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Top man for a top job

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Top man for a top job: Scott MacCallum heads to the Scottish Trossachs to catch up with an old friend in a new job.

When a top job becomes available you know that, within the upper echelons of the industry involved, there will be a rush to polish CVs and Google the trendiest, most up-to-the-moment interview questions.

Top man for a top job

Top man for a top job

There are a few roles which would be at the top of many sports turf manager’s wish list and very high among those would be that of Director of Golf Course and Estate at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

Loch Lomond is one of those special places with a mystique borne out of the fact that for many golfers, it was only when the gates were opened for the Solheim Cup in 2000 and successive Scottish Opens from 1997 to 2010, that they could appreciate first hand the stunning layout and immaculate conditioning. It brings new meaning to the word “exclusive”.

So, when the job was advertised last year the jungle drums were beating. So loud, in fact, that they could be heard across the Atlantic in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Lee Strutt is a man who has never settled for the status quo. In fact, he could be seen as the poster boy for Norman Tebbit’s mantra, back in 1981, when he encouraged everyone to “get on your bike” and better themselves.

In the 30 years that I’ve known him, Lee has been responsible for Richmond Golf Club, in London; the GWest Project in Perthshire; the RAC Club in Epsom; Les Bordes Golf Club in southwest of Paris; and Cabot Cape Breton in Canada.

“None of my moves had ever been pre-planned, they were opportunistic and when I saw the Loch Lomond job being advertised, I knew that it had never been advertised before making it a unique opportunity,” said Lee, adding that he had been happy and content what he was doing in Canada

“I’m never upset by rejection. Quite often people will look at my career and think that I’ve had nothing but success. However, they haven’t seen all the jobs I’ve applied for, didn’t get a response, or got a response which was, ‘No thank you’.”

And before you ask. Lee never left any role with his tail between his legs. His work ethic, professionalism and general decency meant his departing employers were always as sorry to see him leave as his new employers were pleased to have acquired his services.

Lee had been told by a number of people that if he ever had the opportunity to work with Loch Lomond’s General Manager, John Blanch, he should take it.

“I’d heard so many good things about John from his time at Wentworth and then here that I reached out to him on Linkedin before applying for the job,” he said, adding that Ken Seims, long time Loch Lomond head man, was someone he identified as a mentor, while he was also extremely close to David Cole, the man who he was to replace, having himself moved onto an exciting new project near St Andrews.

One Teams call and an in-person on-site interview later and Lee’s ambition was being fulfilled.

“The question is always do you tell a panel what they want to hear or are you true to yourself and outline what you actually believe,” said Lee, of his second interview which came a few hours after he had had the opportunity to walk the golf course.

“I thought, no actually I’m going to tell them exactly what I’m going to do if I get the job.”

His approach worked. Having clinched the role, it appears to be the perfect fit. The country’s top rated inland golf course and a Director of Golf Course and Estate who not only has a passport as well-worn as that of Michael Palin, but also had time to become the only turf manager in the world to have the top greenkeeping distinctions from the top four greenkeeping associations – Master Greenkeeper from BIGGA, the top award from the GCSAA, the Canadian Master Superintendent and the Australian CSTM.

“I’m the only person with all four, although a good friend of mine from the States, Matt Gourley, should be joining me this year. I’m looking forward to celebrating with him becoming the second person to join the club!”

So, if you find yourself in your dream role, at a golf course which has ticked every box since the day it opened, what is left for you to do to make a positive impact? Standards are so high that improvements can be very hard to find.

One of the questions he had been asked was what does 30, 60, 90 days look like?

“I said that I’d spend the first 30 days getting to know people and to understand how they work. People – staff – are a really important component to me. The next 30 days were looking at our operations – what we’re doing on the estate, management processes, our equipment, some of the ambitions of the past. The last 30 days were about what we do going forward,” he explained.

Top man for a top job

Top man for a top job

“This is what I did and then at the end of my 90 days I sat down with John (Blanch) and said, this is what I see going forward. I’m looking at the agronomy, I’m looking at the presentation, I’m looking at our people.”

Given that he has gathered huge experience from around the world what has he taken from his time outside of the UK?

“I guess what I have learnt and developed is to communicate better and articulate what we need to do as well as I can. I keep saying to the team here that I’ve got three principles which I have carried through my career. They are transparency, respect, and trust. Without any one of those, it doesn’t work.”

While he believes his goals are in line with most top golf course managers, he does feel that there are many different ways of achieving those goals. “Everyone is different. I really like data. We have a weekly agronomic meeting where we look at all our data, green speeds, fertility, operations, trying to identify what our sweet spots look like.

“I don’t actually look at all the positives. I’m not wowed by the scenery and how beautiful this is. Because my job is all about what’s not right.”

Taking from the analogy of marginal gains, as preached by Dave Brailsford when he was head of British Cycling, and Formula One teams, Lee explained his philosophy.

“If you went to work for Formula One they’re not saying, ’Oh look at the lovely car, it’s all so shining’, It’s all about where can you save a tenth of a tenth? What needs to be done to motivate the team when changing tyres?

“That’s what I do. I focus on everything that’s not right,” said Lee, who admitted that since he started last August, he had yet to play the golf course, claiming he wouldn’t get past the 1st without finding something he wasn’t happy with.

So, let’s have an example of how his approach works on a day-to-day basis.

“We’ve revisited our agronomic approach and decided to strip it right back and rebuild, instead of turning around and saying, ‘Well in the past X, Y and Z was done.’ Let’s assume we don’t need to apply X, Y and Z and see what happens.

“So, we’re now learning about what actually the site wants and needs and then delivering it. You are not being influenced by a previous approach, even if it was that which got the course to an outstanding level. It is all about focusing on continuous improvement,” said Lee, who attributes Adrian Archer, former Course Manager of Broadstone Golf Club, in Poole, as the man who set him on his greenkeeping path and, in particular, pushed him into attending Sparsholt College.

“Sometimes you have to go back and look at that recipe and go, that recipe’s good. How do I improve it? Or sometimes it’s a case of stripping something right back and rebuilding it. You might get to the point where the results are the same, but there’s now a greater potential for further improvement.”

Loch Lomond was designed by the great Tom Weiskopf and opened in 1993 and while it has always been a majestic golf course it was challenged by the eye-wateringly high rainfall levels endured by local residents, Loch Lomond’s members and staff. The joke about locals having developed webbed feet comes from an average of two and a half metres of rain per annum and is not totally fanciful!

Over recent years, and before Lee’s time, the club invested £7.5 million to sand cap the entire site.

“They did a phenomenal job with the sand capping. It was started before Covid and completed in 2022. A new irrigation system has also been installed,” said Lee.

“However, it’s only part of that silver bullet because what has happened is that you’ve added an inert sand and we’ve got to change that sand into more of a root zone so it’s not so inert.

You need more biology and that’s something that we’re working on now.

“How we can evolve the plant to benefit from all that sand capping and for the plant to grow and to grow to be happy. So that’s one of our programmes that we’re working on, and it will help fine-tune presentation and playability.”

Top man for a top job

Top man for a top job

What constitutes success for Lee?

“That is a brutal question. I was chatting to a guy yesterday and we were talking about how do you get to a state of satisfaction? I do think that satisfaction is the closest I can get to success.

“If I have maxed out on all the opportunities to make things better, that to me would be satisfaction and would mean that I’ve succeeded.

Another area where he is seeking to make improvements is in the facility for the 38 members of his team – which includes six in the garden team, three in the workshop and the rest on the golf course.

“When I arrived, I thought that our facility of workshops, offices and mess room, built from breeze block, looked very austere. So, I’m working to improve things. I’ve got pictures of the team members up on the walls, while I’ve got hold of two fabulous leather armchairs for this room. I’m also having a table specially built from wood from the course for meetings, while the chairs are ideal for one-to one chats with staff, talking to reps etc,” said Lee, as he and I tested the comfort levels of the chairs.

Lee has inherited an extremely fine group of people, who have bought into his three values – remember, transparency, respect and trust – while he is also keen to encourage those looking to change career to join the industry.

“I’ve got a guy in my team that used to run building sites. He now works for us. I’ve got a guy that used to repair submarines. He now works for us. I’ve got a guy that spent 17 years as a court officer. He’s now greenkeeping, and a guy who spent five years as a video editor. He said that he just wanted to scratch that itch. They all have a work ethic,” said Lee.

“The issue with school kids is they don’t know anything different, so they can start greenkeeping and then wonder if they should try something else? Whereas the people that have got a past career, they’ve got something to associate and they’ve had enough time to think that they want more of this and less of that.

“I would say we, as an industry, need to find a means whereby we can say to people out there who had had a first career, that we can give you an opportunity for a second career.”

Speaking with Lee you quickly sense that here is a man who has got his teeth well into his new role and that he won’t stop until he finds satisfaction… which you suspect will always just sit tantalisingly outside of his grasp.

So, it is fair assumption that while Lee was absolutely delighted to have heard the sound of those jungle drums all the way in Canada last year, he won’t be listening out for them again any time soon.

How Hybrids have unlocked a new era at Edgbaston

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How Hybrids have unlocked a new era at Edgbaston: Hybrid pitches have emerged as a key ally in the fight to maintain top-level performance in cricket. But there’s a lot more this technology can offer the sport.

It’s no secret the cricket calendar is a lot busier than it used to be.

How Hybrids have unlocked a new era at Edgbaston

How Hybrids have unlocked a new era at Edgbaston

So busy, in fact, that we now have a term for the challenge it lays down for those playing the game and maintaining the wickets throughout the year: fixture congestion.

It’s all good for the game, though not without its challenges. Cricket is reaching more people than ever – and the diversity of formats has secured a future with new audiences across the world.  But, in the UK at least, all this growth is happening within the same stadiums, many of which have existed for decades.

For groundspeople, there is now simply too much traffic to maintain a consistent and even bounce across all competitions, especially when relying solely on all-natural turf. It was this realisation that led the team at Edgbaston to consider a new surface technology – one that has unlocked a previously unattainable level of durability and consistency.

The move has created room for more double-headers and plenty of drama for the fans – a real boon for the ‘people’s home of cricket’. It has also accommodated the growing success of the women’s game, with the Bears now boasting both men’s and women’s squads.

However, as Gary Barwell, Edgbaston’s Head of Sports Turf explains, reaching this point has been several years in the making. We caught up with Gary to get the full innings.

Left-field inspiration

Edgbaston is now one of a growing number of major cricket grounds with a SIS Grass Hybrid pitch installed on its main playing area. This work has been a huge success, allowing the stadium to better manage cricket’s increasingly busy schedule without compromising performance. It’s also provided parity, allowing the women’s teams to practice and compete on the same pitches as the men.

The stadium’s experiments with a hybrid pitch can be traced back to 2017 – and, oddly enough, because of an entirely different sport. While the technology has been around since the late ‘80s and used for elite-level cricket competition since 2019, it was the hybrid’s success in football that got the ball rolling in Birmingham: “It all started after the Champions Trophy,” says Barwell. “As one of three grounds used for the tournament, we began to see the square suffer and good playing conditions became much harder to maintain. Once it concluded, we began looking at our options. The hybrid concept emerged as a frontrunner after a visit to St. George’s Park, the FA’s national football centre.”

An interest in replicating hybrid’s successes for cricket led Barwell to SIS Pitches – and more specifically SIS Grass Hybrid. Unlike other hybrid systems that are more complicated to install, SIS Grass Hybrid uses the patented Universal machine, injecting a small percentage of polymer fibre into a stadium’s natural turf. This composition is more resilient to stresses created during play, helping to prolong the life of a playing surface, guarantee an even bounce and ease pressure on busy groundspeople. Completed installations are predominantly natural grass, with around 5% of polymer fibre used. This ensures the characteristics of an all-natural pitch are maintained.

It was this mix of convenience, resilience and playability that appealed to Barwell, with Edgbaston subsequently trialling the technology in late 2017, ahead of another major milestone for innovation in cricket. “Our first trial began with the UK’s first day-night test between England and West Indies. The bowlers had full use of it throughout, sending plenty of deliveries, and initial impressions were very positive. The players said it had a better carry and more consistent bounce, along with much less wear and tear. This was a key moment for us because player feedback really carries in this sport.”

Getting on the scoreboard

Edgbaston’s move into hybrids coincided with a growing interest in new surfaces among cricket’s elite. In 2017, the England Cricket Board signed off on two hybrid wickets at its National Performance Centre in Loughborough, another SIS Pitches installation. Much like Barwell, the ECB opted for the trial having noticed the success of hybrid surfaces in the Premier League.

In 2019, following positive feedback from county clubs, the ECB then sanctioned hybrids for use in the Royal London One Day Cup, Vitality Blast and all formats of Second XI cricket. This decision set the stage for major stadiums, like Edgbaston, to begin integrating the surface within elite-level competition. “We continued to use the technology in the intervening years,” adds Barwell. “This period allowed us to fully understand how the fibres interacted under different moisture conditions, as well as the system’s impact on natural grass growth.”

With the ECB sanction and a pause to tournament play due to the pandemic, Edgbaston found itself with a window to install its first two pitches within the main square. This work, which took place in late 2020, proved particularly effective for the shorter, more intense T20 format hosted once lockdowns eased and sport recommenced across the country. “Our main square install got off to a flying start, which was reflected in the high scoring we were seeing. If I remember correctly, the first match was 150/1 off 10 overs. That’s the type of action you want to see when fans come down for an evening,” says Barwell.

Hitting for six

For Edgbaston, the impact of SIS Grass Hybrid is best seen through the success of several major competitions, chiefly among them the Commonwealth Games held in 2022. During the games, the stadium hosted 16 international women’s matches played over a two-week period. With an all-natural pitch, this intense window of competition would typically require a high number of maintenance intervals to keep wickets up to standard. With SIS Grass Hybrid, however, the window was expanded, allowing top-level performance without major interventions so often from the grounds team.

“On traditional pitches, you see really good performance on day one, but there’s typically a steep decline once you get into days three or four,” Barwell notes. “We noticed with hybrids you could play on them over 10-12 days and not see a drop off. You only have to prepare one pitch, as opposed to two or three for the same amount of game time. This was massive for us during the games, with 60,000 people in the stadium and many more watching around the world.”

It’s often said that stats only tell part of the story in sport, but for SIS Grass Hybrid at Edgbaston the numbers really do speak for themselves. In 2024, the ground was able to facilitate 55 matches across all formats – the most of any ground in the country. To put that in context, it’s more than double the number of matches hosted at Edgbaston when Barwell first joined as Head of Sports Turf in 2012.

With hybrids now approved by the ECB for some red-ball competition, there is seemingly more to come at Edgbaston. “We’ll continue to invest in our hybrid surface because it’s proven effective at the highest level,” says Barwell. “For us, it’s about lowering the maintenance requirement while also delivering the best possible performance – for both players and fans. SIS Grass Hybrid has given us that option. Sporting theatre at its best.”

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A trio of Toro for turfcare excellence at Hayston

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A trio of Toro for turfcare excellence at Hayston: Under the stewardship of Head Greenkeeper Alan Brown since 2018 and with wise machinery choices, course presentation at Hayston Golf Club is the best it’s been in 50 years according to members. With a further boost from three new Toro machines that looks set to continue well into the future.

The club’s latest investment includes the Toro Greensmaster 3250-D, Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 Hybrid and Reelmaster 5610-D, chosen for their durability, comfort and long-term performance.

A trio of Toro for turfcare excellence at Hayston

A trio of Toro for turfcare excellence at Hayston

The timing is perfect as they arrive as Alan and his team of four build on recent successes by reshaping bunkers, enhancing green drainage and continuing to elevate the overall playability and aesthetics of the course.

Central to achieving these goals is the partnership with Toro and its distributor, Reesink Turfcare, says Alan. “When you’re aiming for the best results, you need the best equipment – and in turfcare, Toro is top of the class.”

Alan was already familiar with Toro’s capabilities from his previous position at Kilsyth Lennox Golf Club and was pleased to find a 20-year-old Toro rough mower still performing reliably when he joined Hayston six and a half years ago. “That speaks volumes about the durability and performance of Toro machines when they’re properly maintained,” he notes.

Speaking about the importance of proper maintenance and servicing, Alan highlights the value of Reesink’s support: “The team at Reesink are fantastic – always responsive, knowledgeable and ready to assist. They’ve helped us stay on top of servicing and keep us informed about any equipment updates.”

And best of all, the team at Hayston is enthusiastic about the new additions: “The guys really enjoy using these new mowers,” says Alan. “They’ve been working with Toro equipment for some years, so getting familiar with how they work and are maintained was second nature. Plus, the comfort is exceptional – especially the seat positioning, which makes a huge difference when you’re on the machine for long hours, day after day.”

Reflecting on the team’s achievements, Alan comments: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together. The feedback from members and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive – we’ve had comments about how this is the best the course has looked in 50 years. That means a lot.”

Learn more about the ways Toro’s turfcare solutions help you elevate your course. Contact Reesink Turfcare at 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Aspen delivers a decade of clean power

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Aspen delivers a decade of clean power: From the very first demonstration, Graham Kenward of South East Forestry and Tree Services was sold on the health and safety benefits of Aspen Fuel.

More than a decade on, the firm still swears by Aspen Alkylate fuel for their suite of two-stroke equipment, delivering clean and convenient power to projects in confined spaces.

Aspen delivers a decade of clean power

Aspen delivers a decade of clean power

Founded by Graham in 1997, South East Forestry and Tree Services undertake the full breadth of tree surgery services for domestic and commercial customers across Surrey and Sussex. Powering much of that operation for the last 10 years has been Aspen Fuel. Graham takes up the story, “I learned about the product through a friend and arranged to have a demonstration of it. All I could say at the time was WOW!”

“It’s certainly not right, but as an arborist you almost just get used to getting home at the end of the day with bloodshot eyes and the smell of petrol over your clothes – particularly if you’ve been working in confined spaces. As soon as we started to use Aspen in our 2-stroke equipment, that all stopped immediately.” He continues, “Not only that but the shelf life of it is incredible. Depending on workload we might have equipment that’ll sit in the shed for two or three years untouched. If it’s got Aspen in the tank, it’ll start up at the first time of asking.”

99% cleaner than ordinary pump petrol in regards to levels of hazardous hydrocarbons, Aspen Fuel is virtually free from Ethanol, Aromatics and Benzene, bringing enhanced performance and a longer service life for all types of modern 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. Together with extending engine life and reliability, the significantly fewer harmful and toxic hydrocarbons reduce the impact your equipment has on your health and the environment.

“You can’t put a price on your health and, when I factor in the further efficiencies and convenience brought about by having the Aspen delivered in 200L drums to site, we more than offset the additional cost of using Aspen in our chainsaws and other petrol-powered hand tools.”

For more information about Aspen 2 or Aspen 4, and to find your local stockist, visit www.aspenfuel.co.uk 

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Toro, Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Mark a Milestone

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Toro, Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Mark a Milestone: Toro, in collaboration with its UK distributor Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Trust, proudly celebrates a 25-year partnership, marking one of the longest-standing formal relationships between Toro and a customer globally.

This enduring collaboration underscores a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in golf course management, helping shape the modern landscape of greenkeeping at the ‘Home of Golf’ and beyond.

Toro, Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Mark a Milestone

Toro, Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Mark a Milestone

A Legacy of Innovation

St Andrews Links has long been a symbol of golf’s heritage, tracing its roots back to the 15th century. It was here that Old Tom Morris was one of the first to revolutionise course care with many new practices including topdressing, the practice of using sand to create smooth greens and teeing grounds, now a fundamental technique worldwide. Building on this legacy, Toro has delivered cutting-edge technologies to support the evolving demands of turf management, from precision irrigation to advanced electric mowing systems.

“St Andrews Links is where tradition meets innovation,” said Amy Dahl, vice president International at The Toro Company. “For 25 years, we’ve had the privilege of supporting their dedication to excellence through trusted equipment, sustainable solutions, and shared values. This milestone represents not just a partnership, but an ongoing legacy of progress.”

James Ralley, Commercial Director at St Andrews Links Trust, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating such a significant milestone with Toro, one of our longest standing partners. Over the past 25 years, Toro has played an important role in the continued development of our greenkeeping practices, allowing us to provide world-class playing conditions across the seven courses here at St Andrews Links. This partnership is one we value greatly, and we look forward to continuing this for years to come.”

Driving Standards in Turf Management Through a Shared Commitment

Over the past two and a half decades, Toro and Reesink UK have supported the Trust with groundbreaking equipment and irrigation systems, helping it remain a benchmark for golf course quality worldwide.

Neil Coulson, CEO at St Andrews Links Trust, said: “As custodians of St Andrews Links, we have a responsibility to not only provide great playing conditions year-round, but to also manage the historic courses in a responsible and environmentally conscious way. For 25 years Toro has been a valued partner in our efforts to implement sustainable practices, particularly in the electrification of our mower fleet and the continued improvement in our irrigation systems. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together and pleased to celebrate this milestone.”

Alastair Rowell, Managing Director at Reesink UK, added: “We’re proud to play a role in this remarkable journey. This partnership exemplifies the best of what can be achieved when industry leaders come together with a long-term vision and a passion for excellence.”

Looking Ahead

As this milestone is celebrated, all three partners remain focused on what lies ahead. The collaboration between Toro, Reesink UK and St Andrews Links Trust is not just a reflection of the past 25 years—it’s a foundation for continued innovation in sustainable course management and support for the next generation of greenkeepers.

For more information, please visit www.toro.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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