Former St Andrews Links Trust Director of Greenkeeping Gordon Moir has accepted the nomination to become vice president of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association in 2020, with a view to becoming president in 2021.
Moir, 60, retired from his position at St Andrews Links in December 2018 after a career that saw him involved with the hosting of more than 37 championships, including five Opens. He was just the eighth person to hold the title of Director of Greenkeeping at St Andrews since the first, Old Tom Morris, retired in 1904.
A farmer’s son from Fraserburgh in the north of Scotland, Moir began his career at the town’s golf club in 1976, attended Elmwood College for his training, and very quickly moved through the ranks to the role of head greenkeeper. After ten years in charge at Fraserburgh, he moved on to become head greenkeeper of St Andrews’ Eden Course in 1991, before later becoming the overall Director of Greenkeeping.
Moir has previously served on the BIGGA National Board and is a former chairman of the association’s Scottish Region. In 1995, while chairman, he met Arnold Palmer and presented him with a crystal vase in recognition of all the legendary golfer had done for greenkeeping.
Throughout his time at St Andrews, Moir recognised that the club had a duty as torchbearers for the greenkeeping industry. As such, he was a great supporter of the Golf Environment Organization and the Golf Environment Awards and would often speak at the annual BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition. As vice president, Moir will support Colin Webber throughout his year as president of the association. Webber, 60, founded Portmore Golf Park in Devon in 1993 and is also heavily committed to ecology and sustainability, winning a Golf Environment Award at the facility in 2010.
Moir said: “I was absolutely delighted to be asked to be president of BIGGA. To be honest, it was something that I really hoped would happen, and I’m glad that my retirement has enabled me to accept this opportunity. I’ve tried to stay involved with the greenkeeping industry since retiring, and so I’m really proud to be offered the chance to represent the association in this way and meet people from all over the country who I haven’t seen for a year or who I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
He added: “There is so much available to members of BIGGA, such as getting involved with the various support teams or the numerous networking opportunities, and it can open up so many doors in your career. The association has done so much for me and I look forward to being the one talking to members and spreading that message.”
Webber said: “When I was asked to become president, my first thought was ‘why aren’t they asking Gordon?’ He’s the perfect candidate because of what he’s done throughout his career and the level that he’s worked at. His nomination just shows the breadth and scale of the association and how it brings together people from all over the greenkeeping industry together. I’m delighted that Gordon will be bringing all that experience to the role, which can only be a huge benefit to the association.”
Moir will be appointed Vice President of BIGGA during the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition, which takes place in Harrogate, North Yorkshire during January 2020. He will then become President at the same event the following year.
BIGGA Chairman Scott Reeves said: “Each of BIGGA’s presidents have brought a new dimension to the role. I’m sure Gordon will add to this increasingly-respected position in his own unique way. I look forward to working with him when he becomes vice president and onwards in his year as president.”