REGIONAL PROFILE
Murray Downs G&CC, NSW For the past two years Terry Dewhurst has been cutting his teeth in his first superintendent posting at Murray Downs Golf and Country Club. Superintendent: Terry Dewhurst (32). Family: Wife Melisa, son Emilio (two months). Period as a superintendent: Two years. Association involvement: ASTMA, VGCSA. Turf management career: Apprenticeship Murray Downs starting in 2007; The Ohio Program 2011-12; assistant superintendent 2013-14 Robert Trent Jones GC, USA; assistant superintendent 2018-19 Murray Downs; superintendent 2020-present Murray Downs. Qualifications: Certificate 3 Horticulture (Turf Management). Major hobbies/past-times outside of turf management: Outside of the golf course Melisa and I bought a 180 hectare farm two years ago just out of Swan Hill that I work in conjunction with my dad’s farm. Where in Australia is Murray Downs G&CC? Murray Downs is located across the Murray 62
River from Swan Hill which is about four hours north of Melbourne. It is a major agricultural region. Murray Downs also owns the Swan Hill Club and Spoons Riverside Café, so we are much more than just the golf course. Tell us a bit about your background, how you started out in the turf industry and who some of your early mentors were. I was born in Swan Hill and grew up on an irrigation farm where we ran cattle. I finished Year 12 and had little idea of what I wanted to do. An apprenticeship opportunity came up at Murray Downs, I applied and got the position to work under then superintendent Andrew Abbott. Being off a farm I was comfortable on any bit of equipment and quickly found a passion for the industry. My apprenticeship under Andy was very hands on and he was a fantastic teacher by leaving me to figure a lot of things out by
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myself. I’m sure I made many mistakes, but it really made me think about what and how I was doing things. It’s an approach I try to use with the apprentices that are now under me. I want my guys to be always looking for things to do and coming to me with ideas for their next job rather than just going through the motions. Towards the end of your apprenticeship, in 2011 you headed off to the US and The Ohio Program. Where were you placed and what did you gain from your time over there? My first placement was at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia. RTJ had a fantastic intern program and we worked directly alongside the assistants which provided a great opportunity to see a whole new level of greenkeeping. During my time there I was also able to volunteer at the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club. From there I went