Keeping Kirkcaldy Golf Club’s greens in top condition

That’s the message from Craig Surgeon, head greenkeeper at Kirkcaldy Golf Club, who has been working hard on the course whilst the doors are closed during lockdown.

He said: “The lockdown happened just after we had done major renovation work to the greens.

“We’ve had to scale back some of the work we were doing to the greens because of essential guidelines and things like that.

“Certain things have been relaxed from three weeks ago so we’ve been able to do more stuff to catch up. But in general it’s mostly been cutting everyday, no bunker work whatsoever, and putting down nutritional stuff, fertiliser and seeding, etc.

“We’re down a member of staff who has been furloughed and we had a problem when our irrigation broke down so during this dry spell it’s not been the easiest time.

“We had that repaired in the last fortnight so we’re pushing on the greens now. They are playable but they are just a little bit bare here and there.”

Craig is hopeful that club members will soon be able to take advantage of all his hard work.

“I think the restrictions in Scotland will probably go on for another three weeks, but things are changing week to week so you never can tell.

“You could quite easily stay two metres apart playing golf. You could have staggered tee time and don’t touch the flags.

“All the bunker rakes and all the course furniture will get moved in anyway if restrictions get lifted because I think that there will still be restrictions on ball washers and flags, even benches and bins.

“I think pretty much everything would have to be brought in to stop contamination.

“I think you could play on it but I can totally understand why the government are telling everyone to stay home.”

The work by Craig and his team ahead of the new season has “been put on the back burner” but he says there will be some re-shaping of the course.

“We’re trying to bring in new bits of rough. We’ve been able to get on top of those areas because the golfers aren’t around so you’re not having to try and avoid everybody.

“What I’m trying to do is get the course presented as best we can, keep the morale up, and hopefully the golfers will be back soon.”