Gaining an insight into golf management practices in the United States is the objective of ten BIGGA greenkeepers, who have been sponsored by grinding specialists Bernhard and Company to attend this week’s GCSAA Conference and Show in San Diego.
“As this is my first time to the US it generates a tremendous amount of excitement in its own right,” says Master Greenkeeper Sid Arrowsmith, course manager at Frilford Heath Golf Club near Oxford.
“I feel very privileged to be part of the delegation and am really looking forward to speaking with US superintendents to see what problems they are encountering. There is pressure in the UK to create superb, fast playing surfaces for 365 days of the year, I want to see if the expectancy is the same in the US.”
Bernhard and Company is keen to share the hospitality and exchange of information they have themselves experienced in the States through both the GCSAA and many golf superintendents.
“Helping with the grinding at prestigious events such as The US Open gives us a tremendous amount of first-hand knowledge of their greenkeeping skills,” says Stephen Bernhard, managing director of Bernhard and Company. “We are tremendously keen that BIGGA greenkeepers should have this great opportunity to see first-hand how their counterparts operate.”
The delegation in full is:
- Sidney Arrowsmith, Frilford Heath GC
- Warren Bevan, Stockport GC
- Will Bowden, The Hertfordshire GC
- Brian Boyle, County Sligo Golf Club
- Philip Cooper, Milton Abbey School
- Peter Cross, Woolton GC
- Terry Farkins, Dartmouth G&CC
- Leslie Howkins, Cleethorpes GC
- Paul Jenkins of Westridge Golf Centre.
- and Steven Tierney from Golfpark Nuolen AG, Switzerland
Paul Jenkins is also a BIGGA Board of Management member. “With a dual interest, I want to bring back some useful information to the BIGGA Board on operations in the US and ideas that might be of benefit to our management,” he says.
BIGGA www.bigga.co.uk
GCSAA www.gcsaa.org
Bernhard and Company www.bernhard.co.uk