Singapore: When the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) wanted to grow its capacity and introduce modern sustainable technology on its courses, Profile Porous Ceramic Greens Grade sprung to the fore.

In collaboration with James Gordon, Southeast Asia Market Development Manager/Sales Manager for Profile Products, the SICC conducted soil testing and analysed various greens mix options.

These included Profile Greens Grade, an inorganic soil amendment that meets the specifications outlined in the United States Golf Association’s Recommendations for a Method of Putting Green Construction, has been tested at major universities across America and proven on thousands of greens around the world.

Based on the soil test, Gordon recommended a mix of 85% sand and 15% Profile Greens Grade to create viable and sustainable greens. The Profile Porous Ceramic (PPC) particle found in Greens Grade is 74% pore space with 39% capillary (water) pores and 35% non-capillary (air) pores.

“On a course with as rich a history and prestige as this, we wanted to see it excel in the long-term,” said Gordon. “This solution will establish a strong foundation for the course and there’s no reason why these greens should not perform well past their life expectancy.”

Once applied to the tees and greens on 27 holes and the driving range, the solution from Profile improved course conditions by enabling the greens to drain water quickly, critical when working in an area with extreme rainfall.

Agronomist Chris Gray said: “We knew the performance of the greens in the Singapore environment was the top priority. However, we also knew that the presentation and performance of the tees was high on our agenda. Our goal was to be able to produce a firmer putting surface while still maintaining optimal performance in regard to air, water and infiltration. Profile’s products helped us to overcome those challenges.”

The PPC application resulted in increased drainage at a rate of 23% and a 32% increase in water reservoir throughout the profile. The pH also dropped from 7.8 to 7.2, allowing for improved fertiliser uptake by the plant.

Gray, who started using and specifying Profile PPC as a greens amendment in the mid-2000s, said: “I saw the benefits that an inorganic amendment such as Profile PPC can provide, which is improved water-holding capacity during dry weather coupled with an increased nutrient-holding capacity. In turn, the inorganic amendment provided increased pore space and improved oxygen levels during extended rainy periods.

“We had great support from Profile’s team. James Gordon helped us on the ground in Singapore and John Maeder provided great technical assistance to get our sand and Profile PPC blend ratio at optimum levels to ensure our air/water balance and infiltration rates were in line for maximum performance.”

When work at SICC was halted due to Covid-19, Gray said: “The nutrient-holding capacity of the greens mix was a factor in the great performance of the greens during the shutdown.” The course required minimal maintenance, such as fertiliser applications, thanks to the selection of Greens Grade in the final mix design.

Centaur Asia-Pacific is the distributor for Profile Products in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau.

Profile Products and Centaur Asia-Pacific are both Full Business members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF). SICC is a Facility member of the AGIF.

*Chris Gray is currently Head of Sustainability & Agronomy – Asia Pacific, The R&A. Prior to joining The R&A, he was Agronomist at the SICC.