Muirfield's Greenkeeper: Expect "Proper" Links
/Martin Dempster profiles Muirfield's home-grown course manager, Colin Irvine, who was educated not at a turf school, but at Muirfield.
From The Scotsman:
Backing up the 12-strong greenkeeping team at Muirfield are some of their colleagues from the other courses on the Open Championship rota, as well as neighbouring venues, and three R&A scholars. Extra equipment worth about £300,000 has also been loaned out by John Deere to cope with the additional cutting demands that come with hosting a major championship.
“While the greenkeeping industry has changed big time over the years, the principles are still the same,” said Irvine. “Everything is mown much more evenly these days and it also costs a lot more money. It costs £30,000-odd for a fairway mower and around £6,000 for a handmower for the greens. But, when you get the right product, it helps you do the best job possible.
I wrote about the current conditions for Golf World Monday and with Monday's strong winds, sun and lack of moisture, the course is getting even firmer and faster!
**I just came in from an early evening look around and the course is really baking out, the greens are picking up considerable speed and if there is any wind at all this will be an incredibly demanding test.
