Let's do it in one fell swoop, says Warr

A REDESIGN of the island's main golf course should not be done in dribs and drabs, says David Warr, captain at the Royal Guernsey. The highly-respected Warr, who is approaching his last month in office before handing over on

1 January, says the task, whenever it happens, should be done as a job lot.

'The long-term view is that if we have to change this course for health and safety reasons. Let's do it in one fell swoop,' he said.

Warr regards a redesign as 'the biggest single priority we have got' and although soon to stand down, given his reverence within golf and sport in general - he is a GSC commissioner - he is sure to have an influence on how things are taken forward.

'A working party has been set up under the chairmanship of Peter Symes with representatives of both clubs and Golf Course Management and they are liaising with the L'Ancresse Commons Council,' added Warr.

With the lease up in 2016 and ongoing safety concerns hanging over several holes at L'Ancresse, the sport can't afford to drag its heels on the question of redesign.

Symes is conscious of that and confirms that a number of suggestions have already been put to Culture and Leisure.

'What we have put forward to them is the big picture. We are now waiting for feedback before we can discuss it further,' said the working party chairman.

Without specifying anything, Symes said: 'There's a lot of work being done on it.

'It encompasses everything... the whole use of the common.'

Meanwhile, Guernsey Golf Union chairman Roy Martel says it hopes to have a part-time golf development officer in place by the start of the 2007 season next spring.

'Hopefully, over the next couple of months we will be able to put something forward to the clubs,' said Martel.

Another summer of inter-insular misery - Jersey swept the board of team and individual showdowns - has finally focused the minds of golf's authorities to do something to rectify the ever-widening gap in standards between the two islands.

Martel confirmed that.

'The happenings of the last year have brought it home to enough people and they recognise there is a problem.'

The funding of the post and job description is currently being looked at and in terms of the role he/she plays, it is sure to differ from the island's other development officers.

'It's all about improving standards and developing what we've got,' said Martel