Expert advises Scottish golf clubs to delay new season

Scottish golf clubs up and down the country have been advised to delay the start of the new season.

Jim Croxton, chief executive of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association, has told the Herald that courses simply aren’t ready for it.

He claims clubs are ‘determined’ to open early, despite inclement weather scrapping plans to carry out regular maintenance work.

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“Quite foolishly we still seem obsessed with getting ready for a March opening day, or definitely by the first of April,” Croxton said, “and my personal view is that I don’t think the golf season really arrives until at least Easter and probably more into May.

“But unfortunately clubs are determined to have that first medal of the year on that first weekend of April, or whatever it may be, and very often the course is not quite ready because we have had a cold spring, and we may not have even finished some of the winter work because of all these other difficulties.”

Several of his members have lamented the fact they are still cutting grass in December, when mowers were previously hung up in October.

Nowadays, January and February have become the fallow time for grass growth, while clubs were used to having a run at projects in November and December.

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That has naturally had an impact on clubs opening their doors for the new season, traditionally in March or on April 1.

And a combination of warmer winters, heavy winds and torrential rains are making greenkeepers’ lives a whole lot more difficult.

“The key thing there is adaptability. There used to be an ethos that you could more or less manage your golf course by the calendar, but that’s completely changed now.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.