Golf
“The job now is definitely much more demanding. Standards go up all the time. Presentation is so important - and expectation from the golfers too - and all that is good for us all, and for the game”
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an organic Chris Whittle, Royal Birkdale
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the miss m
Chris Whittle, Course Manager, Royal Birkdale
although these times are certainly more challenging than they have been for some while, and budgets have actually decreased this year, whilst demand from the golfers is increasing.” “Probably everyone will blame the economic downturn, but all sorts of things put pressure on greenkeeping. Not least climate change, shortage of money, expectation and the demand for higher standards. There’s probably not the investment in the industry to match those expectations, so greenkeepers tend to get pressure from all directions.” “One of the biggest challenges in our profession is the change in climate because, when I first came into the job thirty years ago, temporary greens were quite common. We’d have drainage issues - and that was the only way of maintaining play. You just don’t see them any more. Members didn’t expect to play right through the winter. If they played a few rounds, they were happy, but now people expect to play almost every day - and on proper
greens. These changes have been so gradual I suspect most members can’t remember what it was like then. They are used to playing throughout the year, whenever they want, whatever the weather - and they expect the courses to play well and we, as a profession, have to adapt and learn so that we can keep pace with the demand.”
“I do think the job of
greenkeeping has become much more professional. BIGGA (and I am President of the local section) keep working at this, and we have come a long way. If you think about the way the job has grown, it is not surprising. I remember in the early years I’d spend the greater part of my time outside. These days, I couldn’t possibly do that.” “There’s a lot of technology, the machinery is much more sophisticated, and we deal with computer systems, design and
managing budgets every day - so I see this as a good thing. I’ve learned to be more efficient by not being at the coalface every minute of the
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 39
sing piece that akes all the difference!
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