Pittwater Life September 2017 Issue

News
Private golf
designs are a
hole lot of fun
Pittwater boasts some of
the finest members-only
golf courses in Sydney – but
the region is also witnessing
a growing trend in private
golf holes maintained with
meticulous care on large-acre
properties.
It’s both the ideal
compromise if you can’t spare
five hours to play 18 holes –
and the prefect addition for
golf-mad home owners.
The smattering of custombuilt
‘backyard’ holes use
the best turf, practices and
standards.
Local turf care specialist
Liam Ash has overseen
maintenance of a few holes
(locations withheld for
privacy reasons) since 2015.
One is a downhill par-3
built by two construction
professionals in 2010; it
measures 105 metres with
four tee boxes and comprises
the finest quality Santa Ana
couch on its fairway, plus poabent
greens that are closely
mown and rolled to run
extremely fast.
“It is like managing any
hole on a regular golf course,”
says Liam, who was assistant
superintendent at Monash
Country Club prior to starting
his business, Platinum Turf
Solutions.
“There is a fleet of
equipment that was purchased
for the maintenance of
the green, tee, fairway and
surrounding areas. We deal
with the same pressures of
pests and diseases that all fine
turf growers do, which means
that in summer we have staff
here every day.
“This place is tournamentready
every day,” he
continued. “In summer, we
do around 10 hours a week,
dropping in winter to around
6-7. There is also a lot of
garden maintenance.”
16 SEPTEMBER 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991