Spring Valley Golf Club in Melbourne has started the first stage of its course masterplan with a complete greens replacement program under the direction of OCM Golf. Four greens—10, 11, 18 and the practice putting green—have been rebuilt and grassed with Oakley bentgrass, making Spring Valley the first course in Australia to fully adopt this turf variety.
Why Oakley Bentgrass Matters
Superintendent Craig Anthony recommended Oakley after visiting trial sites in California, Nevada, Utah and Oregon, as well as clubs that had recently completed similar programs. His research showed Oakley performs well under high play volumes, shaded environments, and with reduced nitrogen inputs.
Anthony explained, “We needed a grass that holds density with over 60,000 rounds a year. Oakley offers drought and disease tolerance and a growth habit that suits our conditions.”
To reduce disruption, Spring Valley established a 5,500-square-metre nursery to provide solid Oakley turf. The new greens profile includes 450mm of blended sand supported by at least 600mm of native sand. Fumigation was completed before turfing to eliminate weed and nematode risks.
You can ask yourself: what steps would you take to test and confirm a turf variety before committing to a full course conversion? Would you establish a nursery to prepare foor future stages?
Addressing Infrastructure and Design
The club’s 34-year-old hydraulic irrigation system is being replaced with a Rain Bird IC system installed by Think Water Melbourne. This change will improve water distribution and help sustain consistent turf quality across the course.
Subsurface drainage has been added to the new greens, and each surface has been re-contoured to improve runoff and create more pin positions. Greenside bunkers have been repositioned, reshaped, or adjusted to restore elements of Vern Morcom’s original work while improving access and play.
As a superintendent, how do you balance upgrading infrastructure while respecting the original architecture of your course?
Building on the Morcom Legacy
Spring Valley’s history links directly to Mick and Vern Morcom, who worked alongside Dr. Alister MacKenzie during his 1926 visit to Melbourne. Vern later designed and built many courses, but Spring Valley is often considered his strongest design.
The current OCM masterplan seeks to refine Morcom’s layout rather than overhaul it. The approach is about incremental improvements that respect the heritage while positioning the course for the future.
Next Steps
Stage one will reopen in November. Stage two is planned for July 2026, targeting holes 1, 2, 7–9 and 19, with the remainder scheduled for completion in 2027.
Spring Valley joins other Sandbelt clubs such as Victoria, Yarra Yarra, Commonwealth, Metropolitan and Huntingdale that are investing in redevelopment. For your own course, how are you planning long-term works to ensure playability, sustainability, and member satisfaction?
