Ganton hosts greenkeepers from across the UK and Ireland for week-long event
Ganton Golf Club’s greenkeeping team welcomed peers from across the UK and Ireland to a week-long programme of events showcasing the world-renowned course and providing opportunities to share knowledge and experience.
“In my 28 years in the golf industry, I’ve had some fantastic opportunities – from cutting greens at majors to learning from some of the best greenkeepers in the world. I’ve also done plenty of long, cold winters in northern England – so having the chance to bring people to Ganton from clubs near and far, get out on the course and work with them, and bring in experts to talk to us was a brilliant opportunity,” said Ganton course manager Simon Olver.
The week was supported by Agrovista, while Ganton hosted participants on-site. The programme covered irrigation design, assembly, installation and final setup as well as revetted bunker design, construction and ongoing maintenance. There were also opportunities to share knowledge and experience, and take inspiration from work being done at other venues.
Greenkeepers from Alwoodley, Machrihanish Dunes, Muskerry in Cork, and several other venues attended, with the event receiving incredibly positive feedback.
“The week was also a brilliant one for me and our team,” added Simon. “It was a fantastic opportunity to learn something new and put my knowledge to the test in some of the sessions. Our team also played a huge part in the week – planning and hosting sessions themselves, supporting the classroom elements in their own time after doing their days’ work, and getting involved in the networking. There has definitely been a positive boost in morale in the weeks since.
“Events like this don’t take too much time to put on, and the rewards are huge when you get them right. We’re proud of what we can do in-house, and it was great to see the team show that off, answer questions, listen to feedback, and share what we’ve learned with others. An event doesn’t need to be multiple days with loads of people; something as simple as a course walk and a game in the afternoon is a great way to get together, chat and learn from each other – and the benefits can be huge,” added Simon.
