“State of the Art” Turf Care Centre Opens at Norfolk’s Newest Golf Course
Royal Norwich Golf Club has marked another major milestone towards the opening of its new course in 2019 as it has officially opened its Turf Care Centre of Excellence.
With the course set to make a new benchmark for golf in the region, the Turf Care Centre of Excellence will provide the estates team with over 900 square meters of purpose-built maintenance, storage, office and training facilities to maintain the 7,239-yard 18-hole course and 6-hole academy course.
Split over two levels, the Turf Care Centre provides 500 square meters of equipment storage space, housing a professional fleet of mowers and machinery. Integral to the building design is a 150 square meter equipment maintenance workshop along with 250 square metres of staff welfare facilities, a designated training room for the Turf Care Team and management offices.
Its brand-new appearance hides the fact that much of the structure's materials including the steel frame, external wall cladding, insulation, staircases, fencing, gates and even diesel tank are all recycled. All of this further adds to the facility's green credentials with the solar PV roof panels providing all its daily energy needs.
Speaking at the launch, Estates Manager, Peter Todd, said: "Our Turf Care Centre of Excellence will be one of the most modern facilities in the country to ensure we can provide members and guests with the very best playing conditions. It will be the working hub of the new motivational work environment, with access to the very latest technology and equipment."
Stephen Bernhard, owner of Bernhard and Company, specialists in sports turf technology, officially opened the new centre on Friday 9 November at the new course at Weston Longville.
"I'm delighted to open Royal Norwich's Turf Care Centre of Excellence and be part of one of the most exciting sporting developments in the country. The new course will be one of the finest courses in the country to play when it opens next years, and the opening of the Turf Care Centre of Excellence will provide the estates team with an outstanding facility to ensure the course is second to none."
The new course at Weston Longville has been designed by Ross McMurray of European Golf Design, who has a portfolio of successful projects under his belt including Celtic Manor 2010 Ryder Cup Course in Wales, The Marquise Course at Woburn and upgrades at Le Golf National Paris for this year's Ryder Cup. Construction and seeding of the new course have been completed and all is on track for the new course to open in the summer of 2019, with the Turf Care Centre of Excellence already in operation.