It’s enough to have golfing traditionalists shanking into the rough in shock. A hi-tech revolution is sweeping the sport as more and more “mowbots” are being recruited, replacing hours of work for greenkeeping staff on ride-on mowers.
The robotic grass cutters are being used as clubs struggle with recruitment and costs. Industry leaders have said the switch is a game-changer, with as many as 53 per cent of greenkeeping teams estimated to be under strength.
And mowbots are becoming attractive even to famous courses because they can tend fairways and greens at night. Murrayshall Country Estate & Golf Club in Perthshire, Bearsden Golf Club in East Dunbartonshire and Deeside Golf Club in Aberdeenshire all use robots.
More clubs are gearing up to follow suit, including the world-famous St Andrews Links in Fife, with trials currently under way at Bothwell Castle Golf Club in Lanarkshire.
Jim Croxton, chief executive of British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association, said: “The majority of greenkeepers we have engaged with are very positive about the introduction of autonomous technology as an addition to their armoury of tools and solutions to manage their courses.”
View 2 ImagesMurrayshall Country Estate, near Perth, offers 40 rooms, dining, 28-hole golf and a range of activities alongside amazing views(Image: Murrayshall)
At Murrayshall, the robots are programmed to cut the rough, fairways and green surrounds three times a week. St Andrews Links said robot mowers are limited to their golf academy and driving range, where they are used to collect balls and mow areas of the outfield.
A spokesman added: “We are looking into whether the use of bots elsewhere across the site would be beneficial, including on some courses. This would only be to supplement the work of our greenkeeping team.”
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But Gleneagles in Perthshire, which has hosted the Ryder and Solheim Cups – is sticking to traditional greenkeepers.
A spokesman said: “Gleneagles does not use any mowbots within its golf operations – and has no immediate plans to do so. It currently has a full-strength maintenance team.”