A Touch of Grange for a Gem by the Sea

BY MICHAEL PASCOE, GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT, NOOSA GOLF CLUB

The Noosa Golf Club is truly a hidden gem by the sea. The venue’s lush setting is stretched over acres of grassy land and is surrounded by beautiful Australian bushland. Tewantin Noosa Golf Club was established in 1937 firstly as a 9-hole golf course, then to a 12-hole course before finally becoming an 18-hole golf course. It has since undergone major changes and upgrades which has served the course well over those years.

In 2020 Richard Chamberlain was commissioned to produce a Master Plan for Noosa Golf Club. With strong bones the layout of the course did not need to be touched. Many of the current greens were in the 200-350m2 range registering well under a desired 1-hectare size. Tees were also a little on the small size measuring just over 5,000m2. With 75-80,000 rounds per year, we needed two grass types that would produce superior playing surfaces but would also stand up to the wear and tear of that number of rounds, with shade also a huge factor.

A major reason for me coming back to Australia was to be a part of something special and something that I could sink my teeth into, Noosa’s Master Plan ticked all the boxes for me. After arriving back in Australia in April 2021 there was a lot to accomplish on the course first to bring it back to a standard that the membership could be proud of. Coming in at the start of winter was not ideal but challenge accepted, we as a crew went about bringing the course back into shape starting with playing surfaces. In just a few months being at Noosa I started to get a real feel for the issues that would influence my decision on the grasses we would choose. We needed to be put back on the map, a standout from the other golf courses not only in the area but in the state. We needed to find a way to do this and still stay true to our layout and natural bushland setting. For me the choice was easy, I was lucky enough to have been using Sir Grange Zoysia (or Zeon Zoysia as it is registered overseas) for the last two years on a turf farm where it was harvested and grown on a turf paddock over 14-hectares. With Sir Grange also growing at Hoiana Shores Golf Course a Robert Trent Jones 2 design, I knew the capabilities and the growing habits of this sustainable grass and knew it would fit in perfectly here at Noosa.

The factors that led me to choose Sir Grange Zoysia included its sustainability through low pesticide requirements, less mowing, drought tolerance and versatility. Another big factor for golf is how well the grass presents, including its playability. We have an ageing membership and with the Sir Grange helping the ball sit up it allows the high handicapper to chip or putt but also provides the mid to lower handicapper a variety of shots that can be played. Tif Eagle was the greens grass of choice and the club went about putting in a 20th hole so that we could start with the Master Plan with two holes per year being constructed. The first test for the Sir Grange was passed with flying colours. The membership was sceptical at first but when they saw the colour and how the ball sat up, many hearts were won. I knew the path was paved for Sir Grange to become the grass of choice on our tees and green surrounds going forward.

In November 2021, Atlas Golf Services won the tender to start our Master Plan on the golf course beginning on our 12th hole then followed by the 5th, both are par 3’s next to each other so that was a main factor in selecting where we would start. With relatively short par 3’s, the 12th being 130m and the 5th 137m, I felt we could really make a statement with Sir Grange. The 12th was completed before Australia Day with the first Zoysia being laid by Lawn Solutions Australia Member Daleys Turf, who I cannot speak more highly of in their professionalism and quality of turf. Owner Terry Daley and his team delivered above expectations, laying close to 2,000m2 of turf, mowed at 8mm for delivery in a day and a half. All turf was cut in using diamond battery powered hand grinders.

Atlas Golf turned their attention to the 5th hole straight away and during this time we encountered 722mm of rain in 4 days, washing out completely a third of our new 5th green.

The 5th reconstruction was a true test for Atlas Golf and I could not thank Jim and the team enough for their professionalism, patience, and expertise in restoring all the hard work that they had just put into the 5th green to rebuild and have it ready for turfing. Twin View turf, another Lawn Solutions Australia Member was contracted to lay the 5th hole and Project Manager Trent Hobson was fantastic in managing what turned out to be a tricky install. 5 weeks behind schedule and with the concrete pathing now put in, the hole can now grow in and take shape.

Looking back on the last 5 months it has been a rewarding, educating, and fulfilling construction process. Some lessons learnt and we are now well under way into Noosa GC’s Master Plan with schedule works for the next two holes to be under construction in September this year. Our membership is very eager to play our new 12th hole which will be opened ahead of the original schedule. The 5th hole will require a little longer but is now progressing nicely for an opening later this year.

All of this could not have happened without the brave and bold committee of Noosa Golf Club who stepped out of their comfort zone and realised the course needed to

be upgraded for the future. Being able to go with a new grass such as Sir Grange Zoysia is a bold move and one that will reward not only the club in its many positive attributes and sustainability but also for the membership who will get to play on a superior playing surface that will only get better with age.