London, England: Foxhills Club & Resort has announced a £3 million investment in a complete transformation of its irrigation infrastructure, marking the next significant phase of the English resort’s long-term commitment to improving the quality, resilience and sustainability of both its championship golf courses for generations to come.

The multi-year project will see more than 3,500 new heads installed across both courses (Longcross and Bernard Hunt), more than doubling existing coverage of approximately 1,800 heads – alongside major upgrades to pumps, reservoirs and water storage systems.

The result will be one of the most advanced precision-controlled irrigation systems in United Kingdom resort golf, allowing Foxhills’ greenkeeping team to manage water with significantly greater accuracy while improving the consistency and resilience of the playing surfaces throughout the year.

The investment comes as golf courses face increasing pressure to balance high-quality playing conditions with responsible water management, as changing weather patterns and prolonged periods of warmer, drier weather become an increasing consideration for course managers.

The new Rain Bird irrigation system will allow irrigation to be targeted precisely where it is required, rather than applied broadly across larger areas. This will help address dry and bare areas while reducing unnecessary water usage and improving conditions around greens and across semi-rough.

The project is expected to increase irrigation efficiency by approximately 20%, while also reducing irrigation cycle times, significantly increasing rainwater harvesting capacity and enabling greater use of stored and harvested water across the resort’s 400-acre estate.

For Foxhills, the investment is about more than upgrading ageing infrastructure. It represents a long-term approach to course management designed to ensure its courses remain resilient and playable in changing conditions, while protecting the quality and character of the golf experience for future generations.

Sean Graham, Director of Golf, said: “Foxhills has always been a progressive club that is prepared to think ahead and invest in the future across both golf and the resort as a whole. This project is a continuation of that philosophy and marks the most significant investment we have made in our courses.

“The irrigation infrastructure is fundamental to everything we do from a course management perspective. By investing now, we can give our team much greater control and precision over how we use water, improve the consistency of our playing surfaces and make the courses more resilient to the conditions we know we will increasingly face.

“Importantly, this is not simply about keeping the courses green. It is about using water intelligently, making better use of what we can harvest and ensuring we are managing the estate responsibly while continuing to deliver the quality of playing conditions our members and guests expect. We have invested significantly in the golf product over recent years and this project is another important step in preparing Foxhills for the next generation of golfers.”

Derrick Johnstone, Golf Course & Estates Manager, added: “The precision and flexibility this system gives us will completely transform how we manage the courses throughout the growing season. We needed to be able to target irrigation exactly where it is needed.

“Partnering with Rain Bird for this project was an easy choice; their industry-leading products, including CirrusPRO and IC System, with its integrated control technology, provide the advanced control and software support we need to improve efficiency and optimise irrigation.

“Their expertise and support will be vital to the success of the project, and we’re looking forward to working closely with their team.”

The latest programme is being delivered in partnership with Irritech and trusted long-term partner MJ Abbott, with the first phase beginning off-course this winter. This will include renovations to the reservoir and complete rebuilds of the pump stations and tanks before installation moves onto the championship courses.

*Rain Bird is an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.