Le Golf National will soon become a leader in water conservation practices with a completely new drainage and irrigation system featuring Toro® products. As the host venue for the French Open and the 2018 Ryder Cup, the prestigious course is an important stop on the European Tour and a key site for the French Golf Federation.
Located 24 kilometres from Paris and 10 km from le Chateau de Versailles, Le Golf National consists of three courses (Albatross, Eagle and Birdie) and an area dedicated to training. It has hosted the French Open since 1991, and its Albatross (l’Albatros) course was in the spotlight once again during the recent 2015 French Open.
The Albatross is widely recognized as one of the best championship courses in Europe, receiving high praise from pros and amateurs alike. It harmoniously combines the traditional feel of a links course with the modern features of target golf. And now the course will be further enhanced.
Golf National recently decided to upgrade its irrigation system, investing in state-of-the-art technology to help save water and produce the best long-term results.
“Irrigation management is key to keep golf surfaces looking and playing their best,” says Paul Armitage, Director of Le Golf National. “We were looking for a system that would give us more control and more flexibility while also allowing us to save water. Toro provided a solution that does exactly what we need it to do.”
Le Golf National is installing a completely new irrigation system for the Albatross, including a new pump station provided by local distributor Solvert. The system features Toro’s Lynx Central Control, INFINITY™ sprinkler heads and Turf Guard™ wireless soil monitoring sensors.
This combination of products will work together to give course greenkeepers precise control over watering schedules, along with extensive soil and water usage data to make informed decisions. The advanced technology is designed to help the course realize significant water and cost savings.
“It took some time to finalise a design that fit into the budget, but with Toro products we were able to create an efficient system that meets our specific needs,” says Pascal Grizot, Chairman of Ryder Cup France 2018 “Toro’s leading irrigation technology gets the job done well and will also help save us money in the long run.”
Along with the complete renovation of the Albatross, Golf National also plans to replace the sprinklers on the Eagle course greens. However, the project has a tight timeline. Work will start immediately and will need to be completed before the next French Open in 2017. The project is also an important step forward as Golf National prepares to host the Ryder Cup in 2018.
“With this project, Golf National is putting a system in place to address the challenge of water conservation well into the future — a challenge of critical importance worldwide,” says Andrew Brown, Corporate Accounts manager at The Toro Company. “It sets a new standard for excellence and sustainability in the golf community.”
Le Golf National www.golf-national.com
Toro equipment and irrigation system products www.toro.com
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