At a Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) ceremony in Harrogate last week, Carnoustie Golf Links were presented with the 2009 STRI Golf Course Environment Award for the Scottish region.
The award was presented by Sir Michael Bonallack on behalf of the STRI and Carnoustie Links were represented by Championship Head Greenkeeper Sandy Reid and greenkeeper Gavin Lowe.
Dr Bob Taylor, head of the STRI Ecology and Environment Department, said “ This was a very difficult decision as there were many Scottish golf courses who have carried out wonderful environmental work in 2009, but Carnoustie have really shown enormous commitment to improving the environment in many areas. They have done particularly excellent work in pro-active gorse management, and in re-establishing heather beds by transplanting heather into areas where its future health will not be compromised. They have also restored a long established dump area back to its original form as a marram covered dune and the judging panel felt there could only be one winner for 2009.”
John Philp, Links Superintendent at Carnoustie, said “The staff at Carnoustie are very proud to have received recognition in the form of this award as there is real commitment within the workforce to work with the natural environment and improve areas where we can. It is particularly pleasing that work on all 3 courses has been recognised, with extensive gorse and heather work taking place on the Championship and Burnside. The Buddon Links team have been responsible for restoring a dump into a marram grass dune and, of course, have also carried out gorse and heather improvements”.
The STRI awards are nationally recognised as the most prestigious environmental awards in Britain.
Photograph
l to r
Craig Boath, Deputy Head Greenkeeper, Championship course,
Steve Mitchell, Head Greenkeeper Buddon Links course and
Colin Law, Head Greenkeeper, Burnside course
