Why Worthing Golf Club Chooses Verde Bunker Liner

Why Worthing Golf Club Chooses Verde Bunker Liner: A Conversation with George Barr

Verde Sports recently had the pleasure of speaking with George Barr, Golf Course Manager at Worthing Golf Club, about his preference for Verde Bunker Liner. As a long-time customer of Verde Sports, George has been purchasing our golf products for nearly twenty years. At BTME 2025, our Managing Director, Niki Hessey, sat down with George to find out what makes Verde Bunker Liner a standout choice for the club.

Located in the South of England, about a mile and a half from the coast, Worthing Golf Club boasts breathtaking views of the White Cliffs, the English Channel, and the Isle of Wight. Its naturally dry, chalky terrain provides ideal conditions for maintaining natural turf across most of the course. However, in some situations, artificial grass can enhance the club's facilities. For instance, the club’s 6-Bay driving range features golf mats purchased from Verde Sports years ago, which remain in excellent playing condition today – a testament to their quality and durability.

Over the past few years, Verde Sports has supplied more than 4,000 square metres of bunker liner to the prestigious golf course. Initially, George relied on upside-down turf as bunker liners. However, this solution proved to have limited durability, frequently breaking down and requiring replacement. Seeking a longer-lasting alternative, George and his team explored various options, including rubber crumbs, fleeces, and capillary concrete. Unfortunately, none of these solutions delivered the performance or reliability they needed.

The turning point came when someone suggested repurposing old 4G pitch surfaces. While this approach wasn’t viable due to the pre-contaminated surfaces, it sparked the idea of using artificial grass as a potential solution. Before committing to Verde Bunker Liner, George’s team rigorously tested it on a trial bunker, exploring different bases, adhesives, and techniques. They found it delivered the best mix of performance, durability, and ease of application. Today, it remains Worthing Golf Club’s trusted solution, consistently meeting their high standards.

Prior to the installation, George and his team prepare the site by cutting the liner slightly larger than the bunker’s dimensions. This allows for precise adjustments, with any excess material trimmed away during the process. To secure the liner, George relies on Verde’s Jointing Tape and adhesive, emphasising one key piece of advice: “Don’t skimp on the glue!”. Adequate adhesive ensures the liner can be easily manoeuvred into the perfect position.

Achieving a flawless finish is a priority at Worthing Golf Club. For seamless curves, the team meticulously remove any folds by cutting out triangular sections of the liner and joining the remaining edges. Depending on the complexity of the bunker, they may create up to six joins to ensure perfectly shaped corners. The club’s commitment to quality is unwavering. “If it’s not perfect, it's rejected, and we go back and cut out”, George explains. The dedication to perfection is why George and his team handle installations in-house, allowing them to maintain their exacting standard and deliver bunkers that meet the club’s prestigious reputation.

At Worthing Golf Club, the team aims to renovate three holes per year, with the progress largely dependent on the size of the bunkers. To minimise disruption for members, the work begins in late October or early November and continues throughout the winter months, ensuring maximum playing time during the rest of the year.

This year, the club successfully installed their second-largest bunker, measuring an impressive 26 metres by 6 metres. With this milestone, this first course is now fully updated, paving the way for renovations to begin on the second course. Reflecting on the progress, George Barr had initially hoped to complete the entire course before retiring. With a laugh, he jokes about the possibility of working until he’s 90 to see it through!

During the debut of Verde Bunker Liner at Worthing Golf Club, George ensured members felt confident in the new addition. To ease concerns, he personally demonstrated its durability by taking his trusted wedge to the freshly lined bunker, proving that players could strike the liner without causing any damage to their clubs. George also highlighted an additional benefit: the liner’s extra bounce, which differs from the feel of natural turf, helping protect players from injury. Even when the sand has migrated, golfers can continue to play safely and without fear of harming their equipment or themselves.

When asked about the drainage, George explained that “water goes through it really well”. However, he noted that drainage efficiency largely depends on the type and design of the system you implement. At Worthing, the bunker liner is installed directly onto a red stone base, which is easy to shape and highly effective for drainage. The sand in the bunkers retains just the right amount of moisture, creating the ideal conditions for a high-quality playing surface.

Worthing Golf Club selects sand that complements Verde’s Bunker Liners. The sand sits well on the pile, blending seamlessly with the liner and masking its white colour with a natural sand tone. To further camouflage the liner, the groundskeeping team lays a piece of block turf at a 90-degree angle, bridging the liner with the surrounding course for a cohesive look.

George’s top tips for bunker construction are straightforward: “Shape your bunker properly, put your drainage in, put your red stone on, shape it, put your liner on top, lock your edges in – you're done, finished.”

Niki observed that while many golf clubs are eager to install bunker liners, they often feel apprehensive about getting the process right. In response, George reassured, “It is specialised, but when you show someone how to do it, they’re set for life”.

The course manager highlighted the versatility of Verde’s Bunker Liners as a key benefit. These liners can be revisited or modified years later, with the new material seamlessly joining to the original liner. Moreover, if plans change, the entire system can be removed, the bunker refilled, and the liner repurposed elsewhere on the course, offering unmatched flexibility and value.

Worthing’s oldest bunker, now 6 to 7 years old, remains “still in play, fully functional, never been changed or adjusted”. This durability highlights why our liner is an excellent investment. Even after years of heavy use, the product remains in exceptional condition and shows no signs of requiring repair. George contrasted this with the previously used upside-down turf bunkers which needed replacement every five years. The process was labour-intensive and wasteful as the turf could have been used elsewhere on the course.

Verde’s Bunker Liner has proven to be a game-changer for golf course maintenance and performance. With exceptional drainage, durability, and adaptability - the liners create ideal playing conditions while reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements. By combining this high-quality material with tips from experts like George, clubs can continue to install and maintain these liners with confidence and ease.

We extend a heartfelt thanks to George Barr for generously sharing his time and expertise at BTME. His knowledge of his course and the golf industry, coupled with his warm and engaging presence, made our conversation a true pleasure. We can’t wait to keep working with you for many more years!