golf club

Bannockburn Golf Club near Geelong in Victoria is in the midst of installing couch grass greens after the club inherited nearly $1 million for the development of the 18-hole golf course from an anonymous benefactor.

The club conducted a strategic study to determine the best way to use the money and it was decided that they would say goodbye to the sand greens that have been in play since the 1970s.

The final putts were hit on those sand greens in July and the volunteers, who have always maintained the golf course, are now lending a hand to new superintendent Dave Johnson as the construction works are underway.

“The golfers are champing at the bit,” he said. “The members are coming out, volunteering and watching it every step of the way. Putting in the new irrigation, all the volunteers have asked if they can help out wherever they can. 

“There’s a bit of buzz around the town. The town is growing and the course is growing with it. The Golden Plains Shire is booming. 

“The whole area is getting big but to play quality golf you kind of have to go through Geelong and out the other side to Barwon Heads, 13th Beach, Curlewis and those sorts of courses. Hopefully we can cater for people who drive past us to go play golf elsewhere. 

“They can feel now that they can also go to Bannockburn.”

Johnson, who previously worked at Barwon Heads Golf Club, 13th Beach Golf Links and Metropolitan Golf Club, began his new role only a week prior to constructions of the new greens beginning.

He admitted it was quite the “baptism of fire” but he is relishing the challenge.

The greens are being constructed according to USGA specifications with 100ml of gravel underneath 300ml of sand at