Several golf clubs have reported fires on their venues since the beginning of this month as numerous courses have introduced smoking bans.
Seaford Head Golf Club experienced a large fire on August 6, for example.
Four fire engines from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and two Land Rovers attended the blaze which was estimated to span almost five acres.
“We are asking the public not to smoke or use barbecues on the golf course, and be mindful of the risks of glass or other materials that may cause fire/spread fire when it breaks out,” said a spokesperson for the local council.
The club’s head greenkeeper, Simon Lambert, said the club has dealt with multiple wildfires this month.
“We’ve had three separate occasions of fire,” he said. “We’ve called them wildfires, because although there may have been a human aspect to it, there’s been no proof of that. I’ve worked at Seaford Head for 22 years and I live in the town, so a lot of people know I’m here and I think I got nine phone calls on the first occasion, from people telling me the course was on fire. Obviously the first thing you do is panic and the second is think right, I’ll go have a look. The first time the roads were closed below the golf course. There were two fire engines on the road and two 4×4 fire engines that worked really hard, shuttling the water up and down and managed to put the area out.
Image from Twitter of a fire this month at Mendip Golf Club in Somerset
“The second time they took a different approach and decided where they didn’t want the fire to go and let the rest of it burn. At that point they were able to get more engines onto the course so we had four full-sized fire engines and two 4×4 fire engines positioned around the area they were containing. That seemed to work quite well in the fact that nothing’s reignited in that area since they let it burn through. Because there were no buildings or people in danger, they didn’t put themselves in danger trying to fight a wildfire.”
Fire also destroyed an area of land at the disused Great Denham Golf Course.
A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We were called to a fire on the golf course on Lindrick Close, Great Denham. We received 22 repeat calls to this incident.
“Two fire engines from Kempston, as well as one from Bedford and, a multi-role vehicle from Harrold and a water carrier attended the incident and used three hose reels, one high pressure lance and beaters to extinguish the fire that covered 1000 meters squared too golf course.”
A spokesman for Great Denham Parish Council added: “Don’t throw lit cigarettes on the ground. Please don’t use disposable barbecues in any open country areas. Please make sure all glass (broken or otherwise) is put in a bin and not dropped on the ground as it can magnify the sun and start a fire.”
A total of nine fire engines were called to East Park Golf Club when a fire broke out.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson posted on social media during the incident: “Kent Fire and Rescue Service is currently attending a fire involving trees and undergrowth at Oast Park Golf Club in Sandy Lane, Snodland. Nine fire engines are currently at the scene and crews are working to extinguish the flames and prevent any fire spread.”
Numerous golf clubs have introduced smoking bans.
However, with many areas of the UK experiencing rain in the last couple of days, some of these are already being lifted.
Meanwhile, the GCMA and BIGGA have issued this joint statement about golf course irrigation amid drought-like conditions spirit hosepipe ban: “The golf course is the central element to any golf facility and well managed and maintained surfaces are essential to the playing of the game,” they said.
“In order for this to continue in warm or hot weather irrigation is critical to ensure the grass plant survives.
“With the above in mind, we must very carefully consider the ongoing and sustainable management of our golf courses, whilst at the same time focusing on priority playing areas and ensuring that we are not exceeding licensed water usage or infringing on any legally enforced restrictions.
“Management of golfer expectations is, of course, going to be a challenge. Golf club members and visitors are used to seeing green playing surfaces and it is important that we develop an understanding that under the current circumstances, this is quite simply not possible, and we need to ask our members and visiting golfers to be considerate of this.
“As a sport and as an industry, we also have a social responsibility to consider and therefore we must all work together to ensure that golf clubs as a whole are working within the current restrictions and that we as a sport are doing our bit to limit water usage as much as is reasonably practical at the current time.”