At every level, greenkeepers need to continue to learn, writes Ganton course manager Simon Olver
They say every day is a school day and in greenkeeping there’s always something new you can bring to what you’re doing.
It was awesome to be able to join the greenkeeping team at Royal Portrush for The Open. I was there in 2019 and loved every minute of being back on the golf course.
Being part of the biggest golf tournament in the world gives you a great insight into what the people at the very top of the game are doing. Ganton is at a very high level given its history and the tournaments it hosts today, but we can always learn from our peers and pass on what we’ve learned.
I cut greens during the week and I enjoyed getting to grips with the state-of-the-art electric Toro green mowers. I also picked up some tricks from Stevie, Portrush’s mechanic, which I’ll be passing on to my team. I’ll also be looking into the little sweeper they had clearing divots on the range – a much more effective setup than ours.
The biggest thing I took away from the week was Graeme Beatt’s leadership. His ability to augment his team with people from all over the world, have us all pull together through a busy week, and be so calm and make it look so easy was incredible. If you’re at the top of your team, you should be endeavouring to make your environment one where people can learn from each other, share ideas and ask questions, and work together like the team did at Portrush.
Back at Ganton, the learning continues and we’ve been working with the USGA’s GS3 Ball, which is connected to a satellite and has 15,000 sensors to measure trueness, smoothness and green speed – and works alongside the new DEACON management system. This delivers a massive step up in the efficiency of our data collection and allows us to fine-tune on the go, making it easier than ever to test then adjust the setup of greens as we work on them.
Every greenkeeper, from first-year apprentice to course manager, should be looking to develop their skills and always keep learning. It’s not easy to fit into a busy schedule, but it will keep you engaged and feeling fulfilled. Sign up to tournament support, work with and talk to other greenkeepers, and don’t be scared to pick up the phone to a fellow BIGGA member. Get out of your bubble, see what other people are doing, go out and play, peer review, do shadowing work, go on course visits, do some BIGGA training, play in golf days, and get involved in BIGGA get-togethers and meetings.
It’s great to have moral support and be able to chat through the challenges of what we do but try and get out there and develop your skills too – you’ll feel better for it and your course will be better for it too.
To the managers and committee members out there, allow and encourage your team to get out there – they’ll be more motivated, will increase their skills and the skills of their colleagues as they pass on what they’ve learned, and ultimately they’ll be better greenkeepers.
