Greenkeepers

[Deleted member 3432]

Nothing but respect for greenstaff, out in all weather and having to put up with the flack they get from members, the majority of whom are clueless as evidenced by the fact that repairing a pitch mark or raking a bunker is beyond them...

 

[sunshine]

It’s a tough job.

Out of interest, why do you think it's a tough job? Because they work outside all year? I think that's the attraction for most green keepers.

 

[The Fader]

Out of interest, why do you think it's a tough job? Because they work outside all year? I think that's the attraction for most green keepers.

It's tough for a number of reasons.

No control over weather and climate conditions
Ever increasing restrictions on agro chemicals
Stretched budgets
Having to provide quality playing conditions 12 months a year to keep mud warriors appeased
Having to work on the playing arena whilst it's being played on
The physical nature of the job
The unsocial hours
Having 400 members who think they can do the job better
A clientele who often don't appreciate them
Golfers who ignore basic etiquette - pitchmarks, raking, divot replacement, littering etc

Its a tough job. Very tough.

 

[sunshine]

It's tough for a number of reasons.

No control over weather and climate conditions
Ever increasing restrictions on agro chemicals
Stretched budgets
Having to provide quality playing conditions 12 months a year to keep mud warriors appeased
Having to work on the playing arena whilst it's being played on
The physical nature of the job
The unsocial hours
Having 400 members who think they can do the job better
A clientele who often don't appreciate them
Golfers who ignore basic etiquette - pitchmarks, raking, divot replacement, littering etc

Its a tough job. Very tough.

I can imagine having to deal with restrictions on chemicals and budgets can be quite frustrating. Also, committee members who dictate course work when they have no training or expertise.
But lack of etiquette and appreciation from general public / members is probably par for the course, they don't work much when the course is busy and have little interaction with "customers". They are not front of house so I can't see that makes much difference to their day.
When I speak to greenkeepers, the outdoors / early starts / physical nature of the job are the most appealing aspects, and often why they got into it in the first place.

Not trying to belittle greenkeeping, it's clearly something that takes a lot of training and experience to be successful, and good ones are worth their weight in gold. I just don't see it as being particularly tough compared with any other job.

 

[Imurg]

It's a largely solitary existence....apart from breaks they can be on their mower for hours and not have real contact with anyone..

 

[clubchamp98]

I can imagine having to deal with restrictions on chemicals and budgets can be quite frustrating. Also, committee members who dictate course work when they have no training or expertise.
But lack of etiquette and appreciation from general public / members is probably par for the course, they don't work much when the course is busy and have little interaction with "customers". They are not front of house so I can't see that makes much difference to their day.
When I speak to greenkeepers, the outdoors / early starts / physical nature of the job are the most appealing aspects, and often why they got into it in the first place.

Not trying to belittle greenkeeping, it's clearly something that takes a lot of training and experience to be successful, and good ones are worth their weight in gold. I just don't see it as being particularly tough compared with any other job.

The only way to know how hard a job is is to do it.
I work part time for a ground maintenance firm .
We cored a course last week and I did 35.000 steps that day, my feet were on fire.
It’s a great job but depending on what your doing it’s hard work.
Cutting the grass is the easy bit.
The hard work is mainly done in the colder months.
Most golfers don’t see that as they won’t play in that weather.
But your right it’s no tougher than most manual jobs.