15.4 The Fence

15.4 The Fence

.... Thou Wall, O Wall, O sweet and lovely Wall ... a fence unlike a wall is not really a thing of beauty, just look around. 

Why is a fence needed: The fence is needed just like you need a fence or a wall round your garden. It is 10 years since there were putting greens and the ground needs to be brought up to an appropriate standard. In the first year alone this will cost getting towards £10,000. Special treatment will be required for several years to come. Putting Plus needs to try to protect this investment and believes that the current fence (now with padlocked gates) achieves a difficult balance between deterring walkers and dogs, without being too obtrusive. The fence also defines the playing area where all clubs and balls should remain (putting greens have a major issue with putters disappearing), and to safeguard the remaining open space.

Other putting greens do not have a fence?: Locally Ayr, Brodick and the Northern Putting green in Largs are enclosed. The two entwined putting greens in Largs do not have a fence. These two putting greens are well established, not requiring expensive treatment. They are adjacent to a road, a pathway, and even a small length of fence.

Ayr                                                                                                                    Brodick              

A low rail fence was adequate before: previously the four putting greens took up the complete open space. They were bordered by tar paths with a low rail open fence. The putting green is 1/4 of the open space, and is delineated by 80 m and 20 m line in the open space. The configuration is so different making the previous hardly relevant. Circumstances have also changed. It cannot be proved but there appears to be many more dogs than when the four putting greens were operational. You notice these things when you return to a place - in the 1980s we spent a week in Prestwick nearly every year. In the late 1990's when we returned to live in Prestwick we started to notice the number of dogs. In the 1980s our daughters were quite young and afraid of dogs, but dogs were not an issue. 

John Hunter

Putting Plus (2013) Community Interest Company

Company Number: SC440528