There’s a new type of green at Walpole Country Club, and it’s not one you’ll commonly find anywhere else in Western Australia.
Located on the south coast of Western Australia 135km west of Albany, Walple Country Club has upgraded to a synthetic green surface from the sand greens the club has used since inception in 1975.
Located within the town, Walpole Country Club provides bowls and golf for members of the community and for the many tourists who visit the area each year. The Walpole Country Club is run and maintained by volunteers who are always very mindful of the pristine and fragile environment on which the club was established.
Sand greens next to a marine park are environmentally problematic and visitors from clubs with grass greens were always reluctant to play on them so a plan was initiated to establish an alternative to the sand greens.
After a number of years of planning and preparation the Walpole Golf Course is the first eighteen hole course in WA to have synthetic greens. The technology involved in synthetic greens has advanced greatly in the last few years and the greens established at Walpole are state of the art. The fiber used and the sand which is placed on the fiber were developed in America and this has allowed the greens to react as near as possible to grass greens.
Legends of Western Australian golf flocked to Walpole for the official opening of the synthetic greens, with Stephen Dartnall, Wayne Smith and Shani Waugh all playing a round on the course — and all three were very impressed with the greens and with the course in general.
“It’s a way of the future really, synthetic greens use less water and there’s no chemicals needed to look after them, it’s good for the environment and they’re also great to play on, I was really impressed,” said Dartnall, who won the 2016 WA PGA Championship earlier in 2016.
“They’re great and react really well, in the same way you’d expect a grass green to. Initially when I headed there I wasn’t expecting them to react in a realistic way compared to a grass green but they’re very similar to playing on grass.”
The Walpole Country Club would like to acknowledge Synthetic Turf Products who laid the new greens and Department of Sport and Recreation, The Manjimup Shire and Royalties for Regions who all helped to fund the project.
All that is left now is for people to hear about this beautiful course and to come and experience fantastic golf, beautiful scenery and Walpole hospitality. You will be pleasantly surprised and at $20 per round you will return many times.
If you want to try the greens out for yourself, Walpole Country Club is hosting a open day to celebrate Golf Month on October 9. Click here to register and to see more information.
If you require more information on Walpole Country Club, please visit www.walpolecountryclub.org.au