How many greenkeepers...

Slab

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18 holes.
Roughly 25 for the course last time i asked

Another 20 or so ppl for maintenance of the off course grass/planted areas (the deep rough) which is done by hand

Labour costs quite diff to UK
 
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We've 5 for 18 holes .
Greenkeepers are as only good as the leadership they get, we've just got a new Course manager in after previous guy was there for 47 years and the enthusiasm we're now getting from them is chalk and cheese from the old guy . Whole club is buzzing

My old club was like that. It was clear for a long time the old head green keeper just wasn’t performing and the course was suffering because of it.

After he left, within 6 months there was a noticeable difference in the overall quality of the course and a plan in place for improvements.
 

sunshine

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7 people plus 1 apprentice and 1 part time mechanic = 9.

This was recently reviewed by a golf consultant who recommended 1 more person.
 

jmcp

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One course, 18 holes, 8 greenkeepers
Hi,

is that full time Greenkeeper’s or a mixture of seasonal staff ? Do you have substantial practice facilities that require a lot of maintenance ? Just wondering as that is a lot of Greenkeepers for 1 course.

Cheers, John
 

sunshine

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Hi,

is that full time Greenkeeper’s or a mixture of seasonal staff ? Do you have substantial practice facilities that require a lot of maintenance ? Just wondering as that is a lot of Greenkeepers for 1 course.

Cheers, John

Not really. Similar to my place which is also one course.

I wonder how many people are employed at places like the Grove (I bet it's a lot more than 8)
 

patricks148

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Either 15 or 16 at last count, that increases with some casual guys to do divot filling in summer. 18 hole championship links and short 9 hole course.
 

HeftyHacker

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Just wanted to bump this thread we've just lost one of ours - to leave us with 1 and a half- and in a matter of weeks the difference is noticeable.

Part of me thinks that this is because Pete (who has just left) was the one driving the standards as well. Stuff like the 1st cut of rough being cut when still wet and dewy in the mornings meaning that it's all clumped up - just looks really tatty. Whereas I know Pete used to insist on waiting until the afternoons when it was drier and it cut much neater.

Apparently the club didn't even try and counter the offer he'd received from another local club so he left. It is now their "desire" to get another one which seems incredibly non-committal when everyone knows a decent greenkeepers are as rare as rocking horse poop.
 

Bdill93

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Just wanted to bump this thread we've just lost one of ours - to leave us with 1 and a half- and in a matter of weeks the difference is noticeable.

Part of me thinks that this is because Pete (who has just left) was the one driving the standards as well. Stuff like the 1st cut of rough being cut when still wet and dewy in the mornings meaning that it's all clumped up - just looks really tatty. Whereas I know Pete used to insist on waiting until the afternoons when it was drier and it cut much neater.

Apparently the club didn't even try and counter the offer he'd received from another local club so he left. It is now their "desire" to get another one which seems incredibly non-committal when everyone knows a decent greenkeepers are as rare as rocking horse poop.

Sadly an elderly greenkeeper at our place died shortly before he was due to retire a few months back. Had another leave and neither have been replaced yet.

We have the same as you - 1 and a half guys maintaining 18 holes and the course is an absolute mess.

Granted - their equipment hasn't been up to scratch either up until the last week, but our course rivals US open levels of rough at the moment and the fairways aren't much better.

Desperate for the new head guy to start at the end of the month and show some real leadership. 12 months ago the place looked great. Now I'm seriously considering leaving if it doesn't improve for the first time ever.
 

clubchamp98

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Sadly an elderly greenkeeper at our place died shortly before he was due to retire a few months back. Had another leave and neither have been replaced yet.

We have the same as you - 1 and a half guys maintaining 18 holes and the course is an absolute mess.

Granted - their equipment hasn't been up to scratch either up until the last week, but our course rivals US open levels of rough at the moment and the fairways aren't much better.

Desperate for the new head guy to start at the end of the month and show some real leadership. 12 months ago the place looked great. Now I'm seriously considering leaving if it doesn't improve for the first time ever.
With the amount of growth atm two guys just can’t keep up.
the grass is growing at such a rate that it needs cutting almost every day.
so can sympathise why the rough is being put last on the list.

To many clubs paying minimum wages young lads don’t want to do it.
 

RichA

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We've got 2 1/2 greenkeepers managing a 6600 yard 18-hole and a 9-hole par 3 course set in 200 acres of land.
It's a massive task and it's amazing that the course looks as good as it does. It wouldn't win any awards and visitors from smarter courses are a bit sniffy about it but, having played them, I have no desire to join any of those clubs.
They've got the well raked bunkers, we've got the chilled out atmosphere and unspoilt Hertfordshire countryside in every direction.
 

mikejohnchapman

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We have 8 I believe which is 6 full time and 2 extra in summer covering 27 holes.

We also contract out some tasks such as pond clearing, fairway hollow-tining / slitting, etc.
 

gopher99

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Played at the River club in SA last year and they have 37 green staff. I was talking to the general manager who was from Germany and she was saying this would never happen at most clubs in Europe due to the wage cost.
 
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