Presidents Report – Irrigation & Course Works Schedule for 2026

Date: 26 March 2026

Dear Members,

We are pleased to confirm that Grafton Golf Club is now ready to begin one of the most significant course upgrades undertaken in many years.

Over recent months, the Board—together with our Club Manager, Head Greens Keeper, and several irrigation and golf course specialists—have been developing a practical and affordable plan to modernise and automate the irrigation system for our tees, greens, and fairways. Alongside this, we will be completing essential tree management and drainage improvements. These upgrades are designed to give us a healthier, more reliable golf course throughout the year. The works will be completed in four stages, and throughout the project the course will remain open as a seventeen-hole layout, except for a scheduled two-week closure of the Back Nine in June.

Stage 1 involves installing our new irrigation pump, the Grundfos Hydro MPC E. Delivery is expected late April. This pump will reduce the power required for irrigation by about thirty per cent and avoids the need for a costly power upgrade that was previously being considered. Once the pump arrives, it should be fully installed and operating within one week.

Stage 2 will begin on 20 April and continue until early July. This stage includes the trenching and installation of the new fairway irrigation lines, alongside major tree and drainage improvements. During this time, the course will operate as a seventeen-hole layout using the recently reinstated nineteenth hole. All irrigation works will pause for the Ladies May Tournament, so the full eighteen-hole course is available.

From 15 to 26 June, the Back Nine will be closed so that essential tree management and drainage repairs can be completed in areas badly affected during last year’s storms. Weather permitting, the full eighteen holes will reopen in the first week of July. During this stage we will also be conducting hazard reduction burns in several scrub and rough areas to support tree health and assist drainage. Members will receive at least one week’s notice before any burning takes place. If you have health concerns, respiratory conditions, or believe smoke may affect you, please contact the office so we can help you plan your playing days accordingly.

Stage 3 will involve installing the automated radio-controlled irrigation units. These will be placed inside the existing tap boxes and require only minor work on the course. Play should experience very little disruption while our greens team completes this stage, which is expected to take around four weeks.

Stage 4 will begin after the Heron Cup in August. At that time, the greens staff will begin levelling tee boxes and grooming the surrounds of the greens. Some tee boxes may be shortened or replaced with temporary tees while this work takes place, but the course will remain open throughout.

The Board has approved a budget of $480,000 for this project, and both Club Manager Michael Kinahan and Head Greens Keeper Daniel Edmunds are confident that the works will be completed within budget, and possibly even under it.

We understand that these works will cause some inconvenience between April and August. However, the course will remain open, and the long-term benefits will be significant. The new irrigation system, improved drainage, and structured tree management plan will help ensure consistently healthier turf, greener fairways, and far fewer disruptions like those we experienced during the storms of 2025.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and ongoing support as we complete these essential improvements.

To the future of the Grafton District Golf Club

Regards,

Matt Dougherty

Grafton Golf Club President