• hbdeveloper
• On October 9, 2014

The Boreal Theme is the latest Theme to be added to The Golf Club following on from The Alpine Theme, The Rural Theme, The Links Theme, The Desert Theme and The Autumn Theme. Themes are the various environments that the Greg Norman Course Designer uses when creating a course and describe the terrain, the flora, the fauna, the water, the tees, the fairways, the rough, the greens and the surrounding land.

An approach shot in the Boreal Theme.

Land shaped by the movement of glaciers is where you will find a Boreal forest, one of the largest forest ecosystems on the planet, and covering much of the northern parts of North America and Eurasia. Thousands of wildlife species live in these forests surviving long, cold winters whilst enjoying only short summers.

Vegetation in the Boreal Theme.

The soils are poor in nutrients whilst being thin and acidic making it unsuitable for agriculture but numerous species of trees, shrubs and other plants have adapted to the conditions with coniferous trees being particularly well suited to the harsher climate. The tree species you will find in this Theme include variants of Pine, such as the Ponderosa, Spruce, Cedar, Birch, and Maple.

Rough and fairway in the Boreal Theme.

The fairways are a little more firm than would be found in the Alpine Theme. The rough is fairly loose although there is a fairly wide coverage of longer grass beyond the prepared areas which make rescue acts a tall task. The trees are generally very tall making it difficult to cut dog legs meaning that draw and fade become skills that are important to master.

Taller grass is prevalent beyond the prepared levels of rough.

Greens tend to be a medium speed in the Boreal Theme.

Greens tend to be of a medium speed but with a firm bounce. Average wind speeds will be below that of the Alpine Theme but can still produce strong gusts or days of high winds. The gusts will certainly require extra concentration.

A pond in the Boreal Theme.