... the end product will have to be an organisation that serves the needs and aspirations of professional Greenkeepers and
Groundsmen, ensuring they get recognised for all their endeavour
planned in respect of enhancement and improvement to course habitat and playing conditions.
One thing that needs addressing is the balance of tree cover and impact on the grass management of the course. Shade and air movement are key issues that can determine the quality and condition of the sward on tees, greens and fairways. Every year Billy initiates a programme
tree thinning, pruning and felling. The recent reconstruction of the first green involved the felling of trees to enable the work to be done. This was carried out in- house with all the construction work completed within three weeks. To achieve all year round golf Billy has also had to put in place a programme of path refurbishments around the course, using artificial grass coverings that blend in well with the existing natural landscape layout of the course. This year there are plans to refurbish the path on the 7th tee complex. All of the work is only achieved, says
Billy, because of the complete dedication, passion and commitment of his staff, a trait that is commonly shared by most who choose to work in the golf industry.
DURING his year as Chairman of BIGGA Billy has had the opportunity to meet many Greenkeepers and Course Managers who share his desire for the industry.
He has been a member of BIGGA since its inception some twenty years ago and has served on various boards, However, the most enjoyable experience to date has been having the opportunity to serve as Chairman.
The people he has met, and the friendships he has formed, have confirmed his beliefs that it’s all about people and what they bring to the table. The generosity and support he has received during the last twelve months has given him a new lease of life and a stronger resolve to continue raising the standards of Greenkeeping and, more importantly, attract newcomers to the industry. There are still many issues to face, particularly the never ending pressures being put on Greenkeepers and Course Managers to deliver a quality golfing experience, often without the relevant manpower, resources and funding. Billy feels it is important to continue to raise the profile and education of Greenkeepers and convey the message of the real costs required to manage and maintain a sustainable golf course in the twenty first century. With regard to the proposed merger between the IOG and BIGGA, Billy says there is still a lot to discuss. Whatever the outcome the end product will have to be an organisation that serves the needs and aspirations of professional Greenkeepers
David Cole, JSM Distribution Investing time in the kids!
DAVID COLE, Managing Director, JSM Distribution - Soil Reliever’s UK agents. After 27 years in the grounds care industry, you don’t expect many surprises. However, a phone call asking for a short explanation of what I do with my spare time is a first! It’s been a busy year for our small distribution team in re-establishing the Soil Reliever brand, couple that with a similarly hectic season for its sister business (JSM Limited) which retails grounds maintenance machinery - and I am tempted to respond, what spare time? The ‘kids’ are now grown up - ‘Uni’ over and all that. So they don’t take up as much time as they used to. I am, however, keen to invest as much time as possible into getting them to move out - an unrewarding task at present, but business has taught me that some plans need time to reach fruition, or so I reassure my wife. Spare time is littered with many and varied interests. I am a life long Liverpool supporter (come on you reds!) and take a keen interest in football generally, along with rugby, golf and tennis. In fact, there are few sports which I don’t take a general interest in. Golf is something I really
enjoy playing, but struggle to spend enough time doing it to develop my game. I have been lucky and privileged, through my work, to have played some great golf courses over the years, Valderamma, The Old Course (St. Andrews) and The Greenbrier (West Virginia) hold particularly fond memories. Travel, cinema, reading, architecture and music are other areas of interest. I was also going to mention DIY, but that is not really an area of interest, it just takes up a lot of my spare time. The kitchen is my current victim; we are all hoping that it responds to treatment. Music is a bit of a bug, and my CD collection reveals a wide ranging, eclectic taste, from Elvis to Pink Floyd, Robert Johnson to Amy Winehouse, a bit of everything in fact. I am currently strumming away on a bass guitar when the odd ten minutes or so allows, not so much a mid-life crisis, more a musical one. I seem to be the only one in the house that doesn’t find it therapeutic (?).
and Groundsmen, ensuring they get recognised for all their endeavour, passion and commitment. It is about time we dispelled the myth that they only cut grass!
Billy would like to thank everyone who has supported him during his time in office, all the staff at BIGGA, his deputy Kenny Mackay, his staff and Board members at Tyrrells Wood but, more importantly, his beloved family who have supported him, not only this year, but throughout his working career.
The Clan McMillan
Billy is part of a greenkeeping family, with his father having brought him and his four brothers through training and continued development to have them all proudly managing their own golf courses around the south east of the country; Stuart at Mill Ride, Bobby at Hendon, Ian at Walton Heath and Cameron at Queenwood. And, if that was not enough, his father is still actively involved as a consultant for people like the PGA European tour and many high ranking clubs in Europe. Billy says he is not adverse to the odd ‘healthy debate’ on how best to grow grass with just his own family in the room! Something he is very proud of indeed.
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