New Zealand Sports Turf Institute
New Zealand’s only full-service sports surfaces consultancy group specialising in research, training and technical advice relating to design and management of natural and synthetic sports surfaces.
New Zealand Sports Turf Institute (NZSTI) is a member of the Labosport group, an independent, world-class sports services organisation.
NZSTI is New Zealand’s only full-service sports surfaces consultancy group specialising in research, training and advice relating to design and management of natural and synthetic sports surfaces.
Founded in 1949, NZSTI is recognised as the “standard setting body” for sports surface maintenance and management. We provide independent, scientifically based advice on all aspects of sports and amenity surface planning, construction and maintenance.
The NZSTI’s dedicated Training and Education department provides a range of training solutions to the sports turf and horticulture industries – both nationally, and internationally. NZSTI agronomists provide teaching and extension services at universities, polytechnics and ground managers’ field-days and seminars in New Zealand and throughout Asia. Almost every golf course superintendent or Turf Manager in NZ is a graduate of the Institute’s Sports Turf programmes!
NZSTI has five regional offices in New Zealand, including the national Turf Training Centre and Laboratory in Palmerston North.
Our clients include:
Local Government
Contractors
Schools and Universities
Sports Stadia
Golf and Bowling Clubs
Thoroughbred Racing Clubs
NZSTI is the Agronomy partner for Bowls NZ, Golf New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
NZSTI publishes the Turf Management Journal, New Zealand’s only dedicated turf management publication. This has an international distribution while also achieving full coverage of the New Zealand turf industry.

NZSTI Management Team

Olivier Ducrocq
Managing Director
Tara McLeod
Manager, Sports Surfaces & Equipment
Lindsay Robertson
Manager, Training & Technology Solutions
Alex Glasgow
Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor / Senior Agronomist
Dr Andrew Mitchell
Synthetics Sports Surfaces Advisor / Senior Agronomist
Sports Surfaces & Equipment Solutions
Staff are based in the regions of Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu, Canterbury and Otago
Tara McLeod
Manager, Sports Surfaces & Equipment
Alex Glasgow
Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor / Senior Agronomist
Dr Andrew Mitchell
Synthetics Sports Surfaces Advisor / Senior Agronomist
David Howard
Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor / Senior Agronomist
David Ormsby
Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor / Senior Agronomist
Brendan Hannan
Laboratory Manager / Agronomist
Chris Gribben
Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor / Agronomist / Synthetics Surfaces
Gerard Wech
Junior Sports Surfaces Solutions Advisor
Thomas McLeod
Sports Surfaces Technician
Julie Fraser
Administrator / Turf Co-ordinator
Training & Technology Solutions Team
Staff are generally based at Head Office in Palmerston North or working remotely
Lindsay Robertson
Training & Technology Solutions Manager
Megan Cushnahan
Learning Development Specialist
Angela Stratford
Learning and Assessment Developer
Aravind Kumar
Learning Resource Developer
Jeanette Salmond
Accounts Administration & Training Coordinator