Slaley Hall turns to Otterbine for Matchroom Tour Championship

The background

Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in the Northumberland countryside is home to two PGA-standard 18-hole courses and is known for the beauty of its famous tree-lined fairways. The club hosted the Matchroom Tour in Championship October 2021 and PGA Professional Championship in June 2022. Slaley Hall is no stranger to Reesink with a full fleet of Toro machines and Toro irrigation. Choosing Reesink for its water aeration was deemed a sensible choice.

The brief

Course manager Neil Smith was given a brief to bring beauty to his waterscape, finding a water aeration system to fix the weed and algae problem and add a decorative display to the lake at the fifteenth hole on the Hunting course in time for the Matchroom Tour in Championship.

The results

At the suggestion of Reesink’s Peter Newton, commercial and golf irrigation sales representative, the club invested in a 1HP Sunburst aerating fountain, one of Otterbine’s most sought-after fountains. It provides a classical spray pattern and impressive oxygen transfer rates and pumping power (up to 237 cubic metres per hour in as little as 75cm of water), which are some of the highest in the industry.

The fountain cleared the lake from weeds, which helped with the visual aspect and provided a striking display for golfers, adding to their experience. The timing system saved the club on running costs and water, helping them to stay sustainable.

The conclusion

The fountain helped to maintain a professional, put-together image which guests to the club commented on, confirming its place as a great addition to the course. The system has run smoothly and without issues, and the club is safe in the knowledge that Reesink is at hand to lend technical support should the need arise.

The club anticipates adding more Otterbine products to their course in the future to maintain their waterways, taking an extra step to ensure the balance of their pH levels which can change quickly.