If you want to see greens at the top of the ‘playing condition’ ladder take a look at Phil Chiverton’s Creeping Bent surfaces at The Grove
plan. (Get an agreed company-wide management policy).
4)Rapid change committees. (Get a Board of Management).
5)Egomaniacs. These snakes can be found in various camouflage (Owner, Captain, Greens Chairman or the golfing female partner of any of these), they possess lethal venom and are the most difficult snakes to deal with.
6)Idealism. (Only deal in reality and pursue the best turf quality that reality allows, not some festuca heaven on north London clay).
7)Lack of stamina. (It is a long ladder, very few get all the way to the top, and no one knows how high the ladder really is. So, make sure you, and your nearest and dearest are fit for the climb!) .
A few other tactics that you should employ are realising that you can move a
square at a time, taking it slowly at times can lead to the foot of a ladder that will jump you up faster. Telling everyone on the team, and anyone at your club who will listen, of the successes achieved.
So how long is this ladder?
Well, you are already on it somewhere and, if you are not scared of the snakes, get moving up that ladder. By the way, establishing where you are on the ladder is the most vital thing to establish first. After all, you may well have favourable soil conditions, larger than expected percentages of bent/fescue, a club in the mood for long term change, a supportive GM and Board and a budget ready to be invested in the long-term future. There I go again, sorry that was one of God’s courses. Anyway, you might as well address the sustainability of your turf management practices now before someone in authority asks you what you are doing about it. It is also much better to make it a goal worth pursuing than a task that
Phil Chiverton
you are required to execute. Just ensure you have estimated how high the ladder you’re climbing is and that you have enough back up to make the ascent in safety. After all, you don’t want to look back down to find the people holding the ladder for you have run out of patience and left.
About the author: Kevin Munt is Principle Consultant of KMgC, a management consultancy specialising in the Golf Club development and operational management. During his career in golf Kevin has been the
Course Manager at The Wentworth Club, Royal Dornoch and Hankley Common golf clubs. Project Manager at Golf Club Pfaffing, Germany, Golf d’Apermont, France, The London and Buckinghamshire golf clubs in the UK and was the
Operations Manager at the
Buckinghamshire Golf Club during the first four years of its business life.
What are you like?
Sam McLean, sturdy, tuneful, thrifty and Scottish! He doesn’t find life a grind even though he works for Bernhard & Co!
What is your dream holiday? My dream holiday is not to take a holiday as I believe that, if you enjoy what you do on a day-to- day basis, life is a holiday.
What annoys you the most? It is a cliché but “I do not put up with fools gladly”.
Who are you? Sam McLean, Director of Sales & Marketing for Bernhard & Co. Ltd., the manufacturers of the Express Dual and Anglemaster Sharpening Systems.
Status? Married for thirty-five years to Joan who ‘emigrated’ to England with me in 1979. No children but, with four brothers and sisters in law, I have thirteen nephews and nieces who have been happy as “rent a kid” when I wish to do childish things like visiting zoos and theme parks.
Who’s your hero and why? My hero is more than one person - they are people who reach the top of their professions and make it look so easy at what they do. They can be in business, sport, theatre, but they stand out in all walks of life.
What would you change about yourself? Taller, slimmer and richer!
Who wouldn’t you like to be? The footballer who misses a penalty at the shoot-out.
Favourite record, and why? The Rod Stewart album The Great American Song Book, both songs and singer are past their best but together they sound great.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? I am not a romantic but, to have an enjoyable evening, Joan needs to be with me.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Ask my wife Joan if I can buy a Ferrari, a yellow one.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be? A tin whistle, sturdy but tuneful!
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Set objectives and achieve them.
What’s your favourite smell? Freshly cut grass.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Scottish, honest and thrifty.
What talent would you like to have? To speak other languages fluently.
What makes you angry? British politicians of all parties, and political correctness going too far.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Overtaking on motorways and dual carriageways on the left - lane hogs would disappear forever.
Steve with daughters Sabrina, Mikkala and Isabella
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