A day in the life: Matthew Towler

By Alistair August 31, 2018 07:11 Updated

Matthew is the course manager at Letchworth Golf Club in Hertfordshire.

What time do you arrive at the club?

We change our hours to suit the light levels throughout the season. In summer we are in from 5.45am and start work at 6am. In winter we arrive at 6.15am and start work at 6.30am after a chat and a cup of coffee.

Can you describe your morning routine?

The most important thing in the morning is to have a coffee and some banter with the team.

I typically try to prepare them for the day ahead by giving them weather conditions and how the course needs to be set up in accordance with the daily diary.

How many people are there in your team and is it a fair number for your collective workload?

I have eight full-time staff including myself and a part time gardener, this is to manage the Heritage course, Academy course and driving range. Though sometimes this is tight on hours, it has worked for the last couple of years.

Do you share tasks?

All the routine tasks are shared evenly between my team. I think that this is the best way to manage so that all staff have a varied day, keeping different perspectives and feedback on the course flowing back to me.

How do you motivate your colleagues?

Creating a team environment where everybody feels that they can challenge the day to day running of the course. I try and give staff the ability to share their ideas and implement them, so that the overall condition of the course is achieved from their input.

What’s your favourite season of the year and why?

Spring is the best time of year for me as I am excited to see the changes in the course and all the plans and work carried out in the winter months coming into play.

What aspects / functions of your job gives you the greatest satisfaction?

Receiving negative feedback is something I enjoy, as this means I can then improve something I didn’t necessarily know about.

And what part of it gives you the least satisfaction?

The removal of chemicals from the market, which is decreasing the presentation of the golf course.

Have you attended any courses recently?

I attended a training course from Gary Woodward from Bernhard and Company. This course was for the use of the cylinder and bottom blade grinders installed on our site. I found it very informative and have gained a new skill, whilst also understanding more what my mechanic has to do.

What piece of equipment would you say is the most popular and frequently used by you and your team?

Our strimmer – all my staff can’t wait to strim ditches and around the course furniture. I try and only give this task to those who have deserved it!

How would you improve the greenkeeping industry?

Investing in more training for younger and unqualified staff, as it’s key for our industry to continue to improve.

Has a golfer ever deliberately directed a ball at you?

No not yet, although I am a large target out on the course!

What is your favourite machine and why?

Our Trilo S3 is one of the best bits of kit I have, as this machine can carry out more than one task. We use ours predominantly for leaf collection from October to December.

However by changing the head from the brush to a flail head we can cut and collect our long rough grass. It only takes 30 minutes to change and has reduced my hire costs by £1,000 to £2,000 per year.

Have you ever had any mishaps with lakes on the course or had to undertake a rescue of a daft golfer?

No, not yet.

What is the most interesting animal you have seen on your course and how do you do support wildlife?

We have had cows on the course on a few occasions but I have not undertaken anything to support this type of wildlife. We have kites and hawks on the course, which are only visible to us in the mornings when course is quiet.

Are you seeing any evidence of climate change?

We do appear to be receiving larger volumes of rainfall over a 24 hour period than we used to. Last year was also one the warmest years since our records began in 1850 – I don’t know if it’s to do with climate change but we are seeing some changes in our weather patterns.

What advice would you give to a young greenkeeper starting out today?

Work hard and ask as many question as you can, gaining knowledge from those around you. It is important to respect all established staff as they will help you gain confidence and new skills which will ultimately help you achieve your goals and ambitions.

How do you spend your leisure time?

Mainly being a father to my three daughters, those that have teenagers will understand that I am the bank and the taxi service! I am also a keen carp fisherman and try to have long weekends away as often as I’m allowed with no mobile phone or internet, as my work dominates my spare time also.