St. Andrews’ Turf Tenders Instrumental in Preparing Course

Sept. 2000

Eddie Adams, head greenskeeper at St. Andrews Old Course, got ready for this year's British Open by closing the course to regular play for three weeks and by quadrupling his maintenance staff for the final week of preparations.

During that final pre-tournament week, Adams ran a crew of about 60 groundspeople. "Fifteen were on the bunker crew, 10 guys were cutting greens, five were cutting tee boxes, and six more were cutting fairways," he says. The balance, mostly his regulars, were involved with special efforts to extend the course from 6,933 yards to 7,115, and to reface the 112 bunkers to make them a factor for the big hitters who otherwise might have shot right over them.

By the start of the 129th Open, the course was in the best shape possible for the world's best contingent of golfers...and for the 230,000 spectators who came to watch them play. "Normally, we have a crew of 15 fulltime men that grows to 22 for the summer season," Adams says. Regular maintenance calls for the greens to be mowed daily along with other day to day upkeep. "Sundays the course is closed...to rest it and to allow us to do the top-dressing," he says.

Turf Tenders were instrumental - A pair of Dakota 440 Turf Tenders were instrumental in getting ready for the Open. "We used them for moving sand, for getting the bunkers filled, for top-dressing the fairways...we utilize them as much as possible," Adams says. "They've worked out very well and have been a fantastic help to us."

The first of the two Turf Tenders has been at the Old Course for almost a year, with the second, along with a new Dethatcher, arriving in time to be put to use in getting ready for the Open... and for repairing the course after the traffic from those 230,000 spectators, especially in the area where bleacher seating had been set-up for some 21,000 golf fans.

"We were very lucky that it was dry the week of the Open," Adams says. "Most of the damage was minimal and with over-seeding and some timely rains, it recovered very quickly. We were really quite lucky with the weather," he says. "It was the biggest tournament I've ever seen. It's bigger than the Masters, the U.S. Open and the U.S. PGA."

Adams was impressed by both the talent and the character of tournament champion Tiger Woods. "He's a difficult man to get to speak to because, obviously, everybody wants to talk to Tiger Woods. But he spoke to us on the course a couple of times. He was very complimentary of the course. He's an exceptional young man... a fantastic talent. He's probably the best golfer who has ever come along in the world; even overshadowing Nicklaus, I think, in sheer ability, technique and skill. He's second to none. I don't think we'll see anyone else like that again for a long time. He's up there with Mohammed Ali and Michael Jordan when it comes to fame, and he's still only 24 years old."

A "born and bred Andrean (the name for St. Andrews residents)," Adams, 31, joined the course staff in 1985 as an apprentice after having spent three years at the Elmwood Greenskeeping College. His training there involved a combination of "theory," or classroom study, and on-the-course work.

Most famous golf lands in the world -- The five and one-half courses located on 660 acres of land in the St. Andrews complex are the most famous golf lands in the world. Bordered by the ocean and the city of St. Andrews, the historic St. Andrews layout is a municipal golf Mecca. A yearly ticket for the locals is 96 pounds, or about $140 or $150. Proceeds from those annual fees account for only about two percent of the revenues, however. Most of the balance comes from green fees paid by visitors — from the U.S., Japan, England, Ireland and other countries.

Golf was first played on the Links 600 years ago. It still remains public land and is maintained by the St. Andrews Links Trust. From one course, it has grown to become one of the largest golf complexes in Europe. The club has three distinct areas of responsibility: Administration of the rules of golf, running the British Open Championship and other key events; and the operation of the 2,400-member private golf club.

Profits from the Open are used to fund a wide range of projects throughout the world, with an emphasis given to the encouragement and coaching of junior golfers.

Place of pilgrimage -- The web site of St. Andrews Links Trust (www.standrews.org.uk) notes that St. Andrews, located on Scotland's east coast, has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Legend claims that the bones of St. Andrew were brought there from Patras, Greece, by a monk named Regulus in about 390 AD. Historical evidence tends to lean more heavily on the relics arriving in the possession of a bishop fleeing from England almost 400 years later.

Regardless, their presence in St. Andrews brought pilgrims from all parts of the world as St. Andrews became the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrews grew and profited as a result, while also becoming the home of Scotland's first university in 1413. Golf was popular sport even then. It taxed the minds and bodies of the local population so much so that King James II banned the game in 1457 because it was being blamed for a neglect of the archery practice, which was the defense of the country. Scots were allowed back on the golf course in 1502 when the Peace of Glasgow lessened chances of hostilities and when James IV became the first in a long line of keen royal golfers.

St. Andrews Old Course hosts the British Open about every five years, while other courses must wait from six to eight years. The difference is that St. Andrews is unique.

Nothing but the best -- As a result, maintaining the quality of the course is paramount with nothing but the best practices and equipment, Adams says. After receiving the latest Turf Tender 440, he wrote these words to Dakota officials:

"The Turf Tender is excellent and I can confirm that it will be a part of my main work programme from now on. We have had it going steadily since its arrival and all the team seem to be more than impressed.

"The use of sand is synonymous with golf and greenskeeping at the Old Course, St. Andrews. We required a machine that could carry and deliver large amounts to areas throughout the course. After looking at a vast range of material handling units, I decided to choose the Dakota 440 due to its build quality, design and ability to cover undulated terrain. It is now a vital part of our machinery fleet and is used daily on the Old Course."