Sounding a little like a Biblical tribe hailing from a Middle Eastern land, zeolites are in fact a fascinating family of clay-like minerals that you’ll find in products as diverse as construction binders and cat litter.

Mining and transporting them can prove tricky as they are often found in politically sensitive regions of the world. However, sufficient quantities find their way to the UK for them to be key constituents in a host of products.

One of their most recent applications is in turfcare and if you pop down to Harpenden Common Golf Club in Hertfordshire, you may see the greens team Hovvering in zeolites into the greens.

These exotic minerals are great at holding on to chemical entities found in fertilisers and that means turfgrass roots can access nutrients conveniently, encouraging lusty growth.

At the microscopic level, zeolites’ rigid lattice structure forms the perfect home for the beneficial bacteria greenkeepers love to see thriving in their sportsturf.

After applying a soil biology programme of zeolites, organic fertilisers and a cocktail of bug-rich soups called compost teas across the picturesque parkland course, the club is able to offer year-round golf for its members now that unplayable, waterlogged greens are a thing of the past.

Private golf clubs struggling to retain members could take a leaf out of Harpenden Common’s maintenance book and transform their course to present playable conditions throughout the year. It has to be good for business.