Tag Archive for: Tournament

ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

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ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament: Nelly Korda’s victory in the recent Chevron Championship at Carlton Woods outside Houston was her fifth straight tournament win (and her second Major title), equalling the LPGA record previously held by Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam.

Between the 2023 and 2024 iterations of the tournament, the bunkers on the Nicklaus Signature course at Carlton Woods were reconstructed using the ZLine bunker liner system.

ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

“We have known for some time that we needed to redo the bunkers on the Nicklaus course because of their age, the effects of storm damage, edging, and contamination,” says club director of agronomy Tim Huber. “We took the decision to renovate as far back as 2021, but with the Chevron tournament coming here in 2023, we obviously had to plan the project carefully, so we scheduled it for after the 2023 championship. The 2023 Chevron ended on April 23, and we started the rebuild on May 1. Chris Cochran of the Nicklaus company oversaw the work, which was carried out by contractor Sanders Golf. The build wrapped on November 1 last year, and the course was perfect for the championship last week.”

The Nicklaus course opened in 2001, the first of Carlton Woods’s two eighteens, and the bunkers were initially lined with a textile liner, but Huber says that two decades in the ground had left this practically non-existent. “There were traces of the liner left under the bunkers, but it was in no sense a barrier, and there was no way it could be patched, so it had to be replaced,” he says. “I chose the ZLine system because it has a long lifespan and is extremely resilient – it carries a fifteen-year warranty and even if you use a mechanical rake in the bunkers you’d have a hard time tearing it – because it is very competitively priced, and because it is low visibility. We chose ProAngle sand from Ohio, which is a very high-performance sand, and is very white. ZLine customized the liner to match the sand color, so if by chance a small amount of liner gets exposed on the face of a bunker, there’s no way the golfer would notice, and there’s no UV degradation.”

“I think ZLine is flat out the best bunker liner on the market,” he adds. “High performance sands are great, but they are extremely expensive – especially when they have to be transported a long way, which is the case for us as we simply don’t have good sands available locally – and if you are going to install them, you need to be very confident that your bunkers won’t contaminate and will keep the sand in place – you need to trust your liner. The bunkers were great during the tournament, and I’m confident they will continue to be great for our members.”

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FairWays Foundation’s inaugural summit tournament

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FairWays Foundation’s inaugural summit tournament: The FairWays Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting conservation and stewardship, held its inaugural summit at Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio, on June 21-22, 2022. This event brought together industry influencers, as well as previous and potential grant recipients, for educational talks and networking.

With over 80 in attendance, the event aimed to raise awareness for the work of The FairWays Foundation.

FairWays Foundation's inaugural summit tournament

FairWays Foundation’s inaugural summit tournament

With nearly $300,000 worth of funds granted to date, the foundation will review and award the 2022 cycle applicants in the coming few months when they hope to see the running total hit half a million dollars.

This event welcomed Kimberly Erusha Ph.D., former Director of Education, Greens Section, USGA as keynote speaker, followed by an outstanding guest panel including:

· Mark Lane – Golf Course Superintendent, The Memphremagog Golf Club, Quebec
· Joel Nunes – Director of Golf, Palmares Ocean Living & Golf, Portugal
· Greg Lovell – The Fairways Foundation board member, Eastern Midwest Territory Manager, Aquatrols
· Angelica Carmen – Grant Recipient and Sustainability Specialist at Mistwood Golf Club

The FairWays Foundation President, Matt Foster, expressed his thanks to all those in attendance and encouraged attendees to help spread the word about the foundation, particularly its ability to help fund small and large conservation-based projects for those in their industry.

“We understand making a difference in your community takes tremendous grit from a local champion. It might be a green keeper, park manager, or program volunteer. Regardless, without their will, these projects would never move forward. Our message to those individuals out there with a wish for a healthier environment is that The Fairways Foundation can help provide a way to make it happen. If you’re on the fence, just apply. You have nothing to lose,” said Matt.

The FairWays Foundation is looking for ambassadors to help reach those who wish to champion environmental projects but cannot proceed due to a lack of resources. Find out how you can get involved here.

To learn more about the projects that have been supported so far or to learn how to apply for our 2023 grant cycle, visit TheFairWaysFoundation.com

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First tournament with synthetic bunkers

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First tournament with synthetic bunkers: The Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, which takes place this week on the new Dumbarnie Links course in Fife, will be the first tier one professional event in Europe ever to be played at a venue with synthetic-edged bunkers.

Dumbarnie, which was designed by Clive Clark and opened last year will play host to its first major event as the Ladies European Tour descends on the course as part of a two-week links swing that will be completed by next week’s Women’s British Open at Carnoustie.

First tournament with synthetic bunkers

First tournament with synthetic bunkers

“Dumbarnie features some really impressive, bold revetted bunker walls, some of which are in the region eight to nine feet high,” says Richard Allen, CEO of EcoBunker Ltd. “Back in 2007 my original aim was to invent a resilient and affordable system for low edge bunkers, but soon I was designing solutions for higher and higher links style bunkers. The change in design parameters prompted me to invent a new construction method, which is now Patent Pending, using a cement modified backfill for increased stiffness and stability. It was the perfect solution for Dumbarnie, and the EcoBunker walls built by our team in 2018 are maturing naturally and beautifully.”

The course’s fairway bunkers are built in a naturalistic style, with a ragged fescue edge, but the majority of bunkers are hard against greens, or surrounded by short grass, and these are fully revetted using EcoBunkerʼs synthetic solution.

Dumbarnie, promoted OB Sports and Landscapes Unlimited, was one of EcoBunker’s first and largest contracting jobs. Construction manager Llewelyn Matthews – like architect Clark a former Walker Cup player – led a five-strong construction crew to build the bunkers, over a eighteen week period.

EcoBunker CEO Richard Allen, the inventor both of synthetic revetting and of the later Ecobunker Advanced method, says: “All our team look back with immense pride on the Dumbarnie job. It was truly the job on which Llew Matthews came of age as one of the world’s best bunker builders, and we are delighted to have played a part in the construction of such a stunning course. To see the world’s leading women professionals playing over the course this week will be wonderful, and I’m prepared to bet that course manager Grahame Taylor will spend less time worrying about his bunkers than most people who are hosting a tournament of this stature.”

Richard Allen, the inventor both of synthetic revetting and of the later Ecobunker Advanced method, adds: “All our team look back with immense pride on the Dumbarnie job. It was truly the job on which Llew Matthews came of age as one of the world’s best bunker builders, and we are delighted to have played a part in the construction of such a stunning course. To see the world’s leading women professionals playing over the course this week will be wonderful, and I’m prepared to bet that course manager Grahame Taylor will spend less time worrying about his bunkers than most people who are hosting a tournament of this stature.”

Architect Clive Clark says: “As the golf course matures, seeds fly into the tiny crevices in the bunker walls, and just like a natural sod bunker, you get grasses in the face that dominate. If 100 golfers played this course, I doubt if five would notice that the bunkers weren’t natural sod.”

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Tournament Opportunity For Members

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Tournament Opportunity For Members: BIGGA members have been invited to become part of the championship support team for the Evian Championship 2018.

An incredible opportunity to gain experience preparing the course for one of golf’s major championships, BIGGA members who are invited to join the team for the duration of the event will receive return air fares, accommodation, subsistence and uniform.

Tournament Opportunity For Members

The Evian Championship is the fifth and final major of the 2018 LPGA Tour and greenkeepers will be required to be on site from 2-16 September.

The successful applicants will work alongside the club’s greenstaff and other volunteers from across Europe.

The Evian Course is situated in Evian les Bains, bordered by Lake Geneva on one side and the Alps on the other.

If you are interested in this rare opportunity email Peter Wisbey at pwisbey@btinternet.com

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