Photo caption: Armidale Golf Club has received a $170,888 State Government grant to help construct water drainage on some of its holes to make the course playable in all weather, board member Peter Pickett, left, President Graeme Hicks and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall.
Thursday, 9 March 2023
ALMOST $171,000 in State Government funding has been secured to assist Armidale Golf Club improve its course drainage, ensuring the full 18 holes are playable in all weather conditions, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall said the $171,888 NSW Essential Community Sports Asset Program grant would allow the club to construct a sub-surface drainage system, which would remove excess water from the low-lying holes on the course during extremely wet weather.
“Players should be able to enjoy the greens and fairways throughout the year, safely and comfortably no matter the weather,” Mr Marshall said.
“At the moment, when there is a lot of rain on the course, the bottom two holes are closed as they become almost completely inundated.
“Using these funds, the new drainage the club will install will ensure excess surface water can get away, keeping the course playable.
“The funding will also be used to repair a leak in the main dam, allowing the club to store more water on course, helping reduce the amount of surface water flowing across the low-lying holes when it rains.
“This is a great win for everyone who uses the club – well done to President Graeme Hicks on securing the funding.”
Armidale Golf Club President Graeme Hicks said they were excited and grateful to receive the State Government grant.
“The prolonged extremely wet weather throughout 2022 had a severe financial impact on the Armidale Golf Club and providing this much needed additional drainage would have been impossible without this grant,” Mr Hicks said.
“The work will also involve the repair of the wall of our main dam, which will increase the height of the effective holding area and stop the overflow from flooding the course.
“This will also allow us to harvest more water for dry periods, to keep our fairways and trees greener for longer.
“We are extremely grateful to the NSW Government for providing this funding, and to our local member Adam for his support throughout the process.”
The tender process is set to get underway in the coming months and the work is expected to commence in the second half of this year.