Meet the two new ‘Master Greenkeepers’

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Two greenkeepers have become the 73rd and 74th recipients of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association’s  (BIGGA) Master Greenkeeper certificate.

They are Andrew Kerr, 39, course manager at Surbiton Golf Club in London, and Anthony Girardi, 49, golf course superintendent at Rockrimmon Country Club in Connecticut.

Recognised as a prestigious and highly-sought after greenkeeping industry award, Master Greenkeeper certificates are achieved through a three-stage process. To be eligible, BIGGA members must have been working in the industry for 10 years, with three spent in a head greenkeeper, course manager or superintendent role.

Andrew Kerr

Andrew said: “I feel the Master Greenkeeper qualification is important for the industry as it highlights great work, knowledge and abilities in a small industry within a global scale. Each of the stages helped me push my own knowledge and develop excellent standards from a course and administration point of view, which I hope to continue to do now and in the future.”

Tony said: “I had always heard of the Master Greenkeeper programme through the years, but it wasn’t until I attended BTME in 2016 that I became more aware of the certificate and what it entailed. You are never too old to learn, and in a very short two-year period, I can safely say that I have learned a great deal about course management from my peers in the UK and Ireland.”

Tony Girardi

Stuart Green, BIGGA’s head of member learning, said: “Congratulations to Andrew and Tony. The certificate is now in its 28th year and yet only 74 golf course managers from all over the world have made the grade, highlighting what an incredible achievement this is.”