GOLF


Boat of Garten Golf Club


Full steam ahead M


Located at the gateway to the Highlands, Boat of Garten Golf Club is an enchanting place. Flanking the course to the west is the quaint Strathspey Railway, and the lovingly restored steam trains occasionally puff and pant their way past the course. Lee Williams met with newly appointed Head Greenkeeper Michael Mann to see how he’s settling into his new role


ichael has only been at the club since April 2019, and it has been a somewhat steep learning curve since landing the position. He


explains his start in the industry and the path he’s taken to be in charge of such a beautiful golf course. “Straight out of school, I got an apprenticeship at Keith Golf Club, where I spent seven years. A job then came up at Carrbridge Golf Course, which is a nine-hole course only six miles from here, where I took over as head greenkeeper looking after the course as a lone worker for most of the year. I spent twenty-two years at Carrbridge before a position opened (in January this year) as first assistant greenkeeper here at the Boat of Garten. The opening changed to a head greenkeeper position, which I was asked


to apply for instead, and subsequently started in April. Jordan Shaw moved up to first assistant (who has an NVQ level 2 in sports turf) and we took on two more guys who have also been here since April; John Ingles is assistant greenkeeper and Bruce Grant, a summer casual who is currently at university. It’s been a big turnaround of staff for the club but we are slowly getting there. A member of the club looks after the gardens around the clubhouse and we will soon be looking to take on an apprentice greenkeeper. It’s been a challenge, but I’m loving getting my teeth into it.”


Michael has an NVQ level 2 in sports turf which he took out at Elmwood College and holds his spraying certificates PA1, 2 and 6. The heathland course sits on a natural gravel layer with varying levels of a sandy topsoil, and this makes the course very free


32


PC October/November 2019


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