Castle Stuart aims to recruit five new members to its course management team for the start of the 2017 season. This will include a full-time greenkeeper to attend to the course year-round, as well as two full-time and two part-time seasonal staff to work between March and November.
In addition, up to five new members of staff are being sought in the clubhouse where the famous Castle Stuart welcome and service is a major part of the visitor experience.
The posts include a full-time seasonal (April to October) breakfast chef, a full-time Assistant Restaurant Manager (year-round) and 2-3 full-time seasonal (April to October) golf operations staff.
The course, which overlooks the Moray Firth near Inverness, opened in 2009 and has since hosted the European Tour’s Scottish Open four times in six years.
The quality of the links has led to praise from the likes of Phil Mickelson, who won the Scottish Open in 2013, and last year’s winner Alex Noren, as well as a host of other leading players. It is regarded as a model for future course design by being playable and enjoyable for players of all abilities.
Castle Stuart has also won awards for its environmental management, having created the course from an area of former farmland and a site rich in wildlife.
Chris Haspell, the course manager, said: “We need to replace long-serving retiring staff and are also looking for apprentices and others who want to make a career out of golf course management.
“We have a fantastic working environment in a spectacular setting and can offer education, training and personal development for hard-working and motivated individuals.
“We maintain close contact with golf courses around the world, so we keep up with new trends and best practice and use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure we are at the top of our game.
“We are passionate about maintaining and improving the course to the highest standards, but also about preserving the natural environment of which we are guardians.”
Part of the Castle Stuart course management’s team work is a research programme on native grasses and the climate, which has produced a huge bank of information on the behaviour of fescue grass in certain conditions. The team constantly share the information, and learn from other courses, to improve their knowledge.
Exchange programmes for ground staff with courses in Europe and as far away as Australia also maintain a constant, two-way flow of ideas.
In 2014 Castle Stuart was awarded the GEO Certified ecolabel, an international symbol of ‘great golf environments’ to recognise golf clubs that have met high standards for performance in nature conservation sites.
Stuart McColm, Castle Stuart’s general manager, added: “While people come to Castle Stuart to play the course and walk in the footsteps of champions, they also remember the warm welcome and high standard of service provided by staff on the course and in the clubhouse. This is reflected in the feedback we receive.
“In order to maintain and improve that high standard we need to recruit enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly staff in all areas of our operation.”
The closing date for applications for all the posts is 5 March 2017
For more information contact Chris Haspell, Castle Stuart Golf Links, 01463 796111 e-mail: admin@castlestuartgolf.com
Castle Stuart Golf Links www.castlestuartgolf.com