Greenkeeping excellence: Handmade golf furniture from local timber

Manual work lasts – even on the golf course: at Förde Golf-Club Glücksburg in northern Germany, the 36 benches and more than 40 litter garbage cans on the 18-hole course are a real best-practice example of sustainable golf course equipment. “We’ve been doing everything ourselves as a team for more than 20 years,” explains Head-greenkeeper Frank Hansen.

The greenkeepers get the larch wood from the local sawmill. The material costs for the large benches are less than 100 euros. The bark is stripped off, the trunks are cut to size, and the bench is screwed together. “It lasts forever and doesn’t get stolen,” says Hansen satisfactorily. Looking at the extremely sturdy benches that stand by the men’s and women’s tees, you immediately believe it.

A baseplate is cast in advance for the garbage can linings, then a sturdy iron basket is inserted, and the self-built larch wood box covers the whole thing. Hansen believes the result is not only visually appealing, but above all functional. “I never liked that the garbage flew out of the bins. We prevent that with the lid.”

Another plus point of the campaign: for several years now, the work has been carried out by a deaf person who is a permanent member of the greenkeeping team. After the disabled man lost his job, he was integrated into the Hansen team and is used not only for course work but also for carpentry work.