Greetham Valley Site Visit, 14th June 2023
L and R Greener Golf Group
25 people representing a dozen golf clubs from the area and beyond attended the event on a blistering June morning. They came to listen, walk round, see for themselves, and learn what can be done for nature, and the planet, as we all face the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. There is much to learn at Greetham, winners of England Golf’s award for Environmental Golf Club of the Year in 2016.
Additional guests included Keith Duff, from Stamford GC, one of our main speakers at the Beedles Lake conference in February, and Owen James, England Golf’s Sustainability Manager.
Robert HInch, part of the family that own the facility at Greetham, kicked off proceedings with a short insight into their experience at GVGC with solar panels and biomass boilers. Unsurprisingly, given the concerns at all golf clubs regarding energy needs and costs, the audience listened attentively. Robert was followed by Adi Porter, the long-serving Course Manager at GVGC. Adi gave a fascinating and authoritative presentation on all the initiatives that have been undertaken over the years.
The list of these initiatives would be long, but it is inspirational. Two new ideas being tried to benefit nature are the installation of pecking posts for birds and the experimental tennis ball homes for harvest mice.
Adi spoke at the initial presentation and during our hour long walk around the couse, with a huge amount of experience and authority. At the same time he was not afraid to mention ideas and experiments that did not quite work, or did not last, such as the rafts for bird-nesting on the small lake. This is reassuring, as we all know that this kind of effort can be two steps forward and one step back.
Many thanks go to the Hinch family and to Adi Porter for their welcome and hospitality, and for sharing their passion and experience. This was the second site visit organised by the group, following last year’s visit to Luffenham Heath. Next year there will be another.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Greener Golf Group remains the only county-based network of golf clubs collaborating on environmental issues. For further information about the group, please contact Bob Roberts through the website www.greenergolf.co.uk or at bobroberts4871@gmail.com.
