Natural banks, lasting protection

ARTICLE

Johan Koning, Monday 7 September 2026

138 sec

Haarlemmermeersche Golfclub takes a step-by-step approach with SOX Erosion Solutions

Banks along golf courses face considerable wear and tear. Golfers, maintenance machinery, rainfall and wave action gradually erode the slopes. Traditionally, timber retaining structures are often used in response. Three years ago, Haarlemmermeersche Golfclub opted for a different approach. Five holes have now been fitted with natural bank protection using SOX Erosion Solutions. The initial results have been convincing enough for the renovation work to continue step by step.

It started in 2024 with a single pilot project. A member of the course committee introduced SOX Erosion Solutions to Haarlemmermeersche Golfclub. Oosthoek, responsible for maintaining the course, carried out the installation; Dutch Water Prevention supplied the products. What began with a single bank has now grown to five renovated holes and more than 330 linear metres of bank. This was not part of a predetermined plan. Each new phase followed after the previous one had proven itself in practice. 'The golf club is extremely pleased with it,' says project manager Jamie Bijl. 'Otherwise, they wouldn't have asked us to install new banks for another two years in a row.'

From pilot project to five holes

For Oosthoek, the first installation also felt like a pilot project. The system came from the United States, but nobody knew how it would perform under Dutch conditions. The installation also required some ingenuity. The fabric arrived in separate sections and first had to be sewn together. Oosthoek brought in a horticultural company that normally works with large sheets of plastic film. 'We had to figure out all kinds of things,' Bijl recalls. 'That was exactly what made it interesting.'
The filling material received just as much attention. Together with a soil supplier, Oosthoek looked for the right ratio of sand to soil. The mixture proved effective during the very first installation. 'And if something works well, you don't change it.'

For Oosthoek, the first installation also felt like a pilot project

After the first installation, one question remained: 'They say it works well in America, but does it really?' Bijl no longer needs much time to answer that question. 'The first sections installed in 2024 still look exactly the same. That gives us a lot of confidence.'

Practical experience builds confidence

That practical experience gave Haarlemmermeersche Golfclub the confidence to continue. Not only did the banks remain intact, but maintenance also required hardly any additional work. Beforehand, the course managers wondered how removing reeds or carrying out dredging work would affect the system. In practice, neither caused any problems. Even drainage can be installed through the system without difficulty.
Above ground, the natural appearance has also been preserved. Once grass and other vegetation become established, the system itself almost completely disappears from view. Golfers noticed this as well. 'They came back after a few days and said: "It looks as if nothing has happened. The only difference is that the bank looks tidy again."'

Jamie Bijl

These experiences are now attracting interest from other golf courses. Oosthoek is receiving more and more requests to calculate the options and costs. So far, however, these have not resulted in confirmed projects. According to Bijl, the market is still waiting for a few more practical examples. 'I think it will start to take off once more golf courses see how it performs here.'

A natural bank as the starting point

The success starts with a relatively simple method. First, an excavator reshapes the slope to the desired profile. The flexible mesh system is then installed. Bijl compares it to a pillowcase. 'You fold the fabric closed, fill it with soil and shape it back into a natural bank.' A thin covering layer is then applied, after which grass or other bank vegetation takes over.
For Bijl, this natural appearance is the main benefit. After 25 years as a greenkeeper, she has seen numerous solutions come and go. Her preference has changed over the years. 'I simply think a natural bank looks much better than a timber retaining structure. You want the golf course to look as natural as possible.'
Golfers returning shortly after the work was completed barely needed to look twice.

This article was previously published on 7 September 2026 on the Greenkeeper](https://www.greenkeeper.nl/article/55385/natuurlijke-oevers-blijvend-beschermd]Greenkeeper) website.

Oosthoek Groep BV

Dutch Water Prevention

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