GCM

NOVEMBER 2008

The
Business

Volume 4 • Issue 11
Magazine
for the Golf Industry
Golf Club Management Visit www.compleatgolfer.co.za for back issues of GCM

Durban
COUNTRY Club
PRESERVING A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT
Also in this issue
■ Improving communication skills
■ Equipment feature – Toro Workman
■ Club profile – Langebaan Country Estate
■ Manager of the month
■ What exactly is AgriCOTE?
■ Leave and payment for holidays – employees’ rights
■ Inorganic and natural fertilisation
■ PGA SA’s new study
■ Designer profile – Mark Muller

brought to you by
 EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTENTS
Lead Story
Durban Country Club 4

HR Development
Human resource development 9

from
turf maintenance
Turf management – the irrigation system 13

Club Profile

the editor
Langebaan Country Estate 14

Manager of the Month

George Golf Club’s Lloyd Martindale 17

Technology
AgriCOTE explained 18 Environmental awareness is one of the
HR Legal
hottest topics in the business, and golf
Holidays – employees’ rights 21 clubs should give serious attention
Turfgrass Management to cleaning up their act.
Inorganic and natural fertilisers 22

PGA News
A new survey 25
Course Designer
Mark Muller 27
Birdies and Bogeys
Snippets 29
Cover Picture:
The historic clubhouse at Durban Country Club
– recently revamped at a cost of R57 million.
More than just bunny-hugging
The theme of this month’s issue is environ-
mental awareness – a somewhat prickly
issue. Most people in the golf business are
well aware of the fact that golf clubs are in a
vulnerable position. The game is still seen by
many in government as being elitist, despite
efforts to change this perception. The whole
environmental issue has become something
of a political ‘hot potato’ amid claims and
counter-claims of
corruption, and it seems Golf courses are in for torrid
their tails, but they have achieved some small
victories against those who have blatantly
flaunted the law. The Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry could turn nasty, and we
all know just how important the water issue
is, and most golf courses are hardly blameless
when it comes to squandering this precious
resource. So what should clubs do?
The first step is to formulate a long-term
plan, and there is no shortage of environ-
mental experts that
can assist clubs in

■ Editorial
that some environ-
time when legislation is even- working towards
John Botha mental impact studies becoming ‘green’.
email: bogeyfree@mweb.co.za have more to do with tually passed that will tighten Nobody is sugges-
cell: 082 498 7380 who knows who (or up on environmental issues, ting that a team with
■ AdvertisinG perhaps who paid who) chainsaws should rush
Simon Turck (PUBLISHER) than the real issues.
and common sense would out and remove every
email: simon@rsp.co.za
cell: 083 252 8387
The point is, golf suggest that clubs should exotic tree, or that the
courses are in for torrid use of chemicals be
■ AdvertisinG
seen to be leading the way
time when legislation suddenly banned. But
TYRON MARTIN (ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE)
email: tyronm@rsp.co.za is eventually passed rather than ducking the issue. many courses would
cell: 083 235 7509 that will tighten up on do well to learn from
■ Advertising environmental issues, and common sense those who have committed to becoming more
James Ferrans (National Sales Manager) would suggest that clubs should seen to be environmentally friendly. Royal Johannesburg
email: jamesf@rsp.co.za leading the way rather than ducking the issue. and Kensington took the lead in achieving
cell: 084 252 6373
Of course common sense has little to do with Audubon certification, and besides doing the
■ SUBSCRIBE to GCM the way in which certain environmentally right thing, the course has benefitted greatly
Natalie Shekleton
tel: 011 301 4448 unfriendly practices are ignored, and mining, from the establishment of wetlands, among
email: natalies@rsp.co.za industry and agriculture have a lot to answer other initiatives. Durban Country Club, fea-
To request your complimentary subscription to GCM, simply for. But it has been made very clear that as tured in this issue, also takes its environmen-
SMS ‘GCM and your name’ to 35172 (SMS costs R3) or large employers and generators of substantial tal responsibility very seriously, and so should
contact Natalie Shekleton on 011 301 4448.
revenue, nobody within the corridors of power every club. You can’t say we didn’t warn you.
Visit our website www.compleatgolfer.co.za is likely to pressure them into changing their
ways any time soon. Golf courses, however,
are a soft target and are likely to be the first in
A monthly business-to-
business magazine the firing line.
brought to you by It is not known whether the Green
Scorpions will ever have any real stings in

Golf Club Management November 2008 3

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Durban Country Club

preserving a unique environment
The extensive revamp of Durban Country Club’s famous clubhouse has recently been a major topic of
conversation in the industry, but less publicised is the tireless efforts of the club’s conservation and
environment committee. John Botha investigates.
More than a few golf courses, particularly the critical role to play in the overall ecosystem. back to Your Garden and Bring Butterflies
older, truly classic layouts, find themselves One such club is DCC, and other clubs would back to your Garden)
in a rather invidious position. In order for do well to take note of the excellent work Chris Dalzell (curator of the Durban Botani-
them to embrace the spirit of environmental being done to preserve what is a unique cal Gardens)
friendliness, some tough decisions have to be environment. Dave Henry (conservationist)
made, often in the face of strong opposition. “Durban Country Club has had an ex- Jon Buzzard (conservationist)
The policy of certain clubs has been tremely active conservation and environment Rob Jamieson (conservationist and specialist
to simply ignore what in some cases are committee for well over 20 years. With the in alien plant eradication)
environmental disasters. Be these related change in the organisation’s structure from
to rampant soil erosion, the encroachment that of a traditional committee and general The committee is charged with:
of alien and invasive plant species, poor manager to a board of governors and a CEO, ■ P olicy matters
chemical control and the irresponsible use implemented at the commencement of the ■ T he monitoring and removal of all alien
of water. Other clubs may pay lip service renaissance strategy in 2004, the role of the and exotic plant material
to environmental issues, but often a rather committee was formalised to ensure continu- ■ I ndigenous planting programmes
half-hearted effort is made in trying to rectify ity,” says William Dixon, DCC’s chairman. ■ C are of the dams and the Beachwood
mistakes made in the past. In truth, the mangrove swamps
anti-golf course lobby has no shortage of The present committee is made up of: ■ B ush clearing
ammunition, and although legislation relating William Dixon, Chairman (who is also ■ T he clubhouse gardens
to best environmental practices seems to be club chairman) ■ M ember communications
a moveable feast at present, this situation is Charles Botha (co-author of Bring Nature
destined to change in the near future, and
the golf industry had better be ready for it.
Perhaps the biggest single mistake made
by greens committees is to believe that in the
misguided quest for their course to be ‘mani-
cured and neat’, their course superintendent
should hitch up his mowers and cut back
any natural growth – resulting in the ‘green
desert syndrome’ evident at many parkland
courses. Worse still is the diabolical practice
of actually planting species that simply do
not belong, under the guise of ‘beautification
programmes’. The modern trend is for golf
courses to look as natural as possible, and
not like exhibits at the Chelsea Flower Show.
The aim should be to preserve and encourage
as much indigenous vegetation as possible,
and to create natural habitats for birds
and animals.
It is encouraging to see more courses
adopting a sensible policy; those that under- The verdant vegetation of the Beachwood mangrove – DCC’s environmental and conservation
stand that the endemic fauna and flora of committee is determined to preserve this sensitive eco-system.
their region not only belong, but have a

4 November 2008 Golf Club Management

 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

“Our policy is to plant only local indig-
enous plant material. This policy is being
observed in the landscaping around both
clubhouses. The country club gardens are
presently being landscaped at a cost of
R500 000 as part of the renaissance plan
and will be totally local indigenous,” says
Dixon. “We have also, as a matter of policy,
aligned ourselves with NGOs involved in
the environment and are members of the
Botanical Society, Birdlife Africa and the
Wildlife Society. We are also considering
declaring both our sites as Conservancies
and Sites of Conservation Significance. We
have also provided support for the Umgeni
River Conservancy initiative.”
The club has had two major projects for
2008, the first being the planting of 150
coastal milkwood trees at Beachwood which
is famous for this species, and which forms
part of an overall restoration programme.
The other is the removal of all alien trees
and shrubs at the halfway house and the
replanting and regressing of this area. This is
G o l f pbeing
e o co-sponsored
p l e _ a d by _ bone
i g
of .Durban
p d f Country
Pa ge
97 Golfpeople Dale Hayes ad 8/27/08 1:33 AM Page 4 work
Club’s golfing groups, the Early Birds.
Last year the entrance to Beachwood was
planted with more than 250 shrubs which
will provide a spectacular entrance to this
course once the plants have matured. The
club’s on-going projects include the restora-
tion of the Beachwood mangrove swamps
(a major undertaking – see the Jon Buzzard
report on page 7) and the removal of casua-
rina trees. “We still have over 1 500 of them
to remove despite having taken out approxi-
mately 500 trees over the past 10 years,”
says Dixon.
“Despite having had a strong environ-
mental management programme for many
years, our success to date has revolved
around physical issues rather than recording
The instantly recognisable clubhouse of SA’s finest classic golf course. Less publicised is the
1 8done/ 2by8 the
/ 0club’s
8 , conservation
1 1 : 4 6andAenvironmental
M
C M Y CM MY
our impact on the environment. This will be
tackled in 2009 with the development of a
formal management plan, probably with the
assistance of the Audubon Society,” says
Dixon. (At present Royal Johannesburg and
Kensington is the only South African golf
club that has been certified as an Audubon
Cooperative Sanctuary.)
Both the classic Durban Country Club
layout and its sister course Beachwood
are superb examples of pristine real estate
that has managed to survive the ravages of
development. Both are irreplaceable assets
that will hopefully be enjoyed by golfers
for generations to come. It is clear that the
futures of these courses are in good hands. ■
committee.
CY CMY K
 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Endangered Beachwood mangroves

– in search of a solution
The Beachwood course is famous for its mangrove forest, but this sensitive ecosystem is in danger after its
life-giving supply of seawater has been cut off.

Mangrove forests represent one of nature’s

most unique ecosystems. Found in tropical
and subtropical tidal areas, these unique
areas, which include estuaries and marine
shorelines, are home to a myriad species
especially adapted to both fresh and saline
water. Mangrove areas protect the shoreline
against erosion and surge storms, and by
slowing down tidal water, the plant species
collect sediments that are deposited, and
effectively build their own environment. Taken in 1931, this photo shows the mouth
Beachwood’s famous mangroves are of the Umgeni River with a large estuary-like
clearly in danger due to dams that have been body of water stretching northwards.
constructed on the Umgeni River and other
development, including the M4 highway. In 1981 the construction M4 highway had
By impeding the flow of the Umgeni River been completed and dams built on the
silt deposits have built up in the area and Umgeni had severely restricted the river’s
sea water, which previously fed a large area flow. The massive silt loading into the sea
where the mangrove forest flourished, has can be seen.
been prevented from feeding what was a large
estuary-like body. Jon Buzzard, a member
of Durban Country Club’s conservation and
environmental committee has sourced several
interesting aerial photographs dating from
1931, which clearly show how the area has
changed over the years – with the river and
adjoining mangrove forests being degraded. By 1961 the area had changed and the A photo taken last year shows the river
The earlier photographs show how much encroachment of reeds into the mangrove mouth and mangrove area – now being
wider the mouth of the Umgeni was, with no area can be seen. starved of its life-giving salt water.
evidence of sand banks in the river or silting
in the estuary. At this time vast amounts of
water could flow in and out with the tide – to a small stream which now peters out
the lifeblood of the mangrove ecosystem. after a few hundred metres. The bad news
The next set of photographs, taken some is that the mangrove as intended by nature
30 years later, show that the estuary had re- would seem to be doomed, but the conserva-
treated towards the river mouth and the en- tion and environmental committee at DCC
croachment of reeds had occurred within the is determined to find a solution. Moving
mangrove area. By the time the 1981 photo- thousands of tons of sand and silt that has
graphs had been taken, the M4 highway had built up over the years would be one possibil-
been completed and more major dams had ity, albeit at an astronomical cost. Another
been built on the Umgeni, restricting water school of thought might be to support the
From left to right: Kim Millican (Beachwood flow. Soon after, catastrophic floods built up idea of converting the area into a freshwater
course superintendent), William Dixon large sand banks on the northern shore of wetland. Aqua science suggests that many
(club chairman), Jon Buzzard and Dave the river. plant and animal species found in mangrove
Henry, discussing environmental matters By the time the most recent photographs regions would adapt to freshwater conditions.
at Beachwood. were taken in April this year, the estuarine The debate continues. The good news is that
area was long gone, having been reduced this conundrum is not being ignored. ■

Golf Club Management November 2008 7

 E ER E G O L F
JOHN D C H
R F L A U N
& TU

The John Deere Golf & Turf launch took place on the 16th of September ing this the guests returned to the John Deere head office for a fantastic
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HR DEVELOPMENT
Human Resource Development
Poor communication lies at the root of many relationship problems, especially at work. Andrew Wilson of GCM
identifies seven areas to concentrate on in order to improve your communication skills.
Looking back on my life, I often find myself
saying that I wish I had paid greater heed to
the advice and guidance given to me by my
elders and betters, especially in my formative
years. The problem was that I didn’t relate to
the way in which they were communicating.
They didn’t switch me on. The same can be
said for many situations in the work place.
Very often things go wrong because members
of the team are not connecting. I have identi-
fied a checklist of seven areas to concentrate
on in order to improve your success rate
when communicating.
Get to know yourself
Before you can start relating to others, you
need to know yourself. Spend time learn-
ing about and analysing your own beliefs
and opinions. What are your strengths and
weaknesses? How do you come across to
others? Which methods of communication do
you feel comfortable with and which do you
tend to avoid? What do you need to learn or
change in yourself in order to improve your
communication style and methods?
Talk a common language
Talk at a level and use words that the receiver
can relate to and understand. Identifying the
things that you have in common can go a long
way towards raising interest. For example,
if the people you are communicating with
are soccer fanatics, use soccer analogies to
explain your messages. If you are wanting to
improve their team work get them to identify
their favourite soccer team and then ask
them to list why they believe that that team is
more popular and successful than others. The
points that they come up with can then be
related back to their own team dynamics.
Develop the art of
listening
As Stephen Covey wrote in his book The 7
habits of Highly Successful People, seek first
to understand and then be understood. It is
very often difficult to ‘hold back’ in a conver-
sation, especially when you have strong views
or opinions. The more you can learn from the
other party though, the more you will be able
12 November 2008 Golf Club Management
to relate your message to their circumstanc-
es. You must genuinely want to listen and be
prepared to hide your feelings and emotions
during this period. The more positive and
encouraging you are, the more you will learn.
Timing is critical
The environment and context in which
you communicate is critical. As the name
implies, the recipient has to be receptive.
Ensure that you choose a time when the
recipient is open to listening and learning.
It is no good trying to teach a team member
a new procedure or policy when they are
up against a deadline to finalise the annual
accounts. The more you know about your
team members’ customs, pressures, beliefs,
likes and dislikes, the more you will be able
to time your communications appropriately.
Some people are better in the mornings and
some in the afternoons. It may sound simple,
but it is important to know these things.
Walk the talk
We are talking about honesty here. It is no
good expecting one thing of your team mem-
bers while you do exactly the opposite. For
example, if you say that your door is always
open, don’t then demand that people make
an appointment to see you through your PA.
If you state that the staff at your club are
your most important asset, make them feel so
when you are communicating with them. If
it is a one-on-one meeting, make that person
feel that he/she is the most important person
in your life at that point in time. Focus on
him/her, maintain eye contact and show that
you are genuinely interested in what he/she
feels and has to say.
Encourage two-way
dialogue
You need to make sure that your message has
been understood and accepted in the way
that you intended. This can only be achieved
through encouraging feedback, asking the
right questions and employing the appropri-
ate body language. It is no good asking a
closed-ended question such as, “Have you
understood what I have said?” If the person
answers yes, you will be none the wiser.
Instead, it would be better to ask a ques-
tion such as, “Please explain to me what
you have understood from what I have said
and how it will affect you.” Body language
to encourage two-way dialogue is a topic in
itself. Suffice to say that the more relaxed
and calm your body language, the more the
other person will feel able to
communicate openly and honestly with you.
The formula for successful relationships is
built on the two pillars of trust and respect.
A major component of the formula is com-
munication. Hopefully the above seven focus
areas will assist you and your team members
to communicate more effectively. ■
■ F
 or more information on human resource
issues contact Andrew Wilson at
consultaew@iafrica.com
LABOUR PAINS
Time off for antenatal
appointments
All pregnant employees are entitled to
paid time off to attend antenatal ap-
pointments. Time off for antenatal care
should be paid at the employee’s normal
rate of pay.
Antenatal care may include relaxation
and parent-craft classes (on the advice of a
healthcare professional) as well as medical
examinations related to the pregnancy. The
entitlement to paid time off for antenatal
appointments applies regardless of the
employee’s length of service.
On the other hand, fathers do not
have a legal right to time off to accom-
pany their partners to antenatal appoint-
ments, as this applies only to pregnant
employees. However, many employers do
allow their male employees time off work
– paid or unpaid – in order to attend
antenatal appointments. The government
encourages this wherever it is practicable
for both employer and employee.

Your irrigation system
– the heart of your golf course
Turftek’s Murray Veitch explains why a golf course’s irrigation system is so important and encourages the
management and committees of clubs to give careful consideration to this critical function.
Ask any greenkeeper what his most important
piece of equipment is and I’m sure he will
say that it is his irrigation system.
Without water it is impossible to grow and
maintain decent turf grass. There are so many
golf courses where the irrigation system is
not adequate to grow quality turfgrass. When
there is money to spend on upgrades the ir-
rigation system is often sadly overlooked.
With the availability of water becoming
more of a concern it is imperative that water
on the golf course be used efficiently. This
is only possible if the irrigation system is
effective. The greenkeeper is also responsible
to ensure that his irrigation practices are
efficient.
Every golf course has areas which require
different amounts of water. Different soil
types hold onto water more strongly than
others. For example, a clay soil will have
different water requirements to a sandy soil.
Fairways will require a different watering
programme to greens. It is possible to water
a golf course efficiently using old technol-
ogy, but it just means that the greenkeeper’s
watering programme will have to be more
hands on. Using new technology, computer-
controlled systems allow for the fine-tuning
of watering programmes and precious water
can be used sparingly. This technology may
be expensive, but whatever the cost this
investment is worth every cent.
When you do an assessment of your golf
course’s irrigation systems the following
factors should be considered:
1. Sprinklers should throw head-to-head.
Head-to-head coverage is a result of
correct sprinkler spacing, nozzle perform-
ance, correct number of sprinklers on
stations, correct pipe sizes and pump
operating pressures and flow rates. So
often sprinklers get added onto an exist-
ing system thereby overloading it, which
causes a drop in pressure resulting in
poor sprinkler efficiency.
2. The pressure that the pumps supply
must be sufficient in order for the sprin-
klers to operate in such a manor so as
to produce a uniform rain curtain. This
is called the atomisation ability of the
sprinkler and it should be consistent the
whole spray length. Sprinklers that are
not operating efficiently will contribute
to patchy growth of the turf.
3. In order to operate at decent pressures
the pumping system must be in good
working order. There are so many pump
houses which are never maintained
which results in consistent pump failure.
4. A lot of old courses still have piping
which is rotting in the ground. It becomes
very difficult to repair this type of piping.
Quite often the leaks don’t get fixed
because there are no parts available.
5. Sprinklers have a life span. It is the
greenkeeper’s job to continuously
check for broken sprinklers and to
replace them.
6. The irrigation water storage capacity
needs to be ascertained. It makes no
sense to have a fancy irrigation system
A well-designed, properly functioning irrigation system is a critical yet often neglected when a
club’s budgeting is done.
Golf Club Management
TURF MAINTENANCE
but not enough water operate it effec-
tively. During summer months some golf
course can use upwards of two million
litres of irrigation water per day.
Why is it important to
have a decent irrigation
system?
1. It helps prevent turf growth restriction.
Some grasses such as bent strains have
a high demand for water during the
stressful hot months.
2. Prevents the death of the turfgrass during
drought conditions.
3. A good turf grass colour is maintained
more consistently due to sufficient
moisture in the soils.
4. Disease may result from turf being put
under severe stress due to a lack of water.
5. Irrigation helps to wash out any salt build-
up in the soil, as long as the irrigation
water being used is of a decent quality.
When deciding what needs to be upgraded at
the golf course, the irrigation system should
be the first thing considered if a well mani-
cured golf course is to be achieved. ■
November 2008 13
CLUB PROFILE
A West Coast winner
The new 18-hole golf course at Langebaan Country Estate opened in September 2007. A year down the line,
what have been the lessons learnt and what challenges lie ahead? Andrew Wilson investigates.
Just over an hour’s drive from the centre of
Cape Town lies the tranquil lagoon resort of
Langebaan. We visited Langebaan Country
Golf and Leisure Estate in early September
last year while Cape Town was being lashed
by one of the worst winter storms of the last
seven years. Chatting to Andre Hefer, its club
manager and Klaasie van Eyssen, its green-
keeper, we might have been on a different
continent. The sun was shining, the flowers
were out and the temperature was up in the
high teens. We weren’t there just to escape
the Cape of Storms however – we wanted to
find out how Langebaan Country Estate had
coped during its first year of operations. What
were the lessons learnt and what challenges
lie ahead?
Ichak Adizes, in his book Corporate Life-
cycles: how organisations grow and die and
what to do about it describes 10 phases in
the lifespan of a business. The book is great
reading and I would recommend it to anyone
battling with a growing or aging business.
The opening phase of starting a new business
venture he calls the courtship phase, and the
post-launch phase he calls infancy. For our
The Langebaan Country Estate clubhouse at night.
14 November 2008 Golf Club Management
purposes let’s concentrate on these first two
stages of the lifecycle.
Before Langebaan Country Estate opened
its new 18-hole Gary Player Black Knight-
designed course in September of last year
it was in the courtship phase. The possibili-
ties were endless; the thrill and excitement
of breaking new ground created endless
adrenaline rushes and no challenges proved
insurmountable. The only major trade-off
was the timing of the opening. It would have
been great if they could have waited until
the resort was 100-percent ready, but from
a financially expedient point of view they
needed feet through the clubhouse door. The
opening ceremonies were testament to the
hard work that had been put in to the venture
and launched the new Langebaan Country
Estate on the road to reality.
No sooner had the last hangovers from the
celebrations become distant memories, the
management team were faced with the reality
that they had a new infant on their hands;
one that had to be fed regularly (cash flow),
nurtured (the course and clubhouse don’t
look after themselves) and prioritised (you
don’t have the resources to do everything so
you have to focus on what is most important
for the infant’s health).
During the first year the biggest challenge
has been to entice visitors onto the course,
especially during the week. Weekends are
fairly busy and account for most of the
17 500 rounds played during the first year
on the revamped course. The target for the
coming year is 25 000 rounds, so market-
ing is a major priority. Andre Hefer is a keen
golfer and a real people’s person, so you are
sure of a warm and enthusiastic welcome.
He realises that this number of rounds
can’t be achieved with the current member-
ship base of just over 500 (who also have
reciprocity with Durbanville GC, Mossel Bay
GC and Irene CC) so he is going all out to tap
into the visitor, corporate and tour markets.
This task should become easier with the
imminent launch of 40 self-catering luxury
apartments at Ellefsen Village within
Langebaan Country Estate.
Recently the estate hosted the Rooibos
Ladies Provincial tournament comprising
over 120 women and there was not one
 CLUB PROFILE

complaint! As a matter of fact, the general
consensus was that they had had a ball.
The club has introduced the popular
sundowner competition on Fridays consisting
of nine holes of golf followed by drinks and
pizzas. The Sunday roasts have also proved to
be a major success. It has also put together
affordable mid-week packages combining
golf and accommodation which are promoted
locally and overseas. Prospective customers
can check out the latest bargain offers on the
club’s website www.langebaanestate.co.za.
While all this marketing activity was going
on, Klaasie van Eyssen was having to nurture
the course with a staff complement of 20
and costs such as fuel and fertiliser that es-
calated by over 100 percent during the past
year. In spite of this he managed to come
within budget. Water availability and quality
has always been a problem in the Langebaan
area, but Klaasie has access to an inflow of
1.4 million litres of treated effluent water
per night against a weekly usage of
approximately six million litres.
An on-going challenge is to keep the
wayward golfers out of the fynbos in search
of their balls. Just as at Atlantic Beach
down the coast, Langebaan Country Estate
is trying to re-introduce the natural fynbos
wherever possible.
So what of the future? Craig Scott, CEO
of the estate, has a host of plans on the
drawing board, but also realises that the
estate is in its infancy stage and you have
to learn to walk before you can run! Craig is
upbeat about the future of the estate, which
is evidenced by the considerable amount of
construction taking place there. There are
plans for an 18-hole mashie course next
year which will help considerably with the
club’s academy and school development
programmes. Approval has been given for a
hotel development and enlarging the confer-
ence facilities. The club is in the final stages
of planning a retirement village, a gym and
more tennis courts. Add to this the fact that
just over 800 stands and apartments have
been sold out of a possible 3 000 and you
get an idea of the up-side potential for the
development as a whole.
What would Craig have liked ‘more of’ at
the time of opening? Probably top of the pri-
ority list would have been greater conference
facilities and more accommodation.
The whole project is still very much work
in progress. The area around the halfway
house and pro shop tends to get congested
with carts, golfers and golf bags. The
entrance hall is a bit cold and clinical, but
Andre and his team are well aware of these
shortcomings and what is lacking in finesse
is made up for in enthusiasm and warmth. ■
■ For more information on Langebaan Country
Estate contact Andre Hefer the club manager
on 022 772 2460 or at clubmanager@
langebaanestate.co.za or visit the website
www.langebaanestate.co.za

Golf fees at
Langebaan
Country Estate
Full member men R1 900
Prepaid members R3 380
Full member men 60+ R1 650
Full member ladies R1 650
Country member R1 000
Five-day affiliated R1 200
Junior member R500
Prepaid juniors R1 300
Handicap card R275
Lost card R100

Greenfees (18 holes)

Members R65
Affiliated R170
Non-affiliated R270
Junior members R20
Affiliated junior R30

Golf carts
Members R130
Non-members R160 Langebaan Country Estate with the lagoon in the background.

Golf Club Management November 2008 15


Lloyd Martindale
general manager, George Golf Club
George Golf Club is one of South Africa’s favourites – a classic layout that is a true member’s facility and
enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year. Robin de Kock spoke to the man at the helm.
‘Born in Hoylake’ is a good enough reason
for anyone to enjoy a career in golf, but not
many could have embarked on it in such
an unusual way as did Lloyd Martindale.
Already a fine young amateur golfer, he
studied sports management in Portsmouth
and on graduating, met up with a South
African, Gerrie Pretorius. The latter had just
taken delivery of a 1942 vintage wooden-hull
55-foot yacht on behalf of his father and per-
suaded Lloyd to join him in sailing it to Cape
Town. Nothing daunted, our intrepid novice
mariner sailed forth on his maiden – and to
date only – voyage, arriving on 4 July 1994
in Table Bay!
Once in South Africa he was able to
enter the golf world via a job at the newly
opened Pro Shop in Rosebank. A move to the
Goldfields Branch followed and from there
he joined the Goldfieds West Golf Club as
manager, followed by a stint at Maccauvlei in
the same capacity.
January 2005 saw Lloyd take up his
present position as general manager of George
Golf Club, just in time to assist in prepara-
tions for the club’s centenary in 2006.
He finds himself now in the unusual
position of managing a highly regarded
traditional golf club, surrounded on all sides
by an ever increasing number of modern golf
estates and resorts whose budgets bring tears
to his eyes!
He considers his function as helping the
club to attain the height at which the bar
has been raised by those around and to try
to match it wherever possible, without it af-
fecting the ethos and character of the grand
old colonel that is George Golf Club. This is
quite a challenge as visitors, who represent
40 percent of the 45 000 rounds played per
year, inevitably compare facilities, both on
and off the course with his neighbours, while
the loyal members are naturally loathe to
Lloyd Martindale – a traditional manager
adopting modern principles.
alter much of what they know and love. Any
changes need to be made with their views
strongly in mind, and the gradual programme
of raising some of the tees to provide better
drainage and to improve definition is one
such example. The introduction of a few
strategic fairway bunkers has also been met
with approval and future plans along similar
lines include completing the irrigation sys-
tem to cover the entire course and improving
the cart paths where necessary.
A new 30-year lease has given the club
security for the foreseeable future and, like
so many of our older clubs, the committee-
driven format may soon give way to a
management board.
But for now, Lloyd’s job is to look after
one of the real jewels of our local golfing
lore. One look at the honours boards and the
veritable galaxy of golfing characters whose
pictures adorn the clubhouse walls is enough
Golf Club Management
MANAGER OF THE MONTH
to make one realise that his Hoylake forefa-
thers must be smiling at the knowledge that
he is involved in maintaining such a proud
golfing tradition. This heritage is kept alive
by some 1 350 members who between them
enjoy regularly full fields on Wednesdays and
Saturdays, unlike many other courses
at present.
Just to show that he really is part of the
local scene, Lloyd is also a master of potjie
and the day before we met he had just
looked after over 100 hungry youngsters who
had gathered for a junior tournament – not
bad for a deckhand turned club manager!
Lloyd describes his management style
as being traditional but very much in touch
with modern business practice. “I may be
viewed as a ‘no-nonsense’ person by my
staff, but I’m proud of the fact that we are
obviously doing things properly,” he says.
“The fact that we do the sort of number of
rounds that we do, tells me that we have the
right formula.”
“Particularly gratifying is the response to
our friendly welcome to visitors, who never
fail to return,” says Lloyd, who points out
that this club has a waiting list for member-
ship that has 300 names on it, a luxury
few clubs enjoy. “Still, as all the staff here
know, we never rest on our laurels, and we
constantly review our performance with a
view to improving – on the course and in the
clubhouse,” he says.
As for the planned change from a
committee-run club to having a manage-
ment board, Lloyd welcomes the decision.
“This is the way to go – this is a multi-mil-
lion-rand business, and in terms of having
a clear strategy and continuity, this is the
way forward,” he says. It is clear that Lloyd
Martindale loves his work, and his enthusi-
asm rubs off on his staff – part of George’s
recipe for success. ■
November 2008 17
TECHNOLOGY

What exactly is AgriCOTE?

Lucas Swart of Advance Seed explains the revolutionary process of coating seeds that not only makes
economical sense, but results in more desirable results.
The successful establishment of turf depends Seed coating materials Nutrients: Macro- and micro-nutrients as well
on various inter-related actions being per- can include the as trace elements are added to the coating
formed correctly. Not least of these aspects following: and are readily available as nutrition for the
is the successful seeding of the particular Lime: Which creates a favourable germinating developing seedling.
turfgrass. Two of the most important factors micro-environment for the seed by adjust-
involved in the establishing of seed are the ing the pH level in the micro-climate of the Growth stimulants and inoculants: These are
actual placement of the seed and the developing seedling. Its main purpose though added in order to aid in the breaking of seed
establishment rate of the seed. is to act as the carrier for other additives. dormancy and seedling development. Inocu-
The sowing process can be directly affected lants can also be introduced to improve the
by the properties of the seed sown, ie should Fungicides and insecticides: These are applied natural soil processes.
the seed be particularly small and light it can as required against pests and pathogens, ie
easily be washed away by water or be blown ants, pythium and phytophtora. In the case Benefits of using seed
away by the wind. The accurate placement of of turfgrass seed, systemic fungicides are ■ Better seed-to-soil contact
the seed at the desired rate also determines added as a standard due to the nature of the ■ Improved handling and flow
just how successful the operation will turn cultivation process. ■ Accurate distribution of seed
out. The handling of these fine, lightweight
seeds can be extremely difficult at the best
of times, and requires specialised planting
methods. Generally the practice has been to
plant more seeds in the hope that this will
compensate for losses – something of a ‘hit-
and-hope’ approach which is hardly ideal.
The use of AgriCOTE coated seed certainly
eliminates much of the guesswork, and is
proven to result in far higher success rates.
AgriCOTE is a seed application process that
results in the physical properties of the seed
being enhanced without the genetic and
germination properties of the seed being
adversely affected. These physical properties
include mostly size, mass and flow ability.
Added benefits such as the added nutri-
ents also aids the developing seedlings and
increases survival rates.
The AgriCOTE process involves the ap-
plication of additives to the basic seed by
means of rotary coating equipment control-
led by a programmable computer software
program that applies the material – gradually
building layers. This allows great flexibility
and accuracy in the application dosage of
the additives and the actual size of the end
product. The process allows coating of seed
in high volumes with great speed, consist-
ency and accuracy.
After coating the product is immedi-
ately dried to prescribed levels, and then
screened for uniform sizing and the removal This picture shows the dramatic difference between the use of coated versus non-coated seed.
of impurities.

18 November 2008 Golf Club Management

 TECHNOLOGY

An illustration of the components of the coated product.

■ Increased seedling survival

■ Economical to use
■ Added nutrition for seedlings
■ Insecticides, fungicides and growth stimulants can be added
■ Seed can be pre-inoculated under controlled conditions creating
conditions favourable for the inoculant to survive.

The use of this technology is common in the agricultural industry where

the process has been proven to result in the successful establishment of
grass and legume crops. ■

■ To obtain more information on the seed available in coated form or to

enquire regarding the coating of your own seed, contact Advance Seed
on 011 762 5261.

A reader’s query
“We are faced with the task of rebuilding our 8th green,” writes
Peter Gordon of Alexandria Golf Club, who explains that kikuyu has
taken over the putting surface. “We also have a mole problem, so
what can be done to address this?” (The club has a nursery with
sufficient cynodon to cover the new green.)

Turftek’s Murray Veitch replies:

You should perhaps look at constructing the new green to California-
type spec. This involves digging out the existing green to a depth of
about 350mm. Install a sub-surface drainage system consisting of
110mm drainage pipes laid out in a herringbone pattern. A 50mm
crush layer should then be laid on top of the pipes. The crushed
stone will prevent the moles from burrowing through into the green.
The root-zone mix can then be filled in – I would favour USGA spec
silica sand, but this is expensive. Your local sand could be tested
and if suitable, it can be used. Importantly, a plastic interface layer
should be laid along the edge of the new green, which will prevent
kikuyu runners from creeping into the green, as well as keeping the
moles at bay.

It’s that time of year again!
What are your employees’ rights regarding leave and payment for working on paid public holidays over the
festive season? Andrew Wilson of GCM explains.
Golf clubs are like retail outlets. Often they
experience their busiest season over the
Christmas/New Year period. This is when
most people take their annual leave and
are determined to enjoy themselves, which
means that golf clubs have to ensure that
they are appropriately staffed to cope with
the added pressure.
Annual leave
Let’s first look at whether your employees
are entitled to take their annual leave over
the festive season. Section 20 of the Basic
Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) states
that an employer must grant an employee
at least 21 consecutive days annual leave
on full remuneration in respect of each
annual leave cycle and that this leave must
be granted not later than six months after
the end of the annual leave cycle. It goes
on to state that annual leave must be taken
in accordance with an agreement between
the employer and employee or, if there is
no agreement, at a time determined by the
employer. This means that employers do not
have to grant their employees leave at times
that would be detrimental to their business
operations.
There are two points to consider with
regard to the timing of granting leave. If your
club is particularly busy at certain times of
the year, it is best to include in the contract
of employment a clause prohibiting leave at
those times. If you don’t have this clause in
your contracts yet, then custom and practice
will almost certainly dictate that leave has
never been granted over these busy periods.
The second point to consider is that if you
grant one person leave over a busy period, no
matter how justified the request may be, you
set the precedent for other to apply.
Public holidays
Now let’s move on to the thornier issue of
public holidays. The first point is to establish
what we mean by public holidays. The Public
Holidays Act No 36 of 1994 identifies four
paid public holidays over the festive period.
They are:
1. Day of Reconciliation on 16 December.
2. Christmas Day on 25 December.
3. Day of Goodwill on 26 December.
4. New Year’s Day in 1 January.
Employees are entitled not to work on paid
public holidays unless a written agreement
to the contrary exists. If a public holiday
European Golf
Business
Conference
The third European Golf Business will
be held in Berlin from 5 to 7 Novem-
ber 2008. The conference, which has
previously been held in Amsterdam, is
organised by the European Golf Course
Owners Association, a group that aims
to improve the golf business by creating
various programs to promote the game,
creating a positive public opinion on
golf and cooperating with other EU
stakeholders.
The theme of this year’s conference is
‘The Big Change’ and will focus on the
rapidly changing demands of the indus-
try. Speakers will be dealing with topics
such as the changing golf market, mak-
ing money from golf operations, and the
sustainability of new developments. The
UK’s first Master Greenkeeper, Laurence
Pithie will be talking on changes in the
management of maintenance.
Another topic to be covered at the
conference will be changes in course
architecture, and another perennial
problem, ie the pace of play and how to
improve this, will also be discussed.
The Europeans have promised to keep
GCM informed of the results of their
Economic Impact Study of the game in
their part of the world, and once they
have all the answers, they will hopefully
let us have them.
Golf Club Management
HR LEGAL
falls on a day on which an employee would
ordinarily work, an employer must pay an
employee who does not work on the public
holiday at least the wage that the employee
would ordinarily have received for work on
that day. On the other hand, if that same em-
ployee works on the public holiday, he or she
must be paid at least double their normal
wage. If an employee works on a public holi-
day on which he or she would not ordinarily
work, the employer must pay that employee
an amount equal to the employee’s ordinary
daily wage plus the amount earned by the
employee for the work performed that day.
These monies must be paid to the employees
on their usual pay day.
Finally, if a shift worked by an employee
falls on a public holiday and another day,
the whole shift is deemed to have been
worked on the public holiday, but if the
greater portion of the shift was worked on
the other day, the whole shift is deemed to
have been worked on the other day, and not
the public holiday.
There is however one thing that employ-
ers can consider and that is exchanging a
ordinary working day for a paid public holi-
day. The Act states that a public holiday is
exchangeable for any other day which is fixed
by agreement or agreed to by the employer
and the employee. This means that you can
agree with your employees that they take a
day’s paid leave on one of their ordinary days
of work as a ‘swop’ for working on a public
holiday. The result of this is that you would
not have to pay extra for the person working
on the public holiday. All you would be do-
ing is swopping an ordinary day’s work for a
public holiday day’s work. Nice work if you
can get it, but remember that you have to
secure the acceptance and agreement of your
employees before you can get them to work
on a public holiday. ■
■ F
 or more information on labour legislation
go to the website www.labour.gov.za or
contact Andrew Wilson at
consulktaew@iafrica.com
November 2008 21
TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT

Fertiliser requirements
Rich Wakefield looks at inorganic as well as natural fertilisation.
The rapid removal of plant matter from greens the surface. Compounds may take six to 10 Historically, though, turfgrass managers
due to the demands of golf promotes the days to show any result. More soluble have successfully maintained a healthy
need for replacement of essential nutrients fertilisers such as potassium nitrate can be grass cover on more natural soil mediums
to ensure a healthy sod. This is done mainly applied in liquid form. Compound fertilisers despite a limited understanding of the
through the application of man-made fertilis- also should be watered in. Fairways should nutritional or chemical requirements of the
ers. Fertilisers are made up of primarily receive at least one application of D, X or J turf. A very beneficial form of organic plant
nitrogen, phosphates and potash, smaller after the summer rains have set in, preferably nutrition comes in the form of compost.
amounts of macro-elements (calcium, followed up after the new year with a second Nature is constantly producing compost, but
magnesium, sulphur) and micro-elements boost of compounds or AN. far too slowly to be of much use to modern
including iron, zinc, copper, boron, etc Always incorporate Single Super Phos- agriculture. Compost making has gradually
(essential in very small quantities). Other phate into the soil before planting an area of improved with time, using various methods
essential elements like oxygen, hydrogen and new turf, as phosphates are very inefficient of promoting decomposition and increasing
carbon dioxide are naturally supplied through at penetrating the soil if left on the surface the final nutritional value.
water and air. or applied after planting. Lime or gypsum Almost any vegetable matter can be used
Artificial fertilisers are ideally applied (calcium sulphate) are options on greens and for compost making. Grass clippings, usu-
through the growing season (eg during fairways if recommended with a soil analysis. ally available in largest quantities from the
the summer for warm-season Cynodons, Lime application (also incorporated into the fairways and greens, make a clean, easy me-
whereas bent grass thrives in our winter). soil) is often necessary on a new site (due to dium to handle. Collect regularly and store a
Fertiliser compounds vary in make-up, and low pH). The use of slow-release fertilisers pile near your cleared compost site. Allow a
even composition language on labels, but has its pros and cons. Accurate calibration of few days before adding to the compost heap.
D (eg 8:16:8), J (eg 14:6:20) and X (eg your applicator and an even distribution is es- Start by making a rectangular ‘mattress’ of
20:10:5) are all suitable for turf, depending sential for a successful fertiliser programme. green material about two metres wide and
on your soil analysis. Fifty kilograms of the J about 150mm thick. The length of the heap
above will contain seven kilograms nitrogen, Making Compost will depend on space and quantities of ingre-
three kilograms phosphate (P2O5) and 10 Some courses use only ‘inorganic’ fertilisers dients available. On top of this, a thin layer
kilograms potash (K2O). AN (34.5 percent (involving very specific quantities of manu- of fresh animal manure is ideal, followed
nitrogen) is the most common form of nitro- factured fertilisers or growth stimulants) as is by a layer of topsoil to seal the smell and
gen input. Potassium nitrate (eg 24:0:22) is common with bent grass on a sandy medium. minimise flies. Cattle, horse, pig or chicken
popular on turf, but expensive. For warm-
season greens an application of 100–300 kg/
ha compounds should result in a beneficial
chemical balance to your soil, and therefore
the turf. A soil analysis of greens is recom-
mended every couple of years.
A conventional green should be ferti-
lised with these at least three or four times
through the summer. Sand greens, due to
rapid leaching, will need lighter, more regular
applications of specifically designated ferti-
lisers through their growing season. AN will
give a quick, short boost to the turf, while
the compounds will be slower but longer
lasting. Thus AN is usually applied lightly
only once or twice in the summer, often just
a few days before an important tournament
when a quick flush of colouring is required.
Take note that AN must immediately be well Cotswold Downs which was voted Compleat Golfer’s Best-Conditioned Course in KwaZulu-Natal
watered into the soil to avoid ‘burning’ of the is an example of how good fertilisation can make a difference.
turf resulting in an unsightly spotty effect on

22 November 2008 Golf Club Management

 TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT

manure are all suitable ingredients (dogs’ droppings have little value).
Fouled straw bedding or wood shavings from the animal pens, espe-
cially if containing urine, will also be beneficial. If the manure is not
available, omit it – your vegetable/soil ingredients will still decompose.
A little lime, super phosphate or AN over the soil layer will enhance the
process. Apply enough water to dampen all the ingredients to com-
plete this first stage. From here, the whole process is repeated as fast
as fresh ingredients are available. Preferably finish each session with

Always incorporate Single Super

Phosphate into the soil before planting
an area of new turf, as phosphates are
very inefficient at penetrating the soil
if left on the surface or applied
after planting.
the soil layer on top. A heap may take time to reach the recommended
height of about one-and-a-half metres. Then start a fresh one.
Air and water are important requisites for decomposition. Create
ventilation holes into the heap by leaving poles approximately 50mm
thick standing vertically from the ground up and out of the heap as it
is constructed. A few days after completion, remove them. A serious
steaming from the heap is a good sign that the process is working. In-
ternal temperatures can get up to 70°C. Keep watering lightly. A lack of
steaming will indicate insufficient activity of micro-bacterial organisms
to cause a healthy decomposition. Poor aeration, incorrect quantities
of water, or excessive soil are all possible causes. Very fresh grass will
also retard the process. A fortnightly turning of the completed heap is
essential to promote a more uniformly decomposed final product.
Once cool, the compost is ready for use. It should be free of smell
with a rich dark colour. Keep it dry if possible, and sieve it before mix-
ing with topsoil. Up to 50 percent topsoil in the final top dressing me-
dium is acceptable, but lower proportions are common, due to limits of
compost available. The topsoil should itself have been sieved already.
Fumigate (after a final soaking to promote germination), ideally with
Methyl Bromide canisters while they are legal. Store prepared compost
in cool, dry conditions, and preferably use it within a couple of months.
Allow sufficient time to make your compost requirements! Avoid using
immature compost. If this is inevitable, a subsequent frequent light
top-dressing of ammonium sulphate or LAN will help enhance any
nitrogen deficiency.
Avoid heavy top-dressing on greens. A more regular, light top-
dressing, in dry conditions, coinciding with verticutting or scarifying
is preferable. A thorough matting will help level your putting surface,
improve your plant population, incorporate new seed (if applied) and pro-
mote a rich green colour to your turf. Avoid watering for a couple of days,
and then use blunt blades on slightly lifted mowers with catch boxes to
remove excess topsoil from the green once the grass is shooting again.
Lower the blades gradually over a few days. ■
Golf’s answer to
Twenty
20
Cricket!
After a successful professional tournament held in Partnership with the PGA of South Africa, PowerPlay Golf are now shifting
our attention to the amateur golfers playing at your clubs.

We will be launching the PowerPlayGolf South African Championship, which will be searching for South Africa’s best Power-
Play amateur golfer to represent our country in an International event late next year at the PowerPlayGolf Super Venue which
is currently under construction in Bahrain.

The South African PowerPlayGolf Championship is open to all clubs that are license holders of a PowerPlayGolf franchise. Once
you are part of PowerPlayGolf South Africa, you simply need to hold an official qualifying event at your club for members and/
or visitors to try PowerPlayGolf and qualify for our South African Championship final which will take place early next year. The
winners of each clubs qualifying event will be entered into the final and play for a chance to play in Bahrain.

PowerPlay Golf by the numbers World Wide:

Over 80,000 Golfers World Wide have tried PowerPlayGolf
475 Golf clubs are registered PowerPlayGolf license holders.
42 countries have requested International franchises.
18 countries are official license holders.
Over 3500 PowerPlayGolf events have taken place World Wide.
Over 20 Pro events have been staged.
Estimated 5000 Golf Clubs will be license holders by 2010
Estimated 1.6 Million golfers will be registered PowerPlay Golfers by 2010.

Here are a few ways PowerPlayGolf can Positively effect your golf Business.
1 – Extra Visitors: Being set up for PowerPlayGolf make your course appeal to a new breed of golfer as well as time poor golfers.
2 – More revenue: By selling PowerPlayGolf green fees and staging official PowerPlayGolf events.
3 – Improved reputation: establish your club as a forward thinking organisation, encouraging new ways to play golf and grow
the game.
4 – Course Maintenance: PowerPlayGolf allows clubs to do necessary maintenance on one nine, while still generating revenue
on the other.

“Make this one a PowerPlay”

To join PowerPlayGolf South Africa, please contact Neil Matthews neil@powerplay-golf.com or call 073 201 4178
 PGA SA

PGA SA’s new study to look

at golf’s impact on the SA economy
The Professional Golfers Association of South Africa (PGA SA) has appointed Sports Marketing Surveys South
Africa (SMS SA) to conduct an extensive study into the contribution golf makes to the South African economy.
The study, which will be published at the end of 2008, is the first of its kind in South Africa.
There have been studies of South African golf and the PGA will be using these as a com- those approached are prepared to answer
done before, but none has been as extensive parison to evaluate the local economic con- the questions posed to them as fully and
or far-reaching, looking at the impact that tribution against golf on a global scale,” says extensively as possible in order to create
the game has on all sectors of the economy. Marc Jury, managing director of SMS SA. an accurate picture of the golf industry as
The results, which will be made available The extent and content of the survey in a whole.
to all role-players in the industry, will allow each sector of the golf industry has now The results of the survey will be available
decision-makers in the game to assess been completed and major role players early in the new year and interested parties
exactly how and where trends are happening will have been approached to take part in should contact the PGA at its head office in
and equip them to make informed decisions the research. It is obviously important that Johannesburg for further information. ■
about the future of golf.
The economic impact study will focus on
measuring the size and value of the game of
golf by evaluating every component within
the industry and its subsequent contribution

Your PGA club pro

towards the economy.
CEO of the PGA of SA, Dennis Bruyns,
has been the major driving force behind the
project. “Beyond its sport and recreational
and club competitions
The PGA of SA has recently been asked how to deal with your PGA club pro and club compe-
value, golf forms the nucleus of a major
titions. The South African Golf Association recently sent out guidelines on this matter where a
industry that generates employment, tourism
distinction was made between Sunshine Tour professionals and PGA club professionals.
and commercial opportunities to name a few,
It is accepted that the PGA club professional, although a ‘highly skilled’ player, is still
all of which promote economic development
a part-time player and therefore categorised differently from a full-time professional golfer
in South Africa. The results of this survey
who plays on tour.
will benchmark the economic value of golf
The PGA’s recommendations, which are supported by the SAGA, are as follows:
in our country and benefit all stakeholders
■ The club professional should be registered at the club for handicapping purposes and
within the industry by providing them with
should hand in scorecards and be handicapped as per the NGN system. This will enable
information that will guide the development
him to play off that handicap in general club competitions and by this we mean your
of this great game.”
normal club competitions such as monthly medals, betterball Stablefords, alliance com-
Each component of the industry will be
petitions, charity golf days and corporate days.
analysed and evaluated using a number of
■ The pro should not be eligible to play in any of the major club competitions as these
research criteria and measurement variables.
should be reserved for amateur golfers. Examples of ‘major’ club competitions are: the
Some of the elements to be evaluated in-
club championship, the club betterball knockout, etc and any of the club’s major trophy
clude, existing golf facilities, golf equipment,
events.
golf events, sponsorship, advertising and all
■ It is now a club matter as to whether a ‘cap’ is put on the pro’s handicap – high or low.
golf media, tourism, government revenues,
The PGA recommends a ‘cap’ for club pros of plus two on the low side and two on the
golf estates and new course development.
high side. However, this is very much dependent on the skill of the player as many club
“The size and growth of the golf industry
pros are ‘elderly’ players who are now genuinely higher single-figure handicaps.
in South Africa is significant, but to date
■ It is the PGA’s recommendation (and this has been communicated to PGA members)
there are many assumptions as to its overall
that the PGA club professional should not be eligible for nearest-the-pin and
economic worth. We aim to readdress this
long-drive prizes.
gap by conducting a survey that will deliver
■ It is vitally important that the PGA club professional should play with club members and
concrete facts about the economic con-
visitors as much as possible, but there should not be members who feel aggrieved should
tribution the sport makes in South Africa.
the club pro find himself winning amateurs’ prizes and, being correctly handicapped will
As a group, Sports Marketing Surveys have
go a long way to avoiding unpleasantness.
conducted similar surveys throughout Europe

Golf Club Management November 2008 25

Untitled-2 1 9/29/08 1:45:30 AM

Designer profile
Mark Muller is a highly respected course architect, with an impressive
CV. GCM looks at his achievements over the last 27 years in the
golf industry.
Mark Muller has been involved in the golf
course industry since 1981. He began his
career as a greenkeeper, worked in golf
course construction and now runs his own
golf course design company from Cape Town.
Mark was the greenkeeper at Kensington
Golf Club when he attended the University of
Massachusetts and graduated from its Winter
Turf School in 1982. From there, he returned
to South Africa and worked under Dennis
Schmidt at the Gary Player Country Club in
Mark served as construction coordinator at Valhalla, pictured above.
The view of the 18th hole at Atlantic Beach Golf Estate.
Sun City. Mark was then employed by Jack
Nicklaus Golf Services as a construction co-
ordinator on various projects worldwide from
1984 to 1989 including the following:
■ Britannia, Grand Cayman Islands
■ Valhalla, Louisville, Kentucky
■ Sunnyfield, Gozenyama, Japan
■ Golf Club Crans, Switzerland
■ Gut Altentann, Salzburg, Austria
After working abroad Mark returned to
South Africa in 1989 and was responsible
Golf Club Management
PROFILE
Grant Bland and Mark Muller check levels
at their latest project.
COMPLETED
PROJECT LIST
The following is a selected list of design
and/or construction projects that Mark
Muller has been involved in since 1983.
(® Denotes redesign of existing course)
International Involvement
Britannia, West Indies Drainage foreman
(9 holes)
Valhalla, USA Construction
coordinator
Sunnyfield, Japan Construction
coordinator
Golf Club Crans, Construction
Switzerland coordinator
Gut Altentann, Austria Construction
coordinator
Drachenwand, Austria Designer (9 holes)
South Africa Involvement
Glendower GC Designer and
contractor ®
Reading Designer and
contractor ®
ERPM Designer and
contractor ®
Killarney Designer and
contractor ®
Country Club Designer ®
Johannesburg
Royal Johannesburg Designer ®
East and West
Rand Park Designer and
xontractor ®
Windsor Park Designer ®
Sabi River Designer and
contractor
White River GC Designer (9 holes)
Bells Golf Academy – Designer
Centurion
Orkney GC Designer and
contractor ®
Strand Golf Club Designer and
contractor
Atlantic Beach GC Designer and
contractor
Stellenbosch GC Designer ®
Mowbray GC Designer ®
East London GC Designer ®
November 2008 27
PROFILE

for the design and redesign of numerous golf

courses country wide including the following:
■ Royal Johannesburg and Kensington (East
and West Course) – redesign
■ Country Club Johannesburg (Woodmead
Course) – redesign
■ Atlantic Beach – design and construction
■ Killarney GC – redesign and reconstruction
■ Rand Park – redesign and reconstruction

DEDICATED DESIGN SERVICES

In 1999 Mark decided to concentrate only on
design and started Mark Muller Golf Design.
To further his education and international
experience, he successfully completed a two-
year diploma course in golf design studies
at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland, Graphic produced for the New Metropolitan Golf Club (Client – the City of Cape Town)
and is a graduate member of the European
Institute of Golf Course Architects.
With his working knowledge of the design,
construction and maintenance facets of the
industry, the company is able to supply its
clients with all the information necessary for
a successful golf course project.
Mark has a dedicated staff of two assisting
him and all projects are a collective effort.
Grant Bland has a similar background to
Mark having been trained in greenkeeping
by his father Allen, and then working on
construction projects such as Leopard Creek,
Simola and St Francis Bay. Grant supervises
the contractor during the construction phase
and is now developing his own design skills The 8th hole at East London Golf Club
as a golf course architect.
In order to be able to exchange drawings
and information with engineers, town planners
it is essential to operate on a CAD (Computer
Aided Design) system. Morgan Watkins joined
the company at the beginning of 2007 and
runs the CAD and graphics division.
The Muller team hardly needs further
recommendation considering the many
prestigious golf clubs that have engaged their
design services on a consultancy basis in-
cluding, among others Royal Cape, Bryanston
Country Club and the East London Golf Club.
The company is busy with numerous
projects that are currently in the design stage:
■ Kuilsriver Golf Club – redesign and
upgrade
■ Silky Oaks – redesign nine holes and add
nine holes
■ Mount Royal – redesign nine holes and
add nine holes
■ Metropolitan GC – design new nine holes
to accommodate the 2010 Soccer World The 16th hole at Mowbray Golf Club
Cup Stadium. ■

28 November 2008 Golf Club Management

 BIRDIES & BOGEYS

Major revamp for Bryanston’s waterway

Bryanston Country Club has embarked on a
major project to control the vast amount of
storm water that flows through the course
during the rainy season. A total amount
of R6 million has been earmarked for the
project, the first phase costing almost half
of this. One of the major features of this
parkland layout, the waterway has a series
of lakes and weirs that are both integral
parts of the design as well as adding to the
aesthetics of the course, but the exist-
ing design has been unable to handle the
amount of water that flows onto course.
Soil erosion and damage to the existing
weirs, as well as flooding of large areas of
the course, prompted the decision to go
ahead with the project.

The construction of the redesigned waterway will enable the course to Club captain of Bryanston Angus Macleod (left) with course superintend-
manage the vast amounts of water that flows onto the course, and ent Ronnie Cousins, pictured on the 16th fairway, an area of the course
flooding should be a thing of the past. that has often been flooded by excess storm water.

Water wise Durbanville

Durbanville Golf Club was the recipient of Compleat Golfer’s Environmental
CMASA/THETA Partnership
The Club Management Association of Southern Africa has for
Awareness Award this year. Besides major work that was done on the course
the second year secured 160 learnerships through THETA
eradicating alien vegetation and improving drainage, the club constructed a
for the Horticultural Level 1 Sports Turf certificate.
major dam that has a capacity of 50 million litres.
This occupational learning programme consists of struc-
After research and feasibility studies taking three years, the dam took six
tured learning components, specified practical work experi-
months to build and was completed in June this year. During dry months,
ence and culminates in learners obtaining a registered
water will be pumped from the new dam into the irrigation dam on the 12th
certificate. The programme is taking place in Gauteng,
hole – effectively being able to supply water for a year’s irrigation.
Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
BC landscape and Training provide the training under a
signed agreement between GMASA as the lead employer,
BC Landscape and Training and THETA.

A truly worthwhile initiative by CMASA and THETA – a group of

Chairman of Durbanville’s greens committee, Dan du Plessis (left) pictured learners that have enjoyed acquiring new skills which benefit
with Chris Wilkens, head professional and director of golf. them and the golf industry.

Golf Club Management November 2008 29

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 HR LETTERS

Reader’s questions
answered
What can you do if an employee refuses to sign an
employment contract?

Anonymous Gauteng
We’ve been employing a general worker for just over a year on a five
day a week basis, Friday to Tuesday inclusive. We’ve been paying him
weekly but now want to bring him in line with the other employees and
pay him monthly, as well get him to sign our standard employment con-
tract. In spite of the fact that he will be no worse off, he is refusing to
sign the contract. He says he has no problem with being paid monthly,
but states that he doesn’t trust contracts. He goes on to say that he has
been working for a year already so why now the need to sign a contract?
Can we force him to sign? We don’t want to lose him or antagonise him
as he is such a good and reliable worker.

GCM – You can’t force him to sign a contract but clearly it is prefer-
able to try to persuade him to sign. The first thing that I would suggest
you do is to explain to him that you need to formalise his employment
relationship going back to the time when he started working for you
on a five day a week basis. By law, you must take this past service
into account.
His reasons for not wanting to sign the contract seem fairly superfi-
cial so I would try to find out if he has any more deep-seated concerns.
If he still refuses to sign, you can’t discipline him so I would suggest
that, in front of a witness, you explain to him that this is the contract
that will govern his employment relationship. Having explained to him
the content of the contract, write on the bottom of the contract that
the person concerned refused to sign the contract, give the reasons for
refusing to sign, then you and the witness should sign not only your
statement but should also initial each page of the contract.

And on a similar note…..

Sharon from Western Cape

A staff member left us eight months ago after 15 years service and has
now been re-employed by us. Do we have to take her previous service in
to account in the new employment contract?

GCM – Section 84.1 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act states

that “previous employment with the same employer must be taken into
account if the break between the periods of employment is less than
one year.”

■ For more information on HR or industrial relations issues contact Andrew

Wilson on 082 575 3861 or at consultaew@iafrica.com