Greenkeeper International GI Published by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association £5.50 February 2015
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GREENKEEPER INTERNATIONAL GI Published by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association £5.50 FEBRUARY 2015 Inside... GEORGE MALCOLM Tributes to the 1991 BIGGA Chairman Show business News, photographs and interviews from a bustling BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition 2015 ALSO INSIDE... LES HOWKINS MG IS NEW BIGGA CHAIRMAN WELCOME FROM BIGGA BIGGA BIGGA President Sir Michael Bonallack, OBE BIGGA Board of Management Chairman Les Howkins MG BIGGA Vice Chairman Stuart Greenwood BIGGA Past Chairman Chris Sealey BIGGA Board Members Rob Welford, Andy Baker, Jeremy Hughes, Kenny MacKay, George Barr, John Keenaghan BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton BIGGA General Manager Tracey Maddison EVERY COURSE. [email protected] Contact Us BIGGA House, Aldwark, Alne, York, YO61 1UF [email protected] www.bigga.org.uk Tel – 01347 833800 | Fax – 01347 833801 EVERY HOLE. Caption GREENKEEPER Bustling and businesslike BTME INTERNATIONAL After a fantastic BTME last month, Five members were awarded Life The official monthly magazine of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers matters were brought into perspective Membership at the AGM, all extremely EVERY DAY. Association Limited. when we heard the news of the passing of deserving for lifetimes dedicated to the Production former chairman, George Malcolm. industry and the Association. Design & Brand It is worth reflecting on the comparative I was particularly pleased to see Clive Executive youth of the Association, as recently as 30 Osgood, chairman in 2001 and our Regional Tom Campbell years ago there was no united voice for the Administrator for the South East, receive this Tel – 01347 833800 ext 513 greenkeeping industry. George, as chairman honour. Despite the odd infirmity in recent [email protected] of the BGGA, was instrumental in the coming years, Clive has given his entire working life to Editorial together of all the disparate associations the betterment of the Association and has done Communications and was very proud to serve as BIGGA’s fifth so with dignity. Well done Clive. Executive chairman in 1991. I would like to pass on my At the opposite end of the career spectrum Steve Castle Tel – 01347 833800 condolences to all George’s family and friends. it was inspiring to meet the youngsters who ext 510 steve.castle have been nominated to form our first Young @bigga.co.uk BIGGA has come a very long way since Greenkeepers Committee. BIGGA is in good Advertising then and nowhere was that more evident health but we must continue to plan for the Business than at BTME 2015. future and adapt to meet the needs of the Development Manager A bustling and businesslike exhibition was younger generations, I know that the input of Jill Rodham Tel – 01347 833800 complemented by four days of outstanding the Young Greenkeepers will be instrumental in ext 519 Fax – 01347 833802 education. As ever, the unique environment helping us achieve that. [email protected] of Harrogate provided a fabulous backdrop to Printing the event meaning that networking and turf This magazine contains a thorough Warners Midlands Plc, The Maltings, Manor chat continued seamlessly from the Exhibition review of BTME, the success of which Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH ONE BRAND Tel – 01778 391000 | Fax – 01778 394269 Centre to the town itself. serves as a motivation to ensure the 2016 I am hugely grateful to the 130+ companies event is even bigger and better. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise OF TURF EQUIPMENT reproduced without written permission. who chose to exhibit, the dozens of educators We have opened a fifth Hall in the Exhibition ® Return postage must accompany all Pebble Beach uses only Jacobsen turf equipment on every inch of every hole. From ECLIPSE2 and materials submitted if return is requested. No who imparted wisdom and of course the 4,000+ Centre to cope with exhibitor demand, our ECLIPSE® 322 walking and riding greens mowers to LF550™ fairway mowers and AR522 and AR722T responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited visitors who came and shared the experience. plans for the education programme are already materials. The right is reserved to edit contour rotaries, the ve courses of Pebble Beach trust Jacobsen to maintain all its precious turf. submissions before publication. Even snow on the Tuesday night had little to no underway and I am confident it will yet again Although every care will be taken, no impact on the overall success of the event. be the highlight of the greenkeeping calendar. So why does one of the world’s most famous golf destinations choose Jacobsen turf equipment responsibility is accepted for loss of manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Opinions Thanks to all that helped make BTME 2015 year after year? It’s quite simple: Jacobsen is the only turf equipment that can provide the expressed are not necessarily those of the It was brilliant to have 16 of the 26 such a great start to the year. world-class conditions Pebble Beach is known for. Association, and no responsibility is accepted for such content, advertising or product former BIGGA Chairmen present at the Enjoy the read. information that may appear. Circulation is by inaugural Chairman’s Lunch. For more information about Jacobsen or to nd a Jacobsen dealer near you, visit subscription. Subscription rate: UK £50 per year, Europe and Eire £65, Rest of the World This was nearly the final act of Chris Sealey’s www.ransomesjacobsen.com. £95. The magazine is also distributed to BIGGA members, golf clubs, local authorities, the turf year at the helm, coming just a couple of hours industry, libraries and central government. before he handed over to Les Howkins MG. It has been a privilege to work closely with Chris for the last 12 months, he is a true gentleman of the industry and very passionate about the FOR A LEGENDARY PERFORMANCE Association. ON YOUR COURSE, CALL 01473 270000 Under his stewardship we implemented the most comprehensive review of BIGGA’s governance in our history and I know he was www.ransomesjacobsen.com ISSN: 0961– 6977 thrilled the amended Articles of Association Jim Croxton © 2015 British and International Golf were approved unanimously. BIGGA CEO Greenkeepers Association Limited GI/PB2/02/2015 @BIGGALtd FEBRUARY 2015 GI 3 Pebble Beach 2 A4 BIGGA.indd 1 16/01/2015 10:41 CONTENTS GI A look at what’s inside the magazine this month “One of his proudest moments was when FEBRUARY 2015 he joined BIGGA’s Open Support Team in 1987. As well as having a good chat with Fuzzy Zoeller, he always used to recall how he raised his rake in the air as he walked George up the 18th, soaking up the applause from the galleries. He said that for that moment, he felt like a celebrity for the first time!” John Talbot is Middlesbrough’s current Course Manager and added: “I worked with him briefly as I replaced him when he retired, and it’s one of the premier Malcolm courses in the area because of him. Under his guidance, the team built the 6th, 7th and 8th holes from scratch and they are Since the passing of George Malcolm, BIGGA has superb. been inundated with tributes for a former Association “He knew how treat his team, he was FEATURES strict when it was necessary, but was very Chairman, great friend to many and an influential fair and made sure he praised you when member of the BGGA which preceded BIGGA you had done a good job.” Middlesbrough produced a book for their centenary in 2008, and devoted a page to Scotsman George, former Course David Golding, The GTC’s Education George. An extract reads: “George joined in Manager at Middlesbrough Golf Club, Director, knew George well. He said: April 1964 as Head Greenkeeper, but was hailed from Loanhead, south of Edinburgh, “During his year as Chairman, he enjoyed ultimately promoted to Course Manager and was BIGGA Chairman in 1991. He nothing more than travelling the length This meant he took over responsibilities passed away on Saturday 24 January at and breadth of Britain to mix at Section for all aspects of greenkeeping from 16 George Malcolm Ernie Scott, our Professional at the time. the age of 74 after suffering from an illness. level with ‘ordinary’ greenkeepers. He joined Middlesbrough Golf Club “He was very proud to be elected Until then, Professionals had included – known to everyone locally as Brass BIGGA Chairman as he believed he could greenkeeping in their responsibilities. Castle – in 1964 and apart from a brief spell champion the hands-on, grass roots “We all owe George a debt of gratitude Tributes to the 1991 BIGGA working at Saltburn-by-Sea Golf Club, greenkeeper. for his part in the course developments spent his entire working career there until “He felt that through education and hard which have been completed during his his retirement nine years ago. work, any BIGGA member could reach the time in office. George was with us for 41 Chairman He was hugely passionate about position of Chairman.” years (apart from a short break in 1975/76 greenkeeping and educating greenkeepers, George was also heavily involved when he was at Saltburn) and will be and in 1977 helped establish what is now in updating BIGGA’s constitution in remembered for his expertise, dedication the BIGGA Cleveland Section with the 2000 alongside many key figures in and long hours he willingly put in to assistance of the likes of Harry Lees, Roger greenkeeping including Harry Diamond, maintain our first-class course. Shaw and Bruce Burnell. Cecil George, Walter Woods and Jack “George used to ‘put the lights out’ on the He was a member of BIGGA’s Open McMillan. course, watering from a single standpipe, 21 BTME 2015: Support Team at Muirfield for the 1987 Ian Pemberton, Course Manager at often when many of us were tucked up in Open Championship, and managed to Cleveland Golf Club and current BIGGA bed!” strike up a conversation with the American Cleveland Section Secretary, worked Tony Smith, former Course Manager at golfer Fuzzy Zoeller as he raked bunkers closely with George during his time at Teesside Golf Club and BIGGA Chairman The Review during one of the rounds.