Your West Links

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Here it is… the first edition of Your Links, the new quarterly magazine for the West Links, packed full of up-to-date news and views, profiles and, of course, important updates about the West Links.

Welcome!

The American novelist John Updike once wrote: “The golf swing is like a suitcase in which we are trying to pack one too many things.” He may be right and, certainly, when it came to creating Your Links, we made sure to pack in as much as we possibly could. That’s why, alongside articles showcasing the best of our team’s talents, you can also read a view from the Tour and discover more of the feedback we receive daily from Members and guests alike.

In this inaugural edition, we hear from Kyle, our dedicated Course Manager, who offers a deeper insight into what the summer months mean for our beloved West Links –and reveals the secret tools of the trade that ensure the course is always presented to you in only the finest condition.

We also feature Martyn, our highly skilled Head Professional, who talks us through one of the key shots everyone – yes, including myself! – really should have in their bag this summer.

Graeme and Gary are the stars in the spotlight in our Team Profile section, while we also celebrate the incredible success stories achieved by many of our West Links juniors over the past three months.

With a full calendar of all Clubs competitions, there is much to look forward to this summer, and you can rest assured the entire

team are all working extremely hard to deliver the very best experience across the West Links for you and your guests! We hope Your Links adds to your enjoyment.

Best wishes and Happy Reading!

Stuart Bayne, General Manager

The Team and I are working extremely hard to deliver you and your guests with the very best Links Experience that is befitting of one the best courses in world.

I love Scotland… I played a course down the road, North Berwick, which was amazing.

Max Homa

Your West Links Summer Months

How do you get the very best from your course? It’s simple: you get the very best for your course. And they don’t come any better than our Course Manager Kyle Cruickshank. His resumé reads like a bucket list of the golfing greats, with experience working at the likes of Muirfield, Gleneagles, Royal Melbourne and Paris National. The West Links is grateful to be in his skilled and knowledgeable hands. Here Kyle talks us through what to expect on the course over the summer months, proudly introduces some of his talented team and explains the techniques that help ensure we present you with one of the finest courses in the world.

Click to watch how we lovingly care for our beloved West Links

We are fully into the swing of the season now and, despite a tough start to the growing season, we are now in prime golfing and grass growing conditions. Although we all assume the Easter weekend is the start of the Spring, along with the ‘Augusta Syndrome’ the Masters brings every year, grass growth has been slow to kick in this year. There have been plenty of days where the team have been out in shorts showing off their pale legs, before quickly coming back to the sheds to layer up against the cold winds and low temperatures. With our experience of the past and never fully knowing what the weather will do in the future, we take each day as it comes…

In this Summer edition of Your Links we wanted to highlight the type of maintenance and management work that would normally take place during the summer months.

The summer is our main cutting season, so most of our duties naturally revolve around keeping on top of growth, maintaining a consistent and true playing surface and keeping an eye on the ground’s moisture levels.

Depending on whether we have a dry or a wet summer, the cutting regime or general conditioning can be quite different. A dry summer will provide the great firm and fast conditions that we would all expect from a links course.

A warm and wet summer, however, with the high amounts of coarser grasses we have around the site we could easily turn into a grass-growing factory and really struggle to keep on top of growth.

Our maintenance will also depend on the varying weather conditions through the days, weeks and months. We plan to aerate greens on a monthly basis to increase the oxygen levels in the soil, improve percolation of irrigation or rainwater and to help breakdown our organic matter.

If we have lush growth we may have to go out and double cut/verti-cut/brush greens to keep on top of excessive growth. A dry summer will mean we have to go out with the hand-hose to apply water to hotspots and dry areas of greens or any areas showing signs of stress. We try to be as unintrusive as possible, which is a lot easier said than done, but as part of our plans to improve the putting surfaces, it’s short-term pain for long-term gain.

We will also look to utilise some of our new equipment in areas showing signs of stress or wear and tear.

The Vredo Disc Overseeder, for example, will be utilised selectively on fairways through the summer in order to encourage a finer sward and help germinate seed in areas that are looking bare.

The Widenmann Gxi8 Aerator, meanwhile, will also target selective spots to break up any compaction and increase oxygen within the soil, as well as help in the monthly aeration on the greens along with the pro-core.

We also have our Turf Nursery redevelopment, which will utilise the JCB Mini-Digger. In the months ahead, this should also prove to be a great training ground for the team to learn how to use the machinery. The EngCon system here really is a game changer, too, and will be a great asset to undertaking the shaping works around the West Links.

Meet your Team

We are immensely proud of each and every one of our Team, whose unstinting dedication and love for the course and facilities are one of the main reasons why the West Links is so revered around the world. Here we meet a new addition and the longest serving member of our Team.

Name Graeme Nisbet

Position Greenkeeper

Time at North Berwick

Since February 2023

Previous Job History

The Burgess, Loch Lomond, Austin Country Club, National Golf Links of America, Greywolf and Revelstoke.

Favourite Part of the Job

The variety of roles and having a different task everyday. Being a keen golfer, it’s great to be outside (when the weather is good) and be working on a beautiful site. Despite the early starts, it’s great to be able to finish early, too, and have many of my afternoons free to play golf.

Favourite Hole

It has to be the 12th. It’s not the longest hole but it offers lots of trouble off the tee, as well as a great view looking out towards Craigleith and the sea.

Hobbies and Interests

My biggest passion is golf and I am a Member at Bruntsfield Links where I was the 2015 Scratch Club Champion. I also enjoy travelling and have spent time in Central and South America and Canada where I lived for four years. I really enjoy hiking and also watching a lot of sports.

Name Gary Hawthorn

Position Greenkeeper

Time at North Berwick

Since April 2010

Previous Job History

I spent 22 years working at The Glen Golf Club as a greenkeeper. I then joined IQ Textiles in Prestonpans for one and a half years before starting at the West Links.

Favourite Part of the Job

I really enjoy being outside and seeing the fruits of our labour out on the course with the course being presented really well.

Favourite Hole

I really enjoy standing on the 10th tee of the course with the elevated view of the hole and the bunkering around the green, but I also enjoy the view of the sea and islands from there: that’s pretty special too.

Hobbies and Interests

My main interests are walking and cycling. My partner and I go to Gairloch every year on holiday where we do a lot of exploring around the local area. We also go to quite a few concerts throughout the year. I’m a passionate Scotland football fan and go through to Hampden to watch most of the games.

Tools of the trade

We get asked a lot of questions about the magic machinery we use out on the course. These different tools allow our team to collect vital data that helps us make more informed decisions to ensure the best health at North Berwick… and means we can also monitor and benchmark our working practices year to year.

Moisture (POGO)

Moisture is one of the most important measurements we take. Moisture management is key to so many aspects of golf course maintenance. We aim to have an average Volumetric Water Content (VWC) of 12-15% on the greens. Lower than this can be stressful to the plant, especially during periods of warm weather. VWC of 15-20% is still a good range to be in, but higher than 20% and the firmness of the greens will decrease, disease activity will increase and the less desirable grasses will be quite happy to be receiving plenty of moisture. Monitoring moisture will also help to aid irrigation planning and determine whether we need to apply irrigation or follow up with a level of supplemental irrigation via hand watering.

Height of Cut (Prism Gauge)

This is used to identify the “actual” height of cut versus what is the “bench” height of cut. It is an incredibly useful way for Richard, our mechanic, to make sure the mowers are set to the correct height of cut and are cutting correctly.

Macroscope

The macroscope allows us to look close up at the problems such as diseases or disorders with turf in order to help us identify the problem. The magnification is quite incredible – it makes tiny grains of sand look like pebbles sitting in the canopy. We also use this to check the cutting quality of our mowers and to make sure we are getting a nice clean cut and not inadvertently ripping the turf with blunt units.

Clipping Volume

This was something that was started in 2022 and was found to be highly useful was measuring the clipping volume taken off by the mowers on greens by putting it in a bucket and recording how many clippings there are in litres. After a few months of measuring the clip we were able to make better informed decisions based on how much we were taking off. Above a certain number it indicated that PGR (Plant Growth Regulators) might have to

be applied or alternatively, if the number proved to be too low, it was perhaps time to apply a foliar fertiliser. Even if the clip was found to be high, but the green speeds were of a good pace, it might mean a need to groom or verticut greens to remove some lateral growth.

Soil Temperature (Thermometer)

Measuring the soil temperature helps us to learn if conditions are good for seed germination or fertiliser uptake. Seed will germinated at average temperatures over 10c and the turfs ability to grow (growth potential) is at average temperatures over 6c.

Surface Firmness (Clegg Hammer)

There is a direct correlation between surface firmness and moisture. If the moisture is too high, it is guaranteed that the firmness readings will be low, resulting in soft greens. Typically on a links course, we are looking to produce firm greens (>90 gravities), which is also another reason why managing moisture levels are so important. Using a Clegg Hammer that measures the deceleration of a weight from a measured height, measurements are taken across 12 points across the green to which the average firmness is then found.

Green Speed (Stimp Meter)

This is probably the most controversial and misunderstood tool and measurement we take. The Stimp Meter is used to calculate the speed of the greens by placing a ball on a notch on the Stimp Meter and raising it slowly until the ball comes off the notch and travels across the green. This is done three times in two directions to find the average reading. While many people assume that we use the stimp to try to make the greens faster, we actually use it to find a consistent ball speed and to have a clearly defined dataset that shows us how the different weather patterns, mowing or rolling practices and day-to-day growth can all directly or indirectly affect the green speed.

Buckets used for Clipping Volume. Grass clippings are recorded in litres.

POGO being used on the 15th Green.

Example of the GPS mapping data on the POGO App.

So awesome, my most favourite, greatest golf experience in Scotland!

Matt Bova, PGA professional, Charleston Golf

Rickie Fowler, PGA Tour Professional

Your Professional golf tips

With summer conditions appearing on the course, there is a requirement for all players to reintroduce the run-up shot. With his incredible knowledge of the West Links, we could think of no one better than our own PGA Head Professional Martyn Huish to provide valuable insight into how you can add this shot into your game.

Tight lie on the approach? Select less loft to maximise consistency.

Club selection –play less loft

Use a club in the range of an 8 to 6 iron. Avoid the risk of a lob wedge when the ground is firm. The following tips will help restrict the length of the backswing and maximise control:

Stand with feet closer together

• Stand with body closer to the ball, slightly taller than normal

• Try to emulate a putting stroke: smooth and controlled with limited wrist action

The aim for this type of shot is to have the ball spend roughly 10% of its journey in the air and the remaining 90% on the ground.

Martyn and his Professionals Shop Team are always on hand to help offer you expert advice on all elements of your game.

This includes tuition, custom fitting and, of course, how to look your best on the course with a fine range of golf apparel and footwear.

West Links Juniors

You’re never too young to begin enjoying golf so it was encouraging to see the increase in numbers participating in our junior competitions through the first half of the year. We really hope this trend continues and look forward to cheering the next generation of champions.

The first junior event held over the West Links was in February. The East Lothian Council Junior Open was very well supported and the winner was our own Harvey Blair, who scored a fantastic 46 to win by two points!

Andrew Irvine was the scratch winner of the first West Links Juniors Medal in April with an excellent 77 and Jamie Crawford won the handicap event with nett 67.

The May Medal’s scratch winner was Louise Martin, who shot 80 in tough conditions. Jamie Crawford, once again, won the handicap with a nett 66.

The Junior highlight of the first half of the year happened very recently when Louise Martin, who at the age of 14 won the main North Berwick Ladies Club Championship.

She beat Marie Young to lift the Weston Shield, the ultimate trophy in our Ladies section. To add to the fantastic season, Louise has also been selected to represent East Lothian Ladies.

As we move into the next quarter there are several competitions available to our juniors in addition to their monthly medals.

The Vanreenan Trophy takes place on Sunday, July 16. This is a stableford foursomes competition specifically for one adult and one junior.

It would be great to see all of the spaces filled this year and we would encourage both adult and junior Members to seek out a partner for this fun event. Tuesday, July 25, sees another jewel in the crown for junior Members, when The Cranston Cup (scratch) and Thorburn Cup (handicap) will be played for.

The North Berwick Junior Open, meanwhile, will be held on Tuesday, August 1, and is always a very popular competition.

Entries are already coming in from north and south of the Border so, if any juniors wish to play, they should get their names in soon!

Dates for your diary

For all our junior Members under the age of 14 on July 31 we also have three of our five ‘major’ competitions over the Wee Course taking place in late July and August.

Saturday, July 29 The Balfour Melville

Saturday, August 5 The Cree Medal

Saturday, August 12 The Malcolm Cup

Please visit the Members’ area of the website or Wee Course Hub for more details

Play

and

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practice in the morning… Have a nice stroll around North Berwick in the evening. As good as it gets!

Justin Thomas, PGA Tour Professional, former World Number One and two time major champion

One of the greatest places on earth. I can’t wait to come back one day.

Nat Thorp

Our Get Into Golf (GIG) scheme has been running for more than four years now at North Berwick Golf Club.

It offers the perfect opportunity to welcome players who have not tried the sport before and also those who, for whatever reason, started to play in the past and now wish to make their return.

Get into Golf

Members of the GIG scheme can enjoy the wonderful opportunity to use the New Club House, Wee Course and practice facility, while also receiving, within their North Berwick Golf Club package, coaching from Katy McNicoll, one of our resident Professionals.

From the Wee Course Hub we run several ‘just for fun’ competitions, as well as a full calendar of ‘turn ups’ all through the year.

These events are all about enjoyment and laughter, while building relationships with fellow players. There is even a glass of fizz and canapés at the end of a couple of our Get Into Golf seasonal gatherings.

Our ladies section is also integrating some of the more experienced players within GIG into some of their especially light-hearted competitions on the main course, which is great to see.

We have around 50 members currently in the popular programme, with new places are offered annually in January, and the scheme lasts for two years. Where for many clubs this marks the end of the journey, North Berwick Golf Club have initiated a Get Into Golf Graduate scheme to follow our original offering. This will allow those who wish to carry on playing at the Wee Course, using the clubhouse and the practice facilities indefinitely.

As a bridge between learning to play, or returning to the game and obtaining full Membership, we believe this is a fantastic chance to stay involved in the game and, of course, with the Club.

If you know of anyone who would like to take up the game or would like to return to it after a sabbatical, please tell them to contact either Iain Prime in the main office or Katy McNicoll in the Professionals shop.

The good news is we still have plenty of spaces available for 2024… however, as in the past, these will be sure to go quickly.

View from the Tour

We are fortunate to have hosted many great names in the game on the West Links over the years. From world celebrities to major champions, many leave us with happy stories to tell and a true fondness for North Berwick.

A player who discovered true love when he came to North Berwick is the well-known Sky Sports commentator and 2002 PGA Champion Rich Beem. He reveals exclusively to Your Links magazine why he will always cherish the time he spends on the West Links.

My dad Larry Beem was a Golf Professional for more than 50 years and was once the Head Professional at Berlin Golf and Country Club in the mid 1980s. I start with this because, as a teenager, I remember him telling me stories of his travels to Scotland one summer to play golf with some of his Members. Of all the courses I recall him describing, the one that stood out the most was North Berwick.

His stories revolved around the wind, rain, and hitting the ball in the wrong direction on one hole, as none of them had played the course before! I was mesmerised and knew someday I needed to play North Berwick.

I’ve been extremely fortunate in my lifetime to achieve so many things in this glorious game, and it has afforded me places to play around the world that never would’ve been an option otherwise.

The one course I couldn’t wait to play, however, was North Berwick. In true Scottish fashion, my first experience there was about the same as my dad’s, with rain and wind pelting me throughout the round! I figure dad was to blame for the weather… but what a course!

The thing I love most about it is you can play it every single day and find it completely different but enjoyable every time. For me, that is the hallmark of a great course; the fact you can play it 100 times and still not figure out the best way to tackle it!

I always cherish my time when invited to play. I’m certain that, as a Member or a guest, you will do the same.

Cheers, Rich Beem

The one course I couldn’t wait to play however, was North Berwick. In true Scottish fashion, my first experience there was about the same as my dad’s, with rain and wind pelting me throughout the round!