The course manager at South Staffordshire Golf Club takes us through his average day.

What time do you arrive at the club and what is your morning routine?

During the summer we start at 5:30am and in the winter 6am. I generally tend to plan the tasks the day before, but upon arrival will conduct a quick course check and liaise with my deputy in case the plans need to be amended. Next, I’ll update all the club booking systems and website to inform members of restrictions / conditions, have a quick chat and brew with my team then head out and begin the day’s tasks.

How many people are there in your team and do you share tasks?

Staff levels have increased recently, which has been a big help! Currently we have a team of six plus a part-time mechanic who works three days a week. I like to share tasks as much as possible to keep everyone up to date with all elements of course setup / cutting. This then means that everyone can do all tasks which is helpful to cover holidays and any periods of sickness.

How do you motivate your colleagues?

I’m lucky in that I have a great team who support me and want the best for the course, so are always motivated. I like to follow the motto ‘lead by example’ and find that the team also follow suit. I also make sure to listen to their ideas and views for course setup which helps with retaining motivation.

What aspects of your job give you the greatest satisfaction?

I love hearing great feedback from members and visitors about the quality of the course. Being able to see the course coming together and looking sharp ultimately gives me the greatest satisfaction, and a huge sense of pride in what we deliver.

And the least satisfaction?

Negative comments! Generally, in these instances, once there has been a discussion about the issue, I find opinions tend to change.

Have you attended any courses recently, and if so, what did you take away?

I am constantly looking for courses to improve myself in all areas. I completed a 360-excavator course at the start of the 2024 and hope to book onto some chainsaw courses when time allows.

What is your favourite season of the year and why?

I do like the summer months when it’s light early and the course looks great – the lighter starts mean we get some blissful mornings before golf play starts. As strange as it seems I do also like the winter months… perhaps not when it rains, but because it is a time when we can complete projects working closely as a team and really push the course forward. Plus, the course always looks great with a nice sharp frost!

Are you witnessing evidence of climate change and, if so, how has your job had to adapt to changing weather patterns?

Absolutely. It seems the seasons have all merged into one and the months are no longer predictable, which means we are constantly having to adapt our schedules to suit. It seems like grass mowing is a year-round task now, and pressure from diseases seem to be cropping up anytime.

Have you had to overcome any course issues with disease and / or pests?

Disease was something we really had to focus on towards the end of last year, and it proved to be one of the worst and longest disease pressure seasons I have seen in my short time as a course manager. I used to heavily beat myself up over disease damage and so on and saw it as failure, but I have learnt that as long as I’ve done what I can and made sure to make members aware, then it all works out in end. Ultimately sometimes nature trumps anything we can do. Pests aren’t really an issue. I was brought up in the country and professionally caught moles for 24 years, so I can deal with most pests if and when they arise.

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

The club have invested in some great new machinery to help us maintain the course easier and achieve better results. We might not always have time to use them all, but they all have a purpose and are there if we need them. Some of the recent investments include a Top Brush, Verti-Cut and Verti-Quake 2516, all from Redexim. The Verti-Quake 2516 has quickly become one of my favourite new tools, it’s a great machine which is going to be pivotal to improving course drainage moving forwards.

With a growing focus on sustainability, do you deploy any sustainable practices in the management of your course?

The club are always looking at ways to be more sustainable. We are able to monitor and reduce water applications by using our POGO to make sure we only water when we need to, also enabling us to save fuel and time. We have focussed our efforts on growing more areas of rough and are having discussions about turning these areas into wildflower zones to further enhance the course and encourage nature.

What do you do to support wildlife?

We have multiple bird boxes and areas left untouched to support nature as much as we can. As mentioned in the last answer, we are looking to incorporate more wildflower areas into the course, which will be one of our focusses for 2025.

What are the technological developments that you feel have been the most important in your career to date?

Tools such as the POGO and the Syngenta turf advisor apps / GDD programmes are incredibly useful for data tracking and analysis, enabling me to optimise plans, labour and applications of products.

Do you use social media professionally and what do you think this contributes to the industry?

I don’t personally but the club has social media. It’s a good way of pushing events for the club and keeping the public updated on changes and developments.

How would you improve the greenkeeping industry?

General improvement between the greens teams and members would be beneficial. I also feel larger organisations need to help with raising awareness on the ever-increasing restrictions greenkeepers are having to work with. Better communication and education among those in the industry would go a long way.

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

Be willing to learn as much as you can from experienced greenkeepers and never be afraid to ask questions – it’s how we all learn. Network as much as possible and offer to help on events if the opportunities arise. The experience gained from events and meeting new people will open a lot of doors and create friends for life. Also, most importantly, take pride in your work. It won’t go unnoticed.

How do you spend your leisure time?

I spent most of my upbringing in the countryside so, because of this, I love to spend my leisure time out in the country with my friends, flyfishing and shooting as well as training and working my dogs.