“In those days we didn’t have greens committees or captains that bothered us”
In 1990, when Nick Faldo won, we had the rub of the green. The weather had been perfect and the course was in a fantastic condition, probably the best- conditioned golf course I have ever seen in my life, it was exceptional. We managed to get everything in place, the timing, the machinery and the manpower. It all came together for that tournament.
My last major tournament at St Andrews was the 1995 Open, the year I retired from greenkeeping, and we had yet another challenging course as, again, the weather dictated the condition of the course. It was hot and dry, which suited another long hitter, John Daly, who won in front of a record crowd of
250,000 people. I am now in my tenth year
of retirement, if you can call it that. In fact, I have been kept rather busy in many ways, having consulted on a number of course
constructions and advising on the European Golf Tournaments, which has enabled me to travel a lot. I have always attended the GCSAA show in America, a valuable source of knowledge and information.
I still manage to play golf
regularly, maintaining my golf handicap of 5, at the nearby Kingsbarns golf links, a course I had the pleasure of being involved with during its construction and growing in period.
The golf industry over the years has served me well,
especially all the friends and acquaintances I have made during the last thirty years. I see it as one of the most rewarding jobs anyone can have, the challenges you face every day are immense and, at times, very stressful but, in the main, the rewards are fantastic.
The fellowship and comradeship within our industry is unparalleled. It is clearly evident at the Harrogate show when the industry meets for a week, sharing ideas and discussing opportunities to improve the golf industry. I don’t suppose, at my age, I would want to change my way of life. It’s been very good to me in every respect. I still try and play as often as I can and, being a life
member of St Andrews, enables me to keep in touch with the greenkeeping staff and the latest developments. I also like to try out the latest in equipment developments, clubs and balls, to see how they can help improve my game. However, we must not lose sight of the importance of greenkeeper training and education. BIGGA over the years has been very
successful, with the aid of the Greenkeepers Training Council (GTC), in promoting successful education programmes throughout the UK. It is so important for the industry. Where else will we find the next generation of Head Greenkeepers to sustain our wonderful game?"
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