The greenkeeping team at Dudley Golf Club in Worcestershire received BIGGA’s ‘Greenkeeping Project of the Year’ Award, sponsored by Origin Amenity Solutions, at the BIGGA Celebration held at BTME 2024 in Harrogate on Tuesday night.
Leading a team of just three, course manager Stewart Marshall has brought the Midlands golf club back from the brink by using innovative and often cost-free sustainable solutions. From being on the verge of closure prior to the pandemic, the team has transformed Dudley with little or no budget into a thriving venue, just in time for the club’s 130th anniversary.
Examples of development work include:
- Asking for unwanted wooden planks from a local timber yard for the construction of bridges and reusing old materials to create flower beds and pathways.
- Engaging with local schools to enhance and promote the ecological offering of the site.
- Hosting fun social events in the clubhouse to raise money for equipment.
Stewart and his team have shown what can be achieved through innovative thinking and greenkeeping expertise, highlighting the key role greenkeepers play in the success of any golf club.
The other finalists shortlisted for the award were Basingstoke Golf Club and Sandiway Golf Club.