Preparing for the biggest golf event on Danish soil in 2024

Spencer Opstrup Lloyd-Pye has been head greenkeeper at Lübker Golf Klub for over 11 years. We met Spencer for a talk about preparations and expectations 1½ months before the start of the tournament.

But first, let us rewind the clock a year back, where a DP World Tour agronomist visits Lübker for the first time. He does a thorough review of all the courses to see what adjustments are needed to bring the courses up to the level and difficulty that suits top professional golfers.

Spencer says: “After a thorough review of our courses, we received a detailed report with objectives for the courses and areas that needed special attention to meet the standards of the DP World Tour. This included requirements for mowing height on the greens, how tall the grass around the roughs should be, how firm the greens should be, how much topdress should be spread, and how many times to verticut.”

Over the past year, the agronomist has made a couple of follow-up visits to Lübker, including a final visit in the week leading up to the tournament to make sure everything is as it should be.

To meet the objectives of the DP World Tour, Spencer and his team of greenkeepers have been working on the areas highlighted in the report since spring 2024. For example, they have put thousands of tonnes of sand on bunkers and hundreds of tonnes of top dressing on greens to optimise ball roll and achieve the correct degree of difficulty. They have also had to move flags and holes to spare certain areas of the greens before the tournament. It has not been necessary to build new courses at Lübker Golf Klub, as they are designed for tournaments.

Preparing courses for such a large tournament sounds like a big project, but what is the biggest challenge according to Spencer?

“Without a doubt, balancing the day-to-day tasks with the extra demands of preparing for the tournament. Our courses are in daily use, so it is about giving them extra attention while still keeping them playable for our members and guests.”

When the tournament starts, it is the head greenkeeper's responsibility to make sure everything is as it should be. “I have to remain calm and collected and clearly communicate to staff and volunteers what the daily tasks consist of: mowing - and in many places that is both morning and evening, repairing divots, moving flags and holes, and anything else that comes up unforeseen,” says Spencer.

Green pride

It is clear that Spencer is proud of how good the courses look after the many hours of work that have gone into them. This shines through when asked about his biggest wish for the tournament. “Good weather is at the top of the wish list! Sunshine and blue skies will really make the courses look great and show off all the hard work we have put into them, when thousands of fans around the world are watching.”

Spencer Opstrup Lloyd-Pye has 37 years of experience in greenkeeping. His career started at a golf club in the north of England. For the past 11 years he has been head greenkeeper at Lübker Golf Klub in Djursland.

Spencer's greenkeeping team normally employs 12 people who look after the courses at Lübker Golf Resort. When the DP World Tour came to the club, the team was upgraded with 36 volunteers. These are typically young greenkeepers from other countries who see an opportunity to gain experience from a major event, while expanding their network.

Throughout the season, Spencer uses different Masterline mixtures for the courses. Leading up the tournament Spencer has expanded the driving range with approximately 3,000 m2 of turf, which consists of 50% meadow grass, 30% ryegrass and 20% red fescue. The turf was laid on the 30th of May. It has grown well and is ready for the start of the tournament.

If you are interested in hearing more about our grass mixtures, you are welcome to contact us.