The Thornbury Golf Centre embarked on a £600,000 irrigation investment project


By: November 8, 2021


Thornbury Golf Centre – near Bristol – will start soon a £600,000 irrigation investment project (funded by club owner and operator, Burhill Group Limited (BGL)) with the aim of amplifying the look and playability of both golf courses, while also dramatically improving maintenance efficiency.

The first phase of the project will cost around £275,000 and will see the foundations laid across both golf courses for the installation of a new high-tech irrigation system that will include tee boxes, fairways, approaches, and greens.

Crucially, the new system will allow the club to better manage the amount of moisture in the ground, making the courses more playable, all year round.

Thornbury Golf Centre-golf course

The new irrigation system will be controlled via mobile device or computer, allowing maintenance teams to control the conditioning of the golf courses, 24-hours a day. This will make a huge difference to staff efficiency.

I would have almost started writing about why sustainability is not included in this renovation project. Then I found out Thornbury Golf Centre is a GEO Certified golf club since 2018.

My comments

I thought it would not be big news or a headline that a golf club is changing to an irrigation system that offers mobile control too. Just think of:

The usage of sensor technology (e.g. Soil Scout) to measure moisture and soil conditions is not a novelty too.

What we talk about little is how much these solutions help to achieve a favorable employee experience. Empowerment and meaningful work are some of the drivers of employee experience.

Meaningful work ensures that employees’ skills and talents are being fully utilized and there is greater alignment with shared, core values.

With these (see technological environment) we make the work of greenkeepers easier and more pleasant.

Next time you think of investing in your golf course, don’t forget to consider the employee experience dimension of the investment. In other words, think about how a certain investment can enhance your employees’ work experience.