Beeston Fields appoints ‘master greenkeeper’

By Alistair July 3, 2022 08:22

Beeston Fields Golf Club in Nottingham has appointed Ryun Holden as its new golf course manager.

Ryun has 31 years’ experience of international golf course management. He studied sports turf management at Myerscough College in Lancashire, moved to Oakmere Park (Nottingham) as the course manager and then moved to Switzerland (where his father is a golf pro) in 2009 as course manager at Limpachtal Golf Club. In 2013 he moved to his most recent club, Wylihof Golf Club.

He is a highly respected professional who has won many awards over the last few years. He has extensive knowledge of agronomy, leading to high quality playing surfaces, golf course construction and ecology maintenance. His emphasis is on detail using modern techniques to enhance the tradition of the game.

He is a ‘Stage 2 Master Greenkeeper’ and has qualifications in business management, golf course design and architecture, and sportsturf management.
Ryun went through a comprehensive interview process which included the captains, the greens’ chairman and meeting the greenkeeping team, who thoroughly endorsed his appointment.

Ryun is married with two children, plays off a handicap of eight and is returning to the UK to make his home back in the Nottingham area after many years away.

He wrote recently that head greenkeepers should consider inviting their club’s committees on ‘walks and talks’ to show them what greenkeepers do. ‘I designed a tour of our facility, workshop, chemical store, pumphouse and golf course,’ he stated. ‘I explained how a golfer’s opinion is subjective, often depending on how well they have played, and how this is unhelpful to our decision‑making.

‘The tour was greeted with fascination and real amazement at how varied our responsibilities, skills, knowledge and achievements are. Most surprising was the overwhelming interest in our environmental work.’