“I’d much rather be sat on a machine than in an office doing paperwork, and the situation here means that I work on the course full-time”
Mark Lawrence and Tim Facer
organisation’s David Burton, Mark and Tim were able to persuade them that the course and the woodlands would look far more natural if these were removed. “David’s help and advice has been very helpful,” says Tim. “Sadly, for us, he has now moved up to the higher echelons of the organisation, so we don’t see him much now.” Tim is, though, fortunate to have the assistance and advice of Andrew Poole, a retired Forestry Commission officer and club member who, at the time of my visit, was planting a beech hedge at the entrance. “We wanted to plant a natural hedge,” says Tim, “but New Forest planners wanted beech!” “We also work with the STRI on ecological matters, but we haven’t seen them for a couple of years, hopefully because we are doing things right!” Tim Facer is a native of East Sussex and did much of his early training at Royal Eastbourne and Peacehaven Golf Clubs, before moving on to East Sussex National as Assistant Superintendent. With a structure change, he became one of three head greenkeepers looking after the two courses. After ten years at the National he joined Hamptworth as Head Greenkeeper fifteen years ago. “When I came here, there was a team of eight greenkeepers and it was managed very much as a resort course, probably due to the influence of big business ownership. That was something I was used to at the National, but I felt it
didn’t suit the location and setting of Hamptworth so, over the years, we have returned it to look and feel more in keeping with its surroundings.” Over time, the
greenkeeping staff has dwindled to just three; Tim and two assistants, Nick Fox and Mark’s son, Matt, both twenty-eight years old and both trained up ‘on the job’ by Tim, although Nick has taken NVQ 1 and 2. I ask how on earth they manage to
Looking back down the 5th
present the course so well on such a skeleton staff. Mark explains that, although the basic working hours are fairly standard - seven hours a day in winter, eight in spring and autumn and nine in summer, Matt and Nick work on a ‘job and finish’ basis. “By that I mean that, if they start a job, they finish it the same day. For that they get paid above the going recommended rate.” “And I’m here 24-7” interjects Tim light-heartedly. “Living on site can have it’s drawbacks.”
“I’m very much a hands-on head
greenkeeper,” says Tim. “I’d much rather be sat on a machine than in an office doing paperwork, and the situation here means that I work on the course full- time, catching up with paperwork when I
have to. Of course, that does mean there’s occasionally some last minute ‘ordering’ happening, but needs must.” “As the staffing levels have dwindled, so too has the level of machinery required. When I came here, much of the equipment was John Deere, which I had worked with at the National. It’s perfectly good kit, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted machinery that could carry out specific tasks. For example, I like to have 22” collars around my greens. That would usually mean mowing with a pedestrian cylinder, which is a fairly time-consuming exercise. So, we purchased a Jacobsen Greensking IV Plus triple mower, which is the only machine on the market that allows each cylinder to work independently. So, we can cut the approaches and then switch off two of the cylinders and mow around the perimeter of the green to create the collar - and then move on to the next in double quick time.” Tim has since replaced much of the
Bluebells in the wood 34
Nick Fox
Matt Lawrence
Andrew Poole
Swans return every summer
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