In December 2022, Wynand Viljoen, a senior greenkeeper at Paarl Golf Club, worked as a volunteer at Victoria Golf Club as they jointly hosted the 2022 ISPS Handa Australian Open, with Kingston Heath Golf Club. As part of a group of around 50 volunteers, Viljoen contributed to the hours of labor required in preparation for the tournament. During the week, Viljoen worked as part of the bunker and devoting teams. He also shadowed Victoria Golf Club assistant Darcy Jones during course setup.
“I was grateful for the opportunity to be part of this momentous occasion,” says Viljoen. “It was hard work, but an amazing learning experience.”
Work started at 04:30 every morning with course set up and preparation until 09:00. Preparations for the next day resumed at 16:00 and continued until 21:00.
Being situated on the Sandbelt of Australia creates its own challenges. Raining conditions and strong winds cause difficulties in maintaining the high standards set for a tournament of this magnitude. A vast emphasis was placed on manicuring and fine detail.
“The importance of attention to detail was reinforced in my mind.”
Victoria Golf Club resurfaced their green complexes five years ago, with a new variety of bent grass called Pure Distinction. This grass is less susceptible to diseases, and more resistant to cold, heat, and stress.
Victoria Golf Club has over a hundred bunkers with high faces. These bunkers were raked daily by hand. Large brooms were used to sweep the bunker faces, while the base was hand raked.
Interesting factor is that tees and fairways are Cynodon grass and gets cut all at the same height. No clear definition is given between tee complexes and fairways.
The Victoria Golf Club places high emphasis on natural areas throughout the course. Areas between tees, bunkers, and fairways are divided by natural grass to allow for a rougher, more natural aesthetic.
“Since my return, I have successfully implemented some of these maintenance practices at Paarl Golf Club. I am very thankful for the knowledge I have gained during my visit.”
