AS SOCIATION REPORTS
GCSAWA
GCSAWA life members and now both Industry Recognition Award recipients Geoff Osborne (left) and Trevor Strachan (right) at the 2021 WA Golf Industry Awards
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PHOTOS: GOLFWA
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t has been a busy past month and coming up association-wise for the GCSAWA – the WA Golf Industry Awards, visiting 1st and 2nd year apprentices at TAFE, a fertiliser training day, our annual Trade Challenge Golf (set for 11 May) and a lot of planning for this year’s Margaret River Conference in August. On 26 March almost 500 guests from across the GCSAWA, PGA, GMA and Golf WA attended the WA Golf Industry Awards night. The main highlight from our perspective was GCSAWA life member Geoff Osborne receiving the Recognition Award for his services to golf in WA. Responsible for the construction of a number of world-class golf courses including Sun City, Joondalup, Araluen and The Cut, Geoff’s work as an innovator, creator and inventor has left an indelible mark on our industry. He joins former Lake Karrinyup superintendent and fellow GCSAWA life member Trevor Strachan who was anointed the same award in 2014. Mandurah Country Club’s Neil Graham won the Superintendent of the Year (sponsored by Afgri), beating home a quality field of finalists that included 2020 winner Ash Watson (Joondalup), Rod Tatt (Mt Lawley GC), Jason Kelly (Royal Fremantle GC), Oliver Bell (Dunsborough Lakes), Craig Hamilton (Hamersley GC), David Cassidy (The Cut GC) and Peter Fleming (Kwinana GC). Neil is one of the most respected and selfless superintendents in WA and has been superintendent at Mandurah for just over five years now. During that time he has trained two Apprentice of the Year winners and been an integral reason the club has had huge success on and off the course. In a tough year impacted by COVID-19, Neil stepped up his already strong work ethic to prepare the course for the 1600 weekly rounds, almost single-handedly at times. He has reduced Poa in Mandurah’s greens by 95 per cent using a strict, consistent and very hands-on management programme. Over the past 12 months Neil has overseen the construction of the 4th green and approach, projects on the 6th and 12th greens, the construction of the 7th tee and bunker work on the 4th fairway. After picking up the same award as Neil at the previous year’s awards, Wanneroo Golf Club superintendent Jon Carter was on hand to witness Adam D’Evelynes win the Afgri Apprentice of the Year Award. D’Evelynes edged out Jaxon Thorne (Secret Harbour Golf Links), Fraser Healey (Collie GC) and Tyler
Robertson (Golf Oracle) to win the award and will now go on to represent the GCSAWA in the national final of the ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award which will be announced at the Gold Coast conference. D’Evelynes began working at Wanneroo as a 17-year-old and in the four years since has been heavily involved in some key projects at the club, including the lake redevelopment, construction of tees and greens, new pump installation and finish of the clubhouse extension and landscape surrounds. He gained tournament experience when Wanneroo hosted both the Australian and Western Australian Amateur Championships in the last few years. He has recently taken on the role of irrigation technician and is looking forward to the next couple of years when the irrigation masterplan is completed. Mt Lawley Golf Club, home to superintendent Rod Tatt, collected the WA Environmental Award. Rod, together with his crew and club general manager Troy
GCSAWA Superintendent of the Year Neil Graham (right) with Afgri’s Matt Utley
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.2
O’Hern, have focused on the protection and reintroduction of native wildlife at the course, including bandicoots and numerous bird species. To help with this, volunteers have built hatches and started fox and pest control. The club has also planted 4200 tubestock, with another 3000 planned for this year. Mt Lawley also recently installed solar panels which has significantly reduced the club’s energy expenses, as well as starting an upgrade to LED lights. A new fleet of machinery includes hybrid mowers and electric utility vehicles which were purchased during the last year. Des Russell, who was only officially appointed superintendent at Cottesloe Golf Club a fortnight before the awards after a long interim role, guided the club to the Metropolitan Golf Course of the Year Award after the replacement of greens and an irrigation system. It was a close fought contest with fellow clubs finalists Lake Karrinyup CC and Western Australian GC. Oliver Bell, who has been a finalist for the Superintendent of the Year for the last couple of years, led Dunsborough Lakes to the Regional Course of the Year Award. Other regional course finalists included Bunbury, Capel and Kalgoorlie. The GCSAWA congratulates all winners and finalists. Elsewhere, we had a brief tease of an early end to summer in early March with some showers and cooler weather. High humidity quickly followed, however, which kept supers on their toes with extra growth and disease susceptibility. From mid-May to late June is a busy time for courses in WA with many hosting Pro-Ams. Players travel the length of the state with courses across Perth, the South West, Geraldton, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome all hosting tournaments.