As we reach the end of another golfing year, I wanted to take the opportunity to look back over 2025 as a whole and reflect on what has been a very challenging, but ultimately rewarding, season for the greenkeeping team at Hunley.
This year will certainly be remembered for the summer drought, which tested the team to the limit, both on the course, but particularly trying to grow in the renovated driving range field.
Weather Overview
The year started exceptionally dry, with February and March seeing very little rain.
April, May and June remained dry, the course played firm and fast and the dry conditions were perfect for golf.
Having reseeded the driving range at the end of March though, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
By the end of August, less than 300 mm of rain had fallen in those 8 months.
September brought a turning point, and November was the wettest month with 173 mm. By year-end, total rainfall was actually above average at 712mm for the year, showing just how extreme 2025’s weather swings were.
Driving Range
Despite the challenging conditions, a lot of positive work was achieved across the course in 2025.
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One of the main highlights was the reopening of the driving range, which followed 8 months extensive renovation work.
It was great to finally get this facility back open and in use, and the success of the work has already become apparent.
During the wet autumn into winter, ball collection has not been hampered in any way, which is huge for us as we can now provide a consistent service all year round. Add to that the fact we now have many hours of freed up labour to devote to other areas.
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The addition of Top Tracer in November has now given us a fantastic facility that we are incredibly proud of.
Years of Infrastructure Improvements Paying Off
January marks 13 years since I joined Hunley and there has been so much achieved in that time.
The Driving range renovation was probably the largest project of any single piece of work, but there have been many.
Years of careful planning, incremental improvement and consistent maintenance practices are now delivering enormous benefits.
Greens Grass Species
Changing the grass species on our greens was a long-term project, taking several years of careful management, with no quick fix available. This process required patience, consistency and at times difficult decisions, as progress is not always immediately visible from one season to the next.
However, the benefits are now clear. The improved grass composition has given us a much stronger foundation, allowing us to provide firmer, truer and more resilient putting surfaces throughout the year.
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In a season that swung from prolonged drought to heavy rainfall, the greens have coped exceptionally well, reinforcing the benefits of this long-term approach.
Rough Grassland Management
Managing the rough grasslands has been another gradual process spanning many years. Improvements in these areas often go unnoticed because they happen incrementally, but 2025 really showcased how effective this approach has been.
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The course now offers clear visual definition, helping frame holes and guide strategy, while still maintaining excellent playability. Balls are easier to find, recovery shots are more achievable, and the overall presentation of the course has improved significantly, all without compromising the character of the landscape.
Bunker Development
Work on the bunkers has focused on refining their style, positioning and relevance within the course design. Rather than simply maintaining what was there, we have looked closely at how bunkers influence strategy but also how practical they are to maintain.
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The result is a bunker layout that better balances challenge, fairness and sustainability. Bunkers now come into play where they should, support decision-making from the tee, and are more consistent in condition, all while reducing unnecessary maintenance demands on the team.
Irrigation Improvements
Irrigation upgrades have placed a significant workload on the team in recent years, particularly during installation and commissioning phases. However, 2025 clearly demonstrated how worthwhile this investment has been.
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Improved coverage, control and efficiency allowed us to better manage turf health during one of the driest summers on record. These upgrades have not only enhanced course conditions but have also delivered important labour savings, freeing up time to focus on detailed work elsewhere on the course.
More is still to be done on the upgrades and early next year we hope to have a new water storage tank installed.
Machinery Investment
Despite limited finances, the club has continued to upgrade machinery over time, prioritising reliability, efficiency and to support our long term strategies.
This commitment will continue, with further machinery investment planned for 2026, as we aim to continue raising standards across the course.
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A new Ventrac machine (pictured above) has been ordered and will arrive ahead of the playing season. This versatile machine will help us improve the teeing grounds and their surroundings, help us maintain some harder to reach parts of the course and reduce labour when carrying out more intricate work.
What More To Expect
All of the above work has led to obvious improvements, but moving forward other more subtle improvements have already and will continue to be possible.
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You may have noticed some little touches over the last year as well as work to assist the golfer. To list a few:
- Benches positioned in new places on the course
- Teeing grounds being enlarged
- Willows removed between Penningtons & Brownies to prevent lost balls
- Visual improvements made such as clearance work by Catersty tee
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Looking Ahead to 2026
2025 has been a year of extremes, but the course has come through it well thanks to the hard work, commitment and professionalism of the greenkeeping team. My particular thanks go to them for their efforts over the last year while I have adjusted to my new role.
I would also like to thank all of you for your patience and continued support, not just throughout this year, but over the many seasons of change and improvement at the club. Whether during periods of extreme weather or while longer-term projects have been underway, that understanding has been greatly appreciated.
We now look forward to building on the progress made and we are very much looking forward to another exciting year ahead.
As always, thank you and all the best for 2026!
Greg Fitzmaurice
General Manager
Onward and Upward! Thank you Green Team. 😁⛳️