Greenkeeper appointed at groundbreaking Luton Hoo course

Avon Bridges has been appointed head greenkeeper at Luton Hoo and is helping to oversee the development of the only new golf course being created in the UK at the present time.

When it is completed later this year, in time for the autumn opening of Luton Hoo as a luxury five-star hotel, it will also be one of the country’s longest courses.

Avon joined Luton Hoo, the landmark Grade 1 listed property on the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire border, after three years as deputy head greenkeeper and six years as assistant greenkeeper at Finchley Golf Club in Middlesex.

Working with him are newly appointed first assistant greenkeeper Carl Brown and greenkeepers Gary Lee and Marcin Starchevski. Two more greenkeepers will be appointed this spring to complete the team.

The 18-hole Luton Hoo course is set in 250-acres of open parkland originally laid out by the famous 18th century landscape designer Capability Brown. It was designed by Mass Designs to be sympathetic to the historical significance of the land and no trees are being removed to create the course.

Avon, who lives in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, said: “My team and I are very enthusiastic about maintaining this golf course as we feel all our hard work will be rewarded with one of the best courses in the country and certainly in the south east.

“When the course is completed it will be one of the longest in the UK at just over 7,100 yards, with the average being 6,400 yards. This, combined with the absence of sand bunkers, will produce a course that is flowing and aesthetically pleasing whilst the design will make for a very challenging course. I believe players will be lucky to get round the first time without losing any balls!”

Avon holds an NVQ Level 2 qualification in greenkeeping and is currently completing his studies for Level 3. He is married and his pastimes include motorcycling and driving his 1979 MGB Roadster and attending rallies and events organised by the MG owners club. He also enjoys golf but says his game has “room for improvement”.

Luton Hoo is being refurbished by Elite Hotels and is the group’s fourth luxury hotel. Elite Hotels also owns Ashdown Park in East Sussex, which has an 18-hole golf course, Tylney Hall in Hampshire and the five-star Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

 

LUTON HOO GOLF COURSE FACTFILE

• Michael Smith, a former Stirlingshire and Kent county golfer with many years experience in golf course management, formed Mass Designs in 1989.
• Previous Mass Designs projects include Lydd Golf Club in Kent, courses in the centre of Newbury and Wincanton racecourses and a course for the Donnington Valley Hotel Group in Berkshire. For the last four years the company has worked in Bulgaria with property developers to promote the sport in developing holiday destinations in Eastern Europe.
• Some 100,000sq metres of earth was shifted in the creation of the Luton Hoo course.
• The course is long, with a choice of four sets of tees to play from measuring 7,107 yards, 6,810 yards and 6,143 yards in total.
• Water comes into play on six of the holes in the once arable field known as Jackson’s Hill, where three large feature lakes and a large reservoir have been constructed. Water is ‘farmed’ from the site through a comprehensive drainage system so water for spray irrigation can be recovered and stored. The feature lakes are interlinked by streams so one flows into the other. The reservoir holds sufficient water to irrigate the greens, green surrounds, approaches and tees throughout even the driest summer. In the event that more water is required the water level in the feature ponds can be reduced, supplying more water to the reservoir.
• Water is circulated from the reservoir up to the top ponds so water is moving constantly, improving water quality and keeping streams running all year long.
• Throughout the estate there are a number of plantations and 1,500 advanced nursery stock trees are being transplanted onto the course to give a sense of instant maturity.
• All greens and tees have been built to confirm to USGA (United States Golf Association) standards so will be free draining and allow play all year round.
• The course was seeded in September 2006 and will be ready for play in September 2007.
• Vast areas of wild flower pastures have been created to give the course a natural feel, taking away the over-manicured appearance of some modern courses.