Greenkeeping

Pity the poor greenkeeper. He is likely to be overworked, underpaid, and has to shoulder blame for just about everything-even the weather. But things are changing to give greenstaff -and their greens -a better deal.

Though they're only just beginning to have their due share of attention, greenkeepers are responsible for golf's main asset-the courses. But all is far from well in the greenkeeping world. A combination of problems has put great strain on our golf courses - and on the men who tend them.

The average course of today has to contend with at least ten times more wear and tear than it did a few decades ago. Our greens are becoming ever more crowded, from dawn to dusk, in winter as well as summer. Golfers want to enjoy year-round play on firm, fast greens and mud-free fairways - but most courses fall below these ideals.

Greenkeepers are under fire from all quarters. They are often understaffed and under funded; many are left struggling to meet player expectation on poorly constructed courses never designed for heavy year-round play.

The level of greenstaff in Britain has remained much the same over the years - there's an average of four or five men per 18-hole course in the UK compared to about 19 in the USA. This has led to intensive management of the courses, involving frequent use of heavy machinery and water and fertilizer programs.

Green concern
It's traditional for the greenkeeper to be blamed for everything, including the weather. The course may be too wet, too dry, too fast, too slow. Faced with high membership fees, players want value for money - expectation is high.

A greenkeeper may have to take unpopular decisions, perhaps to rest exhausted greens. This often leads to conflict. Should a greenkeeper give way to pressure and try to satisfy members on a particular day, or instead nurture the long-term health of the course?

Courses that stage tournaments are faced with the additional problem of professional golfers who want a course to play its best on the day - this may mean shaving the turf irrespective of weather conditions or grass species.

One of the main worries facing British greenstaff is that modern practices don't suit the tough native grasses-the fescues and bents - which can be relied on for year-round play. Springing up at an alarming rate in their place is the inferior annual meadow grass, which quickly becomes unplayable in all but the summer months.

Course design
Poor course construction and design add to the greenkeeper's problems. Generally, the healthiest courses are those which are ecologically sound and make the most of the natural landscape and vegetation of the area. British courses laid down before the First World War was closely based on the links ideal, which adapted well to inland heathland courses.

Many new courses make good use of modern technology; they have superb drainage systems and a special root-zone material to absorb air and retain moisture. But on some earlier courses -particularly those badly laid out by unqualified designers on clay - a drainage system was often an unsuccessful afterthought.

With the influence of TV, the trend today is often towards a scenically attractive Augusta-style dream course, with lush green turf at all times - even in dry spells - set against a backdrop of landscaped trees and lakes.

To achieve this scenic splendour, large-scale earth-moving and the mass introduction of non-native features may be needed. Some of these courses work well, but others - especially those ill-suited to local conditions and a variable climate - are almost impossible to maintain in playable form throughout the year.

The challenge of change
It's essential that solutions are found which work not only now but will lead to healthy greens in the future. A new association, BIGGA-the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association - was set up in 1987 to represent the profession.

More recently the R and A Greenkeep-ing Panel spoke out forcefully for radical changes to restore health to ailing greens. High on their list of priorities is greenstaff training.

Many top greenkeepers on showcase courses came into the business straight from school. They gained their skills in the traditional way - by trial and error. This is now all changing. Britain may not yet match the US system of training -there, many superintendent greenkeepers hold degrees - but funding is being increased so that a proper training framework is possible.

The image of a greenkeeper as a person who just cuts the grass is a thing of the past. The greenstaff of today should be recognized as well qualified individuals in a skilled profession.

Training and research programs are important initiatives. There's also a need for everyone involved in the game to work for a closer understanding. Many green committees should be restructured, with training so serving members make well informed decisions.

Relations between greenstaff and player haven't always run smoothly. Players need to be educated into a better appreciation of the problems facing a greenkeeper.
It's time to set aside grievances and misunderstandings so that everyone with a real love of the game can work together to safeguard golf's prime asset: the course.