United Kingdom
Written by: Julian Sansom
2026
Worplesdon is changing how it manages water across the course, from how it is sourced and applied to how it is retained and moved through the landscape. A new irrigation system gives the greenkeeping team better control over where and when water is used. The Club has also investigated its borehole and worked with the Environment Agency on abstraction to improve the resilience of its water supply. Work with Surrey Wildlife Trust has changed how rainfall is managed. Rather than moving water off the course as quickly as possible, the Club is seeking to slow and retain it. By March 2026, leaky dams had been built at five locations to slow water through ditches and wet woodland and reduce the movement of silt towards the ponds. Around the 9th and 10th ponds, existing vegetation and small dams have already been found to slow water and filter silt and nutrients. The new dams were installed during a dry period, so there has not yet been enough heavy rain to assess their effect. They will be monitored through autumn and winter, with further work guided by the results.
