Education and training have always been core values in Howard Swan’s professional life, whether it has been at the EIGCA where he chaired the Education Board for several years, through teaching greenkeepers at his BIGGA class, or through the ongoing professional development workshops at SGD.
The past twelve months have seen an expansion of this role, with a number of new initiatives being put into practice to improve the profile and understanding of the profession.
The 2010 BTME show at Harrogate saw the latest Design Class, with eighteen course managers and greenkeepers taking part in the highly interactive 2-day seminar.
Elsewhere, our renovation workshops in southern England, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland were attended by representatives of thirty golf clubs, and have helped share SGD’s experience of well planned and sensibly budgeted renovation projects that have resulted in improved courses and more profitable clubs. Further afield, SGD are pioneering training through the FIRSTGOLF initiative in India with central and state governments, providing 3 and 6 hole facilities allied to a national skills development programme.
Howard contends that “getting more fellow professionals from our allied industries to understand more about golf course architecture – the history, the philosophies, the practice – can only improve the design of new courses and the renovation of existing ones through everyone working as a team.”
He contines, “Our stand at Harrogate was a busy place for the three days of BIGGA annual exhibition. We were pleased to catch up with old friends, meet existing clients and introduce our golf architecture services to new contacts.”
Swan Golf Designs www.swangolfdesigns.com