Staff praised on #ThankaGreenkeeper day

By Alistair October 2, 2022 11:51

Golf course maintenance staff around the world were praised on September 13 on #ThankaGreenkeeper day.

The annual day is celebrated by golf courses and organisations worldwide to recognise the work carried out from tee to green across the globe.For example, Keith Pickard, golf, health club & spa director at The QHotels Collection, said: “We’d like to take some time this international #ThankaGreenkeeper day to thank all our amazing greenkeeping teams at The QHotels Collection.

“The work they do to keep our courses in such great condition, especially during the recent months of dry and extremely hot weather, does not go unnoticed. They have worked incredibly hard this summer and we could not be more grateful.”

One of those greenkeepers, Simon Colley, head greenkeeper at The QHotels Collection’s Oulton Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in West Yorkshire (pictured), spoke of his pride in his team successfully navigating a challenging, dry season.

“The lack of water is an issue,” he said. “We do have irrigation, which is good, but the headache is the long period of dry weather and the intensity of the heat in midday – it’s hard because you want to get water on there through the day.

“We’ve not had one bad comment throughout the whole season from guests or members. Members are praising it as the best they’ve ever seen in 10 years,” Colley said.

“It’s hard, this greenkeeping. It’s not a job, it’s not a career… it’s got to be a hobby, you’ve got to love it because there are dark times; there are happy times. But if you can look back and be proud of what you’ve done and created on that day then that’s payment enough for me.”