Prolong the golf boom by upskilling your greenkeepers
Golf’s purple patch continued throughout 2023, with clubs recording large participation numbers and competition hot as clubs sought to be the venue of choice for those picking up their clubs for the first time or after a period of absence from the game.
So, what makes golfers happy? Well, according to all the evidence, the condition of the golf course is by far and away the most important driver of satisfaction among golfers.
If that’s the case, how do you make sure your greenkeepers are equipped to maximise the resources you make available to them and give your golf club the best chance of success?
A good place to start is by setting aside some of your budget for BIGGA membership, which gives greenkeepers access to countless career development opportunities and resources.
Building on that and a visit to the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) in Harrogate will introduce them to the learning and education that is available to greenkeepers, while also showing them the latest developments and innovations that are coming out of the sports turf industry.
With more than 5,000 turf professionals in attendance, a visit to BTME and the associated Continue to Learn education programme also enables your team to speak with their peers and share ideas to overcome many of the challenges faced by those who maintain today’s golf courses. It’s a surefire way to keep golfers coming back round after round.
10 reasons people attend BTME
1. Staying current
Is your team up-to-date with the latest challenges and solutions to the problems they face? Has something new come on the market that can help improve your course? BTME is where the turf industry comes to show off their latest products.
2. Meeting major brands
The turf industry’s biggest and best brands are in attendance and although it can be intimidating to approach a big-name company, the opportunity to arrange a one-to-one meeting can help break down those barriers. Building a personal relationship also means you get access to potential offers or delivery slots and you can ask lingering questions that may be on your mind.
3. Observing the competition
What are the top industry performers doing to achieve their high standards? What are they doing better than you? Education sessions hosted by leading course managers and head greenkeepers discuss the root of their success and provide a roadmap to a brighter future.
4. Networking
BTME is famous for the networking opportunities provided by the trade show and its position at the heart of the beautiful North Yorkshire town of Harrogate. Throughout the week thousands of greenkeepers and turf professionals come together to talk shop and exchange ideas and solutions.
5. Stimulating creativity
Your greenkeepers may not find the exact solution that they are looking for, but exposure to new ideas may spark off some creativity that causes them to look at an existing problem in an innovative way. The solutions on offer may help the team brainstorm new ideas.
6. Finding staff
The recruitment market is tough at the moment, so if you’re looking to hire new staff, why not head to the one place in the UK where you’re guaranteed to meet more than 5,000 ambitious people who already work in the industry? You never know, your club may be the opportunity they are looking for.
7. Getting free stuff
More of a perk of attending than a reason to go, but exhibitors are keen to make a longlasting impression and one of the ways they do this is by giving away freebies. It’s a nice boost for your staff if they come away with some souveniers.
8. Escaping the office
There’s no getting away from it, January can be pretty grim for those working outdoors in the United Kingdom, so the opportunity to get away from the course and undertake some learning and networking in a warm, dry environment is a brilliant way of escaping the humdrum of winter on the course. Who knows, if you come along you may also enjoy yourself too.
9. Shopping around
Perhaps you’ve been working with a supplier for some time and you’d like to see what else is out there? It makes sense to go to the one place in greenkeeping that more than 120 competing companies come together to showcase their wares. BTME gives you the opportunity to speed date with a large number of suppliers and decide which one is best for you.
10. Fun
Don’t take this for granted. It’s important to keep morale high, particularly during winter when things are quiet on the course and it’s easy to get downbeat. A visit to BTME raises the morale of everyone involved – that’s why people keep coming back year after year. Attendees are not just looking to maximise their time there, they’re also looking to enjoy themselves and so the mood at BTME is generally upbeat. Teams then return to their golf club with renewed vigour and excitement about the season ahead.
For more information about BTME visit www.btme.org.uk. Registration for the trade show is free, so there’s nothing to lose by signing up today.
Free education for your team
During BTME, a range of free seminars are available that will introduce your team to the learning opportunities on offer at Continue to Learn.
Tuesday 23 January
- Sustainable turf nutrition: reducing the environmental impact of fertilisers
- Nitrogen: Friend or foe? Busting the myths
- Synthetic fungicides: Have they got a future?
- Understanding measured variables and making the best decisions
- Case studies in sustainable agronomy from The R&A
- The story of grass: The journey from trial field to an Open
- The water crisis: How will you and your turf survive?
Wednesday 24 January
- The power of water: Wetting agent trials and technology
- Bio-control fungicide: The future of disease management
- Revealing the secret life of the microbial underworld
- The possibilities of natural and organic surfactants
- The benefit of sustainable organic acid in a managed amenity sports turf programme
- Choosing a herbicide: A guide to modes of action and new herbicide chemistry
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