PINEHURST, N.C. — Rob Wagner, the director of grounds for Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, left for Pinehurst on Saturday night to attend the final round of the men’s U.S. Open and the early practice rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open that begin Monday on Pinehurst No. 2.
It’s a business trip, with Wagner intending to take plenty of notes and ask plenty of questions in preparation for Trump Bedminster hosting the 2017 Women’s U.S. Open in New Jersey.
“I’ve never been there,” Wagner said of Pinehurst before he departed. “I’m looking forward to checking that out and talking to our counterparts down there and see how they set things up from the volunteers to the course.”
Wagner also is interested in checking out the renovation of Pinehurst No. 2, where the turf outside the fairways has been replaced by sand, wire grass and pine straw. The $2.5 million renovation not only was intended to restore the course to the original designs of Donald Ross, but to conserve water and labor costs — concerns shared by golf superintendents across the country.
“A lot of guys are talking about what’s going on at Pinehurst right now,” Wagner said. “Will that exact setup work somewhere else? It’s certainly fitting to that area.”
The golf industry, and specifically golf superintendents, are hoping the exposure Pinehurst is getting this week will make the implementation of more natural areas an easier sell to course owners and private club members accustomed to their courses filled with lush green grass. A golf course filled with grass might look beautiful, but it’s no longer cost effective for many courses.
A recent study by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) revealed U.S. golf courses use more than 2 billion gallons of water per day. With memberships at private clubs declining along with rounds played in general, golf is looking for ways to save money. Reducing water consumption and labor maintenance are at the top of the list.
That’s why superintendents are hoping the exposure given Pinehurst this week will help make the conversation about converting from grass to natural areas more acceptable.
“I tip my hat to the USGA for picking sites like Pinehurst and going about it with a purpose,” said Rhett Evans, the CEO of the GCSAA. “They’re establishing a springboard in which private clubs and even municipal courses will look at Pinehurst and see the best players in the world are playing on it, and there’s no reason why it can’t be done in certain areas and on certain courses. It doesn’t work in every location, where the vegetation and the turf species are different. But we’re seeing more and more golf courses figure out areas that are typically out of play and taking out the turf and bringing it back to its natural state.”
Trump Bedminster is undergoing a similar process in preparation for the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open. In 2012, Trump National Golf Club entered a 10-year partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New Jersey Audubon to implement a habitat restoration project at Bedminster. The aim is to restore natural wildlife communities and habitat for migratory birds. The first phase of the plan was to remove invasive and non-native vegetation that affected nesting areas for native animals.
“We converted roughly 15 acres last year in native plants and wild flowers for migratory birds,” Wagner said. “It’s something we’re just getting into.”
Trump Bedminster already features 125 acres of fescue.
“I think what we’ve done is great,” Wagner said. “We get a lot of compliments on how it looks, and it doesn’t really require anything and it’s helping the environment.”
It’s not overstating things to suggest converting turf to natural areas will save golf courses that might not otherwise survive.
“All around I think it’s going to be good for the game,” Evans said. “While it may take golfers a little while to adapt, I think in the long run they’ll understand and really appreciate the fact this is going to help sustain the game for years to come.”