AS SOCIATION REPORTS
GCSAWA
WA GOLF INDUSTRY AWARDS At the WA golf industry’s gala night on 28 March, Cottesloe Golf Club superintendent Des Russell was crowned the GCSAWA Superintendent of the Year. Des was bestowed the award, sponsored by AFGRI Equipment, in front of an audience of 503 people. Remarkably, it was his third GCSAWA Superintendent of the Year title, adding to those he won in 2022 (Cottesloe) and 2011 when he was in charge at Bunbury Golf Club. Des beat home a strong field of fellow superintendents that included Scott Barnett (Margaret River GC), Callum Hitching (Karratha GC), Nick Kinley (Hartfield CC) and Brad Pavlinovich (The Vines Resort). Des continues to lead Cottesloe to higher levels each year and in 2024 the club completed its course masterplan which included the reconstruction of 83 bunkers and 19 greens. During these works, which spanned the past couple of years, Des and his staff continued to maintain the rest of the course to the highest standard. Des’ ‘club first’ mentality as well as his willingness to help out other superintendents made him a very worthy and popular winner of the award. 68
PHOTOS THIS PAGE: AUSTRALIAN GOLF MEDIA
S
uperintendents and sports turf managers in Perth might have thought they had an early end to summer when we got a week of coolish weather and 15mm of rain on 14 March. However, that quickly turned around with six days in a row over 36 degrees the following week! It was a very busy end to March for the GCSAWA with a number of events held in the same week. First we had the TAFE WA Awards Night at Royal Perth Golf Club where all the graduating apprentices and night school students received their certificates at a dinner attended by just over 100 people. Early the next morning we had our Trade Challenge Golf Day down at The Cut, before the week was capped off with the WA Golf Industry Awards Night held at Crown’s Grand Ballroom. The idea of hosting these three major events back-to-back-to-back was to encourage our country and national members to attend. We know Perth is a long way away but if there were three events to attend, plus still plenty of time during the day to make more personalised course visits, then that might sway a few people. We probably didn’t get the number of visitors we were hoping for but the attendances at each event were some of the highest we’ve ever had which is extremely encouraging. A big thanks to all those who made the trip to Perth for the week and it is something I would like to attempt again next year.
GCSAWA Superintendent of the Year Award winner Des Russell (above left) and GCSAWA Apprentice of the Year James Courtney-Bennett (right) with AFGRI Equipment’s Jack Latchford at the WA Golf Industry Awards in late March
Posting on social media, Cottesloe was quick to praise Des who has been at the club since July 2016 and superintendent for the past four years: “A huge congratulations and thank you to our super Superintendent of the Year, three-time winner Des Russell. We are so grateful for your dedication and skill. Des is an industry icon and a terrific mentor to young supers and greenkeepers. Well done Des, we are so proud of you and what you bring to Cottesloe.” We were also delighted to announce Lake Karrinyup Country Club’s James CourtneyBennett as the GCSAWA Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by AFGRI Equipment. James, who began his apprenticeship at Royal Perth before transferring to Lake Karrinyup for his final two years, took the honour ahead of Kasey Williams from Busselton Golf Club. James will now represent the GCSAWA in the final of the ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award, sponsored by Toro, at this year’s national conference in Sydney. James has quickly risen up the ranks to be a valued leader among the Lake Karrinyup crew. He has been heavily involved in the design and shaping of the new North Course greens as well as being trusted to run the DryJect and Air2G2 machine. The high pressure surroundings and the second to none presentation expectations has fast tracked James to be a future successful superintendent and we look forward to his progress over the coming years. Elsewhere on the night Lake Karrinyup Country Club (superintendent Fraser Brown) and Kalgoorlie Golf Course (superintendent Roger Innes) won the respective Metropolitan and Regional Golf Course of
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 27.2
the Year categories. These awards recognise excellence in golf course design, layout, shot making, course improvements during the year and overall championship condition. Lake Karrinyup claimed the award ahead of Cottesloe GC, Joondalup Golf Resort, The Vines and Wanneroo GC, while Kalgoorlie edged out Karratha Golf Course. Kalgoorlie continues to be a target destination for golfers from all over Australia, with the course experiencing a 20 per cent increase in rounds across 2024. Home of the WA PGA Championship for over a decade now, Kalgoorlie continues to defy the harshest conditions to grow grass to be one of the most spectacular golf courses in the country. Lake Karrinyup has for many years been at the pinnacle of the WA golf scene, providing a stern but fair test for all golfers on a championship calibre course. Since the completion of works several years ago, the course continues to advance each year with a recent focus on environmental management. The club’s decision to minimise or eliminate common practices such as scarifying, vertimowing, coring and regular aeration to a ‘less is more’ program has seen a more consistent surface for members all year round. Mandurah Country Club (superintendent Stewart Poole) collected the Metropolitan Golf Facility of the Year Award and Margaret River (superintendent Scott Barnett) the regional equivalent.