F TMI
The FTMI Class of 2019 at the Peninsula-Kingswood maintenance facility
On the
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right path
urf managers, in whatever sector of the industry they work, are renowned for their willingness to share ideas and experiences. It’s this sense of comradeship which sets the industry apart from many others and helps to form special bonds. Ask any turf manager who attends the annual conference what the most rewarding part of the week is and they’ll invariably tell you it’s the opportunity to be around likeminded professionals and discussing the many and varied issues that they all face. For the past four years, the AGCSA’s Future Turf Managers’ Initiative has followed a similar format – take a group of talented up and coming turf managers, bring them together for three days of intensive networking and education, expose them to new ideas and concepts and take them out of their comfort zone a little. It has proven a recipe for success worldwide for the Jacobsen-led initiative and since its inception literally hundreds have gone through the programme, harnessing valuable new skills that they have subsequently been able to put into practice to progress their careers. 30
For the fourth consecutive year in March, the AGCSA Future Turf Managers’ Initiative, presented in conjunction with Gold Partner Jacobsen, brought together 20 of Australasia’s finest up and coming turf managers.
Getting the opportunity this year in Melbourne were 20 candidates – 16 from Australia and four from New Zealand. The Class of 2019 comprised: Greg Askew (City of Newcastle, NSW); David Egan (Adelaide Oval, SA); Rhys Short (Shelly Beach GC, NSW); Mark Brooks (Riversdale GC, Vic); Ryan Stores (Royal Canberra GC, ACT); Martyna Synak (Oatlands GC,
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 21.2
NSW); Matthew Jewell (Warrnambool GC, Vic); Scott Mortimer (City of Kingston Council, Vic); Scott Reid (Country Club Tasmania, Tas); Taylor Wills (The Kew GC, Vic); Heath D’Altera (Kingston Heath GC, Vic); Rohan Farrow (Mount Lawley GC, WA); Braydan Millar (Rowes Bay GC, Qld); Aaron Taylor (The Lakes GC, NSW); Harry Brennan (Dubbo Regional Council, NSW); Jared Armitage (Emerald GC, Qld); Harry Middleton (Tauranga GC, NZ); Callum Cameron (Remuera GC, NZ); Ben Simons (Cape Kidnappers, NZ); and Philip Marra (Shandon GC, NZ). Joining the group were four superintendent mentors whose role it was to provide some practical context to the material being delivered. Among them was FTMI Class of 2016 participant Rowan Daymond who is now superintendent at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide. He joined returning mentors Travis Scott (Riversdale GC, Vic), Leon Hennessy (Cromer GC, NSW) and Leo Barber (Paraparaumu Beach GC, NZ). This year’s FTMI kicked off on Sunday night with a unique team-building event which combined gameshow style games and sports trivia to help break the ice before the