Work on the second phase of an extensive redesign of 18 greenside bunkers at Hever Castle Golf Club in Kent has just got underway. EcoBunker completed phase one in 2023, with this phase due for completion in the autumn.
The decision to make these significant changes came when Rob Peers assumed the position of Head Greenkeeper at Hever Castle Golf Club five years ago. He set about finding out just how much time was required to maintain the existing bunker system inspired by golf architect Harry Colt.
Astonishingly, through labour profiling he discovered that it would take 1.2 men an entire year to maintain his bunkers. That information, combined with the commitment that the club and course have to being sustainable – they were winners of the 2023 Sustainability Project at the Golf Environment Awards – helped Rob to take the decision to make some significant changes.
“Some of our bunkers were so deep that we had to introduce steps down into them for a number of older members,” comments Rob. “We knew that we needed to make some significant changes whilst still being mindful of our footprint. We need to reduce our reliance on the planet’s resources but still have a bunker system that was strategic, aesthetically pleasing and durable. That is what I love about EcoBunker is that we are basically recycling a product and extending its useful life.”
EcoBunker’s service to Hever Castle is provided by ex-Tour players, plus qualified engineers and greenkeepers. Working closely alongside Hever Castle, the changes are resulting in a challenging yet playable course with a heavier emphasis on risk and reward. Despite this tectonic change, which has forced members and guests to think more and change their shot strategy, the redevelopment has been widely welcomed.
“Over the 10-plus years that I’ve dealt with Hever Castle Golf Club, I’ve been so impressed by their commitment to support innovation in the greenkeeping sector,” said Richard Allen, CEO and inventor of EcoBunker. “I always wanted EcoBunker to take a lead on research, developing new products for our markets, and this is only possible with help from forward thinking, early adopters like Hever Castle and its course manager, Rob Peers.”
Work on the second phase of the project will conclude later this autumn, with the new bunkers not due to reopen until next Spring, allowing time for them to bed in. In line with the ethos of the club, and the wider estate, the team will wait until the time is right to add sand to the bunkers and for mother nature to aid in the recovery of the hand-seeded bunker surrounds.
“The course and the estate are genuinely enthusiastic about the natural environment and allowing it to work its magic. We will always allow enough time so that we can be sure of a ‘one and done’ strategy,” concluded Rob.
