Turf Careers

When did you first know you wanted to be in the turf industry?

“I was 15 when I first thought I would like to be in the industry but didn’t do anything about it until I was 47.”

 Where did this interest come from?

Bowls, my Grandfather was the head greenkeeper Lansdowne bowling club our local in Masterton, my dad also helped on the greens and played outdoor bowls so  it was natural that I decided to take up the sport too, whilst watching them prepare the greens. As I got older, I played a lot of sports, with hockey becoming my main sport which I played at the representative level all though grades for Wairarapa.

How did you get your start?

I was sitting at work one day after 17 years in my role in the manufacturing sector, thinking about changing career to something I have always wanted to do, and something I would enjoy. I did my research and eventually settled on a training programme with the team at NZSTI.  

How was the experience starting out?

First memories were excitement, being able to be outside and do a job I loved, operating different machines, and learning cricket wicket preparation. Everything was new, interesting, but challenging. I will never forget my first block course, and hearing the phrase Nitrogen, Nitrogen, Nitrogen from Brendan Hannan.

“With my background and life experience, I found the training demands easy to manage –  I set aside 3 to 4 hours a week at the most to keep ahead of it all.”

How has your career progressed since your first role?

I started working for Mexted Sport Turf in late 2020, my first role was a groundsman looking after all the Upper Hutt sports fields, then about 15 months later, I was promoted to operations supervisor for the Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt councils’ maintenance contracts, where I manage a team of  14. 

Recently, I spent five weeks working in Australia with members of Mexted’s, SIS Grass and HG Turf stitching fibres to make hybrid pitches that were to be used at; Suncorp, Coopers and Allianz Stadiums for the FIFA World cup.

What is some advice for someone else setting out on their turf journey?

Stick to your study, always ask questions, and enjoy what you do, because you never know what is around the corner, and you are never too old to start studying and start a new career.

Where do you see this career taking you?

The world is my oyster, Keep learning my craft and training with Mexteds and look at more management level training.

“Never give up on what you want to do and sometimes you need to take a step backwards to take a step forward.”

When did you first know you wanted to be in the turf industry?

I first found a passion for Greenkeeping when I was a Junior golfer at Omokoroa Golf Club, age 13.  During the school holidays I would volunteer helping the greens staff maintain the golf course. I quickly became very passionate and was there every morning! I loved learning how to operate all the machines and seeing the results after a good day’s work.

Where did this interest come from?

When I was first learning to play golf as a junior, I was always at the golf course and was fascinated watching the green keepers roll the greens and do maintenance thinking how I’d like to do that one day. I loved being on the course at dawn when a nice day was breaking, that special feeling that seemed hard to beat.

How did you get your start?

I started through a program called “Gateway” which offers High School students the opportunity to get out of the classroom and gain practical experience of an industry we were interested, working one day a week during the school term, it helped me get a start in the turf industry.

“During my time at Paraparaumu Beach, we extended the same opportunity to the local High School, and one of the gateway students then has gone on to a fulltime position at the golf course and is currently completing their Sports Turf Apprenticeship.”

 How has your career progressed since your first role?

After starting through “Gateway” at Omokoroa Golf Course, I was hooked, unfortunately the club couldn’t offer an apprenticeship, so I reached out to another local club, Omanu where Jason Perkins was able to offer me a Sport Turf apprenticeship. They were awesome years; I was lucky Jason had lots of patience because I was so keen and sometimes ended up on machines in places I shouldn’t have been! 

Towards the end of my apprenticeship, I was ready to explore new opportunities and originally from the UK, thought it might be fun to go “home” I googled the “Top 10” golf courses in the UK and emailed them all expressing a desire to work for them. Within two weeks I had signed a contract to work at “the home of golf”, I couldn’t really believe it was true, at the age of 20, I packed my bags and flew to Scotland. My time at St Andrew’s was amazing, working on arguably the most iconic course in the world. I was expecting to be doing lots of different tasks but was surprised by the simplicity of their approach and realised that sometimes a great surface can be achieved through less inputs not more.

Returning to New Zealand, I was keen to learn more about warm season grasses so took up a position at Tauranga Golf Course who were converting their fairways to couch. Whilst there I was selected to attend the Future Turf Managers Initiative (FTMI) in Melbourne. Professional development opportunities like this are important, especially as you take that next step into a management role.   After that it was a short-term position at The Hills in Queenstown where I got to experience all the aspects that go into presenting a high-level course.  

From there, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity as Head Greenkeeper at Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand’s “spiritual” home of golf.  Only 23 and although nervous about my ability, I was encouraged by the club and those around me that I could do it. 

This position allowed me to grow as person both on and off the tools, with Leo providing the framework, support and mentoring but allowing me the autonomy to run the day-to-day operations and planning for course improvements. I also really enjoyed learning how to build a team culture and a place people loved working at.

It was time to head home to England again, spend time with family and friends, and gain some more overseas experience in the turf industry. I was fortunate to secure a position at course near where I was born called Hayling Island Golf Club. So far, it’s been awesome to work at another classic links golf course, it’s built-on top of shingle and coupled with local water restrictions can be tough site to manage.

What is some advice for someone else setting out on their turf journey?

Talk to anyone and everyone, take opportunities when they present themselves. As I have matured, I have found you need to put yourself out there and demonstrate that your passionate and keen to learn. There are so many talented turf managers in New Zealand and around the World, if you display initiative, take the first step, often they are willing to take you under their wing and help you achieve your goals.

“Every course I moved to taught me different lessons and techniques, or something to add to the learning bank.”

 I have also learnt that grass doesn’t sleep, and the people that are prepared to do that extra work when needed, always find themselves in better positions going forward.

Where do you see this career taking you?

I’ve been very lucky to be able to travel using my greenkeeping skills, meet some incredible people and make lifelong friends. My goal is to keep traveling the world and taking opportunities when they arise. Eventually when the times right, I’d love to bring my overseas experiences and learnings back to New Zealand to work at one of our many great golf courses.

When did you first know you wanted to be in the turf industry?

It was always in the back of my mind. I played golf as a kid and I always saw the greenkeepers as happy in their work, I really liked the mowers and the smell of cut grass (who doesn’t). I think the seed was sown then plus I love being outdoors and I just really love sports. It seemed a natural fit.

 Where did this interest come from?

My family were market gardeners, growing plants is in the blood, if I wasn’t playing sports I was in the fields, that where I got my work ethic from.

 “As a young guy it always fascinated me how golf courses were so pristine on the tv… the greenness and their laser straight mowing lines.”

 Watching golf, made me want to learn to play, it was a natural progression from there.

 How did you get your start?

Sometimes you just got to trust your gut and I just knew being a turfie/greenkeeper, involved in a world I loved would suit me. So, I took the step and applied for a position with the local team at Recreational Services, where I started out doing mowing duties on parks and reserves, progressing to an assistant groundsman working on the cricket pitches.

How has your career progressed since your first role?

Starting out I loved it. I was happy spending all day on machines or marking up and I was part of a great team. The early morning starts were sweet, I like that.

 “I couldn’t start training with NZSTI because the groundsman I was working under was still doing his level 4, but what he learnt I learnt too, and I would do my studies a little later once I moved into bowls.”

 After six years with Recreational Services, I made the move into Bowls greenkeeping where I have been refining my skills for the past 14 years’. In that time, I spent 12 years managing five greens in Gisborne before moving the family to Christchurch to become the greenkeeper for Burnside Bowling club two years ago. Burnside is a very high-profile bowls club, where we regularly host national and international events – I enjoy the pressure and challenge of preparing world-class surfaces.

 I have also moved into that next phase of my career giving back to industry, I am currently Vice President of both Canterbury and New Zealand Bowls Greenkeepers Associations.

 What is some advice for someone else setting out on their turf journey?

My advice would be to develop a great work ethic, there might be some early starts and hard work but employers in this field will recognise your positive attitude, showing initiative and learning from your mistakes are good traits to develop to. As you progress, you will have targets to meet or a standard of appearance or performance to keep but how you get there will up to you, so being self-motivated helps. Getting qualified, starting with the level 3 is a great start, and then you progress from there.

 Don’t be shy, ask plenty of questions from a range of people, those with the experience will have seen the problems you are facing before and give you good information.  

“When thinking of careers in the turf industry, Bowls is quite niche but there is a shortage of greenkeepers, clubs are always on the lookout and there are some really good well-paid jobs available.”

 Where do you see this career taking you?

I would like to keep working away on bowls greens and meeting the challenges in presenting greens of a very high standard, whilst also making sure I am supporting the next generation of Bowls greenkeepers. Over my years in bowls, there have been some legendary greenkeepers that really left a legacy… maybe someday I too can be amongst their ranks.