FIRM ground, dead grass, rolling golf balls… the course of play for golfers across the country this summer.
As with most golf courses during this summer’s heatwave, Southampton Municipal Golf Course suffered immensely. Tee boxes were rock solid, fairways were bathed in dead grass, and greens were running ridiculously quickly.
Golfers’ have seen a vast increase in driving distances, with golf balls flyer further through the air before bouncing and rolling more after pitching.
Alongside this, controlling the golf ball around the greens through both approach shots and wedge shots has also provided golfers with a number of challenges.
This challenge, alongside dealing with the immense heat, has resulted in a decrease in the number of senior golfers out on the course. However, courses have seen an increase in youth participation in the sport.
Southampton Municipal Golf Course Pro Shop staff member Richard said: “We’ve had a lot more youngsters playing up here over the summer, but a lot less of the seniors and OAP golfers.”
The relentless heat saw green keepers across the country working tirelessly, day-after-day, to keep courses in a playable condition.
Fairways were forgotten about, greens and tea boxes were flooded with water, and the rough left untouched.
Casual golfer Charlie said: “The fairways were like concrete, and the putts were like race tracks. It was fun that’s for sure and added about 60 yards to your drive.”
Courses across the country are slowly recovering, with playing conditions improving and participation returning to normal levels.
