Golf T Scott Williams
he morning of Friday, 20th September 2013 dawned dry, yet cloudy in south Pembrokeshire with a promise of sunny spells later.
Scott Williams, acting head
greenkeeper at Tenby Golf Club since early August, noted the forecast as he drove to the machinery sheds that morning, ready to team up with his two fellow greenkeepers and prepare the classic 18-hole links course for the coming weekend’s golfers. On that particular Friday, Scott had an important additional reason for checking the local weather forecast. Later that day, he would drive to nearby Saundersfoot Bowling Club to start autumn renovation of the bowling green, a job that had been carried out successfully for many years by Tenby Golf Club’s former head greenkeeper, Chris Jenkins. Having taken on Chris’s golf course duties when the latter passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last August, Scott subsequently agreed to provide professional greenkeeping input to Saundersfoot and Tenby Bowling Clubs, visiting both clubs in his spare-time with the full knowledge and blessing of his
golf club employer.
In doing so, he was maintaining the close local link established by Chris between golf and bowls, much to the relief of the two bowling clubs. “The main issue facing privately-run bowling clubs in this part of Wales is the shortage of qualified professionals capable of advising on and looking after quality fine-turf sports surfaces,” explained Scott. “Virtually all of the people equipped and able to do the job are employed full- time at golf clubs, and that is how Chris came to be working as part-time greenkeeper at both Saundersfoot and Tenby Bowling Clubs. When he passed away, I agreed to carry on his good work and provide the required input needed to ensure that the two bowling greens remain properly maintained and presented through the season.” Reassuringly, Scott knew that he could call on his fellow golf course greenkeepers, and a retired former greenkeeper living locally, to help share the bowling green maintenance load, particularly when carrying out heavy manual tasks such as top dressing and fertilising.
A greenkeeper at Tenby Golf Club for the past seventeen years, Scott Williams saw his fine-turf responsibilities considerably extended last summer following the untimely death of his colleague and friend, Chris Jenkins, Tenby’s head greenkeeper since 1988.
Mike Bird spoke with Scott as he took stock of his new duties
Big shoes well filled
The view from behind the eighth green
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