Glendower Golf Course, host of the SA Open, is under threat

The Glendower Golf Course, home of the SA Open for the past four years, is at risk of being washed away if the municipality does not come to its assistance.

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The golfing gem is facing the effects of increased soil erosion and water pollution.

With the risk of the internationally known course being destroyed, greenkeeper Mike Burnard urged the municipality to assist with the clean-up of the Glendower stream, which cuts through the golf course.

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Burnard said the increasing development in the greater Edenvale area is causing more water to come down the river.

He said because of the greater volume of water, the river system cannot cope and soil erosion occurs on the course. The soil erosion is threatening some of the fairways on the course.

“We have had indigenous trees washed away because of the erosion,” said Burnard.

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Along with the greater volumes of water being washed down the river, more silt has also been carried downstream onto the golf course.

The silt fills up the dams on the course, one of which is a holding dam for the club intended to be used in times of drought.

“If we have a drought now, I won’t have any water for the golf course,” said Burnard.

The once 3.5 metre dams have been filled with silt and are now half-a-metre deep.

Burnard said he has asked the municipality to build a silt trap upstream to reduce the amount of silt being carried onto the course.

Nothing has come of it.

Burnard explained that when there is a flood, like that of November 9, the golf course is severely damaged because flood waters just flow over the silted dams.

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The deeper dams are meant to slow down the speed of the river.

“The floods are getting worse and worse,” said Burnard.

Besides the physical damage to the golf course, the aquatic wildlife is threatened and destroyed when sewage leaks into the river.

Burnard said when a sewage leak occurs, excess nitrates, chlorides and bicarbs enter the water.

These have devastating effects on the fish and the birds which feed on them.

He said the chemicals in the water make watering the course difficult as a hydrophobic layer forms on the grass and no water is absorbed.

To remedy this, R8 000 is spent by the club every month on wetting agents to break down the chemicals in the river water.

The chemicals in the river also have an adverse affect on the metal baskets of the gabions lining the river.

Burnard explained that the metal baskets deteriorate quicker and the lifespan of the gabions have shortened from 30 years to five years.

Although he has sought assistance from the municipality, Burnard said little has been done.

“Help is given here and there but nothing is done for the long term,” said Burnard.

Burnard appealed to the municipality to sit down with representatives from the golf course so that a solution can be found.

“We need to sit down with the municipality’s top staff so that we can come accommodate each other, compromise and have a plan for the future,” said Burnard.

The main concerns are the silt trap, de-silting the dam and overall management of the spruit.

He added that although there is no immediate solution, he hopes the municipality will work with the management committee of the golf course.

In response to the request for comment, sent by the NEWS to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro, said the municipality will conduct site visits to respond “adequately” to the concerns raised.