The Grove has started work on a series of improvements and renovations to its Kyle Phillips-designed course, in preparation for hosting the European Tour’s British Masters later this year.
Rated the top pay-and-play course in the UK, the Watford-based resort’s green staff are renovating all 90 bunkers, and also improving the drainage on 13 holes. The work will see the installation of a specialist liner system into 18 bunkers to improve drainage and safeguard the original design features, while a programme of sand exchange will be undertaken across all the bunkers to freshen up the playing surfaces. A number of bunkers will also be built back up to their original levels, decreasing the height of some faces.
Anna Darnell, Director of Golf at The Grove, said: “These important course improvements will maintain the golf course in prime condition for the 2016 season and beyond, and ensure an exceptional stage is set when we host the British Masters in October.
“We are expecting the work to take up to eight weeks, but it is important to note that play will be largely unaffected, with only two temporary greens in use at any one time during the process.”
She added: “We want every golfer to experience course conditions and service like they were themselves playing in a Tour event, and we are confident our improvement works will help us to showcase The Grove in its best condition.”
The British Masters, which takes place from October 13-16, is once again being supported by Sky Sports, while this year’s professional host is Luke Donald, who is following in the footsteps of Ian Poulter, who hosted the event at Woburn last October. The staging of the tournament at The Grove comes exactly ten years after it hosted the 2006 American Express World Golf Championship, won by Tiger Woods, which remains the only WGC event ever played on UK soil.