Environment
Innovative design and construction techniques can positively influence the future maintenance and sustainability of golf courses and estates. For a long time Matkovich & Hayes have been abiding by largely self imposed environmental regulations, underlined by Peter Matkovich's mantra - listen to the land. We utilise environmentally sound routing, design and construction techniques on our golf courses. Limiting the amount of bare soil on slopes during construction is one of our methods to prevent run-off under heavy rain, geotextile barriers are also regularly used. Simbithi was a good example where this was utilised to good effect.
Wetlands are vital components of a healthy ecology and are always going to be critical areas where golf courses are concerned. We recognise their importance and either design the holes a good distance from them or design buffer strips, which are vegetated areas that intercept surface run-off and subsurface flow, in order to filter pollutants. Bunkers can also serve as buffer zones, this is best illustrated at Arabella's 18th hole where a bunker runs along the length of the Bot River lagoon. The fairway is also sloped away from the lagoon to a catchment area to be recycled into the irrigation system.
Where impact on wetlands cannot be avoided we often create two or three times more wetland elsewhere on the course to compensate, inevitably we build dams for irrigation and features. These are planted with indigenous flora and ultimately become thriving wetlands.
Landscaping of out of play play areas and 'framing' of holes is an essential part of golf course design, it adds to the beauty of the area but usually involves large scale rehabilitation of indigenous vegetation and extensive tree-planting programs. Cotswold Downs was planted with over 20 000 trees. In the same light, the removal of exotic species and alien vegetation when clearing a site is a major benefit of golf developments. Both Arabella and Pinnacle Point were badly infested with invasive species which were removed and are now being maintained as indigenous areas.
Water availability, usage and effluent utilisation are synonomous topics when it comes to golf courses - this is around the world and not only in dry areas. We use the latest technology and design and construction techniques to make maximum use of the available resources without any wastage or over-utilisation.
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Indigenous landscaping at Kranspoort