GOLF
To try and put the
greens back to finer grasses would see our budgets go up massively and our maintenance schedule increase
Team talk
JAMES HEATON (SHAGGY) - DEPUTY HEAD GREENKEEPER
How did you first make the decision to start a career in the sports turf industry? I played golf from the age of around ten, so quickly gained an interest in what went into maintaining and preparing a golf course. I did work experience at The Manor Golf Club and decided it was a career I wanted to pursue. After leaving school, I enrolled at Askham Bryan College to study Level 2 in Sports Turf and started an apprenticeship at Howley Hall Golf Club.
What are the biggest challenges you face? As with most outdoor based careers, the weather is always the biggest factor followed by budgets.
Are you currently working towards a qualification or taking out any extra training? In the coming months, I am looking to do a 360-excavator course and a chainsaw refresher training.
What do you enjoy most about the job? I have always been an outdoors person, so for me that is the best part of the job as well as seeing the results of the hard work
that goes into preparing a golf course to the highest standards.
What do you find the most difficult part of the job? The ever-changing weather is the biggest challenge as that is one of the biggest factors in how well the course can be prepared.
How could the industry as a whole help support and help further your career? I think there could be more funding available for courses, as I know golf clubs don’t always see training as a big priority
Heaton, Deputy Head - four years’ service, NVQ Level 3 in Sports Turf, spraying certificates PA1, PA2 & PA6 and CS30, 31/ 38. John Hampton, First Assistant/Mechanic, eight years’ service, NVQ Level 2 (currently working towards Level 3), PA1, PA2 & PA6 and CS30 and 31. Dean Ward, twenty-six years served, NVQ Level 3, PA1, PA2 & PA6, CS30, 31 /48, and first aid. Andy Smith, seven months, NVQ Level 4, PA1, PA2 and PA6. Matt works with the STRI who collect data once a year from the greens and carry out a general overview of the course. “Our last visit was in January with Gwynn Davies to
discuss sustainability. Once the results came back, Mike Brear and I put a preventative fungicide and fertility programme together, which seems to have done the job so far this year, after having a big outbreak of anthracnose last year. It is good to have the STRI’s support and, if there’s anything we are unsure about, I can pick up the phone and speak to them. The club had Jonathan Gaunt from Gaunt Golf Design come in before I joined. He provided an architectural report on the course, which mainly looked at bunker reshaping on the course.” Matt tells me they aim to apply two
when budgets are already stretched.
Do you attend industry shows or educational days? I attend BTME every year to see what new things are happening in the industry.
Are you a member of any industry bodies? The golf club pays our BIGGA membership.
Do you read Pitchcare magazine or visit our website? I do read Pitchcare as I think it’s one of the best magazines - usually full of new machinery and ideas.
Where do you see yourself in the future? I am currently happy in my role as Deputy Head Greenkeeper but, at some point in the future, I would like to take the step up to Head Greenkeeper.
Is there anyone person in the industry who has inspired you so far? I would say the Head Greenkeepers I have worked under; Mike Bussey and Matt Booth. I have had the chance to learn different things and ways of doing the job from both. It also shows there are different ways to set up a golf course, whilst still achieving high standards of presentation. Luckily for me, both of them were keen on training and education which has got me to where I am today.
22 PC December/January 2020
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