are similarly diverse.
Issues that crop up regularly include:
Fertiliser use and programmes
Irrigation
Supplements, wetting agents and growth regulators
Top dressing – material and frequency
Aeration
Green speed and surface quality evaluation
Turfgrass disease and pesticide use
Moisture mapping and fairway drainage
Tee construction
Bunker design and construction
Bunker sand selection
Rough management
Wildlife enhancement
Water preservation and recycling
Machinery selection
Staff selection and interviews
Reconstruction
Drone photography and multi-spectral imaging and interpretation
Get in touch to discuss your requirements. Please note that, as independent consultants, we won’t try to sell you anything but we will point you in the direction of particular products or services if we consider these to be in your best interest.
Bunker revetting using artificial turf. Elton Furze Golf Club.
Fine new fairway bunkers, Links Golf Club, Newmarket.
Typical, well maintained, soil-based green profile.
Superb par 3 carry with abundant heather at Swinley Forest Golf Club.