AS SOCIATION REPORTS
NSWGCSA
L
ast month we published the Winter edition of the NSWGCSA magazine. It was a bumper issue featuring an article on Shoalhaven Heads Golf Course with course superintendent Will Ockenden. Shoalhaven was the only course not to close in last year’s big wet. They are a great community course and it was great to be able to highlight the work at this club. Elsewhere in the edition, Ben Gibson from The Toolbox Team discussed discipline, systems and a safe, high performing team. Avondale Golf Club superintendent Robert Biddle wrote about his experiences volunteering at the LIV Golf Adelaide event alongside two of his fellow staff members, while NSWGCSA life member Peter McMaugh AM gave us his insights into the way we think about water. The NSWGCSA would also like to congratulate Peter on recently being awarded the Australian Medal of Agricultural Science by the Ag Institute of Australia. The Winter edition was the last magazine the association will produce in a hard copy format. The committee has decided to move across to a digital format from our next issue. We have done this for environmental sustainability reasons and also to reach a wider audience. A link to the current e-version can be found on our website www.nswgcsa. com.au. In August, we held two education days. James Newell (Magenta Shores G&CC) and Jake Gibbs (Elanora CC) hosted one at
The NSWGCSA held an education day at Camden Golf Club in early August
Camden Golf Club on 3 August with guest speaker Phil Beal talking about managing people. The day also included presentations from our sponsors Craig Paget and Nathan Bradbury (Nuturf) and Nadeem Zriekat (Colin Campbell Chemicals). Thanks also to Camden superintendent Justin Bradbury for a ‘walk and talk’ around the course and to our Q&A panel. The second day was hosted by Pat Wilson at Narooma Golf Club on 16 August. Thanks to sponsors Rain Bird and Living Turf and speakers Scott Fogg, Henk Smith, Matt Kennedy, Allan Tarrant and Martin O’Malley as well as guest speaker Adam Marchant, course superintendent from Royal Sydney Golf Club. Both days were extremely well attended and we received great feedback from all. As this edition was going to print, the 2023 Elite Sand & Soil Rube Walkerden event was about to be held at Royal Sydney Golf Club. This year marks the 50th anniversary
of the Rube Walkerden Golf Trophy as part of the association’s annual golf championship. The first was staged in March 1973 at Royal Sydney, so this will be a great tribute to Rube and Royal Sydney and what is a special event for the association. For the first time since COVID, our annual awards for 2023 will be combined with Golf NSW, PGA of Australia and Golf Management Australia. The event where our winners will be announced will take place on Monday 6 November at Crown Barangaroo. On this night the NSWGCSA will hand out three awards – Superintendent of the Year, Assistant Superintendent of the Year and Outstanding Achievement of the Year. We look forward to this event and recognising the contribution and achievements of our colleagues and workmates.
LEON HENNESSY PRESIDENT, NSWGCSA
NSWBGA
I
t has been a busy time for the New South Wales Bowling Greenkeepers Association (NSWBGA) since my last report. Australian Federation Week was a great success with around 100 bowling greenkeepers from across the country making their way to the Gold Coast in May for a week of education, bowls and networking. NSW managed to win all three championship titles – Ben Morthorpe (singles), Brent Norman and Shannon White (pairs) and Pat Chorley, Lee Johnson, Adam Webb and Martin Gosper (fours) – with South Australia taking out the Test Series. The 2023 Living Turf Greenkeeper of the Year Award was presented at Cabramatta Bowling Club in August during the Peter Mobbs Shield event. Sean Bellotti from Figtree Sports was a very deserved winner and fended off some very stiff opposition in Wade Turner (Queanbeyan RSL) and Duncan Elphick (Cherry Street Sports Ballina). It was great to have the Peter Mobbs Shield event (Legends Day) return to the NSWBGA and Bowls NSW calendar for the first time since COVID. This event has always been a highly sought after title and nothing 72
Bowling greenkeepers from across the country converged on the Gold Coast for Australian Federation Week in May
had changed in its three-year absence. Bowls NSW named a very strong team for the event and took out the Shield for another year. The NSWBGA committee has been working closely with the new Bowls NSW committee over the past three months and is looking forward to presenting at the Bowls NSW Annual Awards and Conference in November. August saw the retirement of two of our longest-serving members – Phil Harfield (Grandviews BC) and Terry Doyle (Canberra North BC). Phil and Terry have guided many apprentices through the industry during their careers, as well as attending many conferences and bowls weeks. They were both always willing to share their wealth of knowledge with fellow
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 25.5
2023 Living Turf NSWBGA Greenkeeper of the Year recipient Sean Bellotti
members and are very well respected throughout the association. The NSWBGA wishes them both well in their retirement. Chris Mumby from CMR Turfworks also completed his last renovation season earlier this year. Chris has been a major part of Sydney bowling club renovations for the past 30 years and will most definitely be missed.
JOHN FLAHERTY SECRETARY, NSWBGA