How does St Andrews Links Trust keep its turf in pristine condition?

By Alistair July 17, 2018 19:57 Updated

Its director of greenkeeping, Gordon Moir, tells us that a key part of the jigsaw lies in wetting agents – as this preserves resources such as water

On any given day, individuals move from one place to another. Those lucky enough, do so because their dream job awaits, an opportunity too good to pass you might say. In 1991, Gordon Moir relocated 100 miles south from his hometown Fraserburgh, Scotland, to begin his 27-year career at a golf course that has hosted 29 Open Championships – the St Andrews Links.

Prior to his appointment at St Andrews, Gordon worked at Fraserburgh Golf Club, a traditional Scottish Links course. Whilst conservation was rarely spoken of at this time, it could be argued that even then, Gordon was at the forefront of conservation, simply due to lack of resources.

“Back when I started, greenkeepers placed little emphasis on the importance of conservation,” Gordon said. “We were simply looking to get the golf course ready for play with limited machinery and only three staff – conservation was the last thing on my mind.”

Today, greenkeepers and superintendents from around the globe turn to St Andrews for the latest best practices. An efficient irrigation system was a key area to aid conservation and considerable investment has been made to ensure that the system is efficient, therefore allowing a targeted approach to water use and a reduction in leaks.

In 1995, Gordon sought advice from Aquatrols – the world’s largest manufacturer of cutting-edge soil surfactants and related technologies. It was highlighted that whilst the irrigation system delivers water to the surface, a premium surfactant was required to assist with water distribution inside the rootzone. Aquatrols provided Gordon with solutions that could efficiently assist in keeping St Andrews’ turf in top shape while also preserving precious resources. Moir immediately reduced the amount of water used and could better disperse it throughout the property.

“We’ve got a very good irrigation system, and invest significant funds towards it,” Gordon said. “Our team tries to keep it as functionally sound as possible, and using various Aquatrols products allows us to minimise any waste.”

To this day, Moir trusts Aquatrols to provide insights from the best greenkeepers and superintendents. The research and data used to support Aquatrols claims is important to St Andrews Links and Gordon has seen first-hand the consistent and effective results Aquatrols products deliver.

“Aquatrols is at the forefront of conservation,” Moir said, “and I’d be very surprised if there are many people in the industry that are not aware of the benefits of using their products.”

St Andrews Links takes the out-of-play areas just as serious as the golf courses, managing the gorse and indeed replacing it with bare sand scrapes. This has encouraged the natural biodiversity that dunes should have. Gordon and his team look to showcase the indigenous grasses while preserving the habitat they provide for the multitude of species roaming around the grounds.

As his counterparts continue to place an even greater emphasis on conservation, Moir knows many golf courses are re-evaluating their practices. Moir and the St. Andrews staff use social media to disseminate successful conservation methods or how they’ll address future challenges.

Moir believes it is imperative for all golf courses to be leaders in conservation and sustainability to highlight golf courses’ positive impact on the environment.

“The more information that we can share in order to protect and keep our environment healthy, the better,” Moir said.

Understanding that seasonality and location, among other factors, may effect greenkeepers’ wetting agent of choice, Moir praises Aquatrols for its collaboration and honest guidance. It’s paved the way of their 23-year partnership, and ensured St. Andrews maintains a consistent, organised and structured process.

“They have always worked with us to make sure that St Andrews gets the absolute best out of every product,” Moir said. “I would recommend Aquatrols to all greenkeepers.”