Dear Member,

One of the more noticeable changes around the course recently has been the unusually high number of geese, particularly around our lakes and areas of closely mown grass.

We have had several questions about why numbers have increased so significantly. The exceptional weather conditions are a major part of the reason.

Why has the drought affected goose numbers?

The prolonged drought has reduced the availability of food and water across the wider countryside. While much of the surrounding grassland has become dry and less attractive for grazing, The Wisley continues to provide exactly what geese need: green grass, plentiful water and large lakes.

Our irrigation programme has helped retain areas of healthy turf, while the lakes provide drinking water, bathing areas and safe places to rest. As a result, during an exceptionally dry summer, the golf course has become an attractive refuge, and geese have become concentrated in the few areas where food and water remain readily available nationally.

What are we doing about it?

We recognise that large numbers of geese can cause fouling, turf damage and disruption to play, so we have an active goose-management programme in place.

We are using a combination of humane, non-lethal methods:

• Blank-firing bird-scaring equipment, creating disturbance to encourage birds to move elsewhere.
• Falconry, using a trained bird of prey to create a natural predator presence.
• A trained goose dog, used to safely move geese away from areas where we don’t want them to congregate.

These methods are designed to encourage the geese to move on rather than harm them. Using a combination is important because geese are intelligent and quickly become accustomed to repeated deterrents. We have also increased the frequency of all our current methods and continue to explore new methods too.

Why can’t we simply remove the geese?

Geese are highly mobile and will return to locations where food and water are readily available. We also have a responsibility to manage wildlife appropriately and humanely, within the relevant legislation and guidance.

Our objective is therefore not to eliminate geese from The Wisley, but to prevent excessive numbers from settling and to keep them moving through the course rather than allowing large resident groups to establish themselves.

Will this continue?

We expect the situation to improve as weather conditions return closer to normal. Once rainfall returns, surrounding grassland recovers and water becomes more widely available, we expect the pressure on the course to reduce naturally.

We will continue to monitor numbers and adapt our approach throughout the season. Our aim is to maintain the high-quality playing conditions our members expect while managing the wildlife that is an important part of The Wisley responsibly and humanely.

The unusually high number of geese is, in many ways, another consequence of the same extreme weather that has created so many challenges for the course this year. We do not expect these unusually high levels of goose activity to be permanent.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we continue to manage the situation.

 

Kind regards,

John Lockyer
Director of Greens