Spotlight on … Barenbrug

1. What is your organisation best known for and what does the company do which might not be well known?

Barenbrug is a global grass seed breeder, producer and marketer. We offer product solutions and technical advice at a local level to suit any golf course construction or renovation project.

2. What are the biggest challenges your organisation has faced in the last ten years, and how have they been overcome?

Climate change and legislation is impacting turf management dramatically. Grass breeding has a huge role to play in adapting to and overcoming the challenges that these factors present. New technologies and different emphasis on breeding objectives has resulted in new grasses that are better adapted to biotic and abiotic stress factors, such as disease or drought stress.

3. What advice do you have for golf course architects when it comes to selecting your organisation for their projects?

Barenbrug is a business focussed almost exclusively on grass breeding. With breeding stations, research facilities and companies around the world, we are able to offer informed and reliable technical advice on grass selection for any golf course project.

4. What interesting environmental initiatives have your organisation been involved with, or seen installed, on a golf course?

Each and every grass variety is unique. Species and variety selection for any project is based on a range of measures, from client/owner preferences, to playability criteria and environmental or sustainability goals. Adoption of certain grass varieties at specific projects has significantly impacted fungicide use, water use (post-establishment) and fertiliser use, for example.

5. What new or recent developments by your organisation should EIGCA members be aware of?

With continuous grass breeding programmes around the globe, new varieties in established turfgrass species and large developments within niche species are occurring all the time.

For example, the improvements in turf quality of hard fescue has allowed this species to be widely adopted in fairways over the last few years. This has delivered many benefits, such as improved Dollar Spot tolerance, drought tolerance and heat tolerance of turf.