Walking the Fairways segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.campbellchemicals.com.au and ⁠⁠⁠Dint Golf Solutions⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.dint.com.au

This episode of Walking the Fairways has news from a number of smaller golf courses and clubs from around Australia for a change.

Once again I have a new guest joining me on this episode and this time it is Superintendent Keegan Powell of The Sands Torquay, Victoria. It's great to have Keegan on giving everyone an update as to just what they've been doing to improve the golf course in certain areas along with making it more playable and enjoyable for more people.

If any of the discussions in this podcast raised concerns with your mental health you can contact:

Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14 or visit ⁠⁠⁠www.lifeline.org.au⁠⁠⁠

Beyond Blue (Australia): 1300 224 636 or visit ⁠⁠⁠www.beyondblue.org.au⁠⁠⁠

MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978 or visit ⁠⁠⁠mensline.org.au

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals - Facebook⁠⁠

⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals: Behind the Turf Podcast - Spotify⁠⁠

⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals: Behind the Turf Podcast - Apple⁠⁠

Dint Golf Solutions - ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

NSW STA Apprentice Day ASTMA Conference 2025⁠⁠

⁠ASTMA Turf Trade Show Registration

The Dirty Dozen - Instagram⁠

⁠The Dirty Dozen - Facebook

Kingston SE Golf Club

Maylands Golf Course

Peregian Springs Golf Club

Hervey Bay Golf Club

The Ridge Golf Course

Russell Vale Golf Club

The Vintage Golf Club

Leura Golf Club

North West Bay Golf Club

The Sands Torquay

East Geelong Golf Club

Mt Derrimut Golf & Community Club

Shepparton Golf Club

Changing the Game with John Deere Golf on The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others play, you need a partner you can trust to keep your course in perfect condition. Find your nearest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠J⁠ohn Deere dealer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deere.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I'm excited to give you a deep insight into John Deere Golf and how I believe they're changing the game in sport turf and golf course maintenance in Australia and New Zealand.

I'm joined on this episode by Erin Wagstaff and Corey Clark from deep within John Deere Golf to get an insight into this modern day resurgence of the John Deere brand back into the Australian and New Zealand market. I have a few questions to ask them that I'm sure many of you have also been thinking, and I also want to gain and understanding into the new technologies that they're bringing to the industry which has changed the game on how turf can now be maintained.

This is a fun chat with Erin and Corey, and also a great way to learn about some of the things I'm sure you won't get to hear anywhere else. Join with me for another enjoyable chat on the podcast and there's also some info about the upcoming ASTMA Conference being held in Sydney this year in just under 2 weeks time.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

John Deere Australia

John Deere New Zealand

ASTMA Conference 2025

EP.107 Keeper of the Greens - Women in Turf Program (Cobram Barooga Golf Club)

EP.108 Keeper of the Greens - Terry Vogel (Cobram Barooga Golf Club)

EP.122 Keeper of the Greens - James Newell (Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club)

Keeper Of The Greens segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others play, you need a partner you can trust to keep your course in perfect condition. Find your nearest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠J⁠ohn Deere dealer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deere.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

It's time to venture to a regional part of the country and this time I'm talking with Superintendent of Tuncurry Golf Club, Mark Spraggs.

Mark was born and bred in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Growing up to a greenkeeping Father and living on course, it was basically inevitable the he was destined to become one himself. Mark's greenkeeping career began at a nearby 9 hole golf course before a move to the course where his Father worked at Hutt Golf Club to completed his apprenticeship.

Mark's interest in greenkeeping was soon to take a turn for much bigger adventures and he took the opportunity to look into a job at a new Jack Nicklaus golf course build, The Kinloch Club which he landed. Upon the completion of the build at The Kinloch Club, Mark decided to participate in the Ohio Program and head to the USA to work on some of their most well known courses which included the revered Pine Valley Golf Club!

Returning to New Zealand for a short time after enjoying his time in the USA, Mark decided once again on a new direction and this time he landed his first job at Elanora Country Club in Sydney, Australia. He was able to learn a great deal during his time at Elanora before it was time with a young family to move out of the big smoke and take up residence on the Mid North Coast of NSW. From here Mark took the opportunities that presented themselves to him before landing his currrent role as Superintendent at Tuncurry GC.

Join with me as Mark takes us through his greenkeeping career culminating in a deep dive into why Mark is so passionate about Tuncurry Golf Club and what it has the potential to become, more so than it already is.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Forster Tuncurry Golf Club

Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club (formerly Hutt Golf Club)

Royal Wellington Golf Club

The Kinloch Club

The Ohio Program

Pine Valley Golf Club - Wiki

Sea Island

Oakmont Golf Club

Elanora Country Club

Club Taree

EP.61 Keeper of the Greens - Glenn Gibson-Smith

Walking the Fairways segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Dint Golf Solutions⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.dint.com.au and ⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.campbellchemicals.com.au There's lots going on around Australia and right here is where you will get all the info you need to stay up to date.

In this episode I give you an update as to the extent of the recent floods that hit the NSW Mid North Coast with some details on just how much rain had fallen. There's also some course updates from NSW, Victoria, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

I have a new guest, Superintendent Ben Stacey from Tasmania Golf Club, jumping on to give us an update just what has been happening on another fantastic Hobart golf course, and Nigel Taylor joins me for an update into his Dirty Dozen year long quest all in an effort to raise awareness for mental health in the sports turf/greenkeeping industry.

If any of the discussions in this podcast raised concerns with your mental health you can contact:

Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14 or visit ⁠⁠www.lifeline.org.au⁠⁠

Beyond Blue (Australia): 1300 224 636 or visit ⁠⁠www.beyondblue.org.au⁠⁠

MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978 or visit ⁠⁠mensline.org.au

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Dint Golf Solutions - Instagram & Facebook

⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals: Behind the Turf Podcast - Spotify⁠

⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals: Behind the Turf Podcast - Apple⁠

NSW STA Apprentice Day ASTMA Conference 2025⁠

ASTMA Turf Trade Show Registration

Corowa Golf Club

Carpentaria Golf Club

Twin Creeks Golf & Country Club

Royal Hobart Golf Club

Bunbury Golf Club

The Dirty Dozen - Instagram

The Dirty Dozen - Facebook

Tasmania Golf Club

Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club

Pacific Dunes Golf Club

Newcastle Golf Club

Club Taree

Macksville Country Club

Kew Country Club

Forster Tuncurry Golf Club - Tuncurry Course

Kooindah Waters Golf Club

Massey Park Golf Club⁠

Glenelg Golf Club

Wilunga Golf Course

Heidelberg Golf Club

Jabiru Golf Club

This episode was recorded out on course at Elanora Country Club in Sydney with Harley Kruse from Kruse Golf.

Harley takes some time with me whilst out on course at Elanora to chat about the architecture work that he is doing in conjunction with Mike Clayton from Clayton Devries Pont (CDP).

Join us for an interesting insight into their shared vision ahead for Elanora, along with the detail of some specific areas on course and just what goes into their thinking.

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Kruse Golf - Facebook

CDP

Elanora Country Club

Elanora Country Club 4th Hole

Elanora Country Club 9th Hole

Elanora Country Club 10th Hole

Elanora Country Club 18th Hole

Elanora Country Club - Google Earth

Royal Perth Golf Club

Woodlands Golf Club

Yarra Yarra Golf Club

Yering Meadows Golf Club

Keeper Of The Greens segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others play, you need a partner you can trust to keep your course in perfect condition. Find your nearest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠J⁠ohn Deere dealer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deere.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Nathan Turner grew up in a regional part of Victoria. He grew up helping out at the local golf course at Mortlake and soon realised that greenkeeping would be his choice for work.

Nathan took an apprenticeship role at Horsham Golf Club where he would see his apprenticeship out, but it wasn't long before the big lights began calling from the USA in the form of the Ohio State Program.

Nathan worked at numerous courses in the USA gaining an amazing amount of experience before returning to Australia to find his feet back on home soil. A short stint at NSW Golf Club in Sydney soon made way for a return to his home state of Victoria where it wasn't long before he landed his first Superintendents role. A few years of patience would soon see Nathan land the role where he is today, Superintendent of Latrobe Golf Club, a course with a bright future and one that Nathan is very keen to put his stamp on and take to great heights.

Join us for a fantastic journey that ducks and weaves to places you don't see coming as we learn about Nathan's greenkeeping career and also about Latrobe Golf Club and it's bright future.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Latrobe Golf Club

Mortlake Golf Club

Warrnambool Golf Club

Port Fairy Golf Links

Horsham Golf Club

Pelican Waters Golf Club

Hamilton Island Golf Club

The National Golf Club - The Old Course

Ohio State Program - ASTMA Website

Kirtland Country Club

Muirfield Village Golf Club

Oak Hill Country Club

The Club at Mediterra

Tiburon Golf Club

Congressional Country Club

Portsea Golf Club

NSW Golf Club

Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club

Geelong Golf Club

Growling Frog Golf Club

Greg Norman Golf Course Design

OCM Golf Course Design

EP. 75 Keeper of the Greens - Tim Warren (Glenelg Golf Club)

EP.63 Keeper of the Greens - Brad Hole (Hamilton Island Golf Club)

Triple Double - NBA Basketball Card

Walking the Fairways segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.campbellchemicals.com.au and ⁠⁠Dint Golf Solutions⁠⁠⁠ www.dint.com.au

This episode begins with the news from Golf Australia about the men's Australian Open this year to be hosted by Royal Melbourne Golf Club along with the announcement of Rory McIlroy coming to compete.

Then it's time to move into more regular news from golf courses across Australia beginning at Kangaroo Island in South Australia before moving to Tasmania and news coming from 7 Mile Beach and the Arm End Golf Course.

We have some interesting news coming from Sydney with Chatswood Golf Club in the midst of changing their course from 18 holes down to a revamped 12 hole course, and I am joined by Superintendent John Mann from Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, who gives us an update since the completion of some significant works upgrading their golf course.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

Colin Campbell Chemicals - Facebook

Dint Golf Solutions - Instagram

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

The Cliffs - Kangaroo Island

Ocean Dunes Golf Course - King Island

7 Mile Beach Golf

Arm End Golf Course

Crafter + Mogford Golf Strategies

OCM Design

Hamilton Island Golf Club

Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club

Chatswood Golf Club

Latrobe Golf Club

Royal Melbourne Golf Club

Metropolitan Golf Club

Queenscliff Golf Club

Federal Golf Club

Whaleback Golf Course

Royal Fremantle Golf Club

Wembley Golf Club

EP.78 Keeper of the Greens - John Mann (Metropolitan Golf Club)

EP.95 Keeper of the Greens - Richard Forsyth (The Royal Melbourne Golf Club)

EP.118 The Design Brief - Rob Collins (King Collins Dormer Golf Course Design)

Keeper Of The Greens segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others play, you need a partner you can trust to keep your course in perfect condition. Find your nearest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠J⁠ohn Deere dealer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deere.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

James Newell is Superintendent of Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club on the NSW Central Coast just north of Sydney. I took some time to catch up with James and record this podcast with him in his office at Magenta.

James has an amazing story that harks back to his homeland in New Zealand. With a farm background and creating and playing on his own rudimentary golf course with his brother, working outside for a living wasn't a far flung idea and James was able to get his first taste of sports turf maintenance through working for a local council.

Stepping through the years of working as an apprentice greenkeeper and playing golf regularly, James soon took the opportunity to for a short stint of work on course at the well known Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. Over the next few years James worked at a couple of courses including the outstanding Cape Kidnappers before heading back to a great opportunity at Paraparaumu Beach GC.

James' next career move saw him head across the ditch to the great Melbourne Sandbelt region. Taking in all that he continued to learn and be involved with in his career, it wasn't long before James landed his first career superintendents role at Magenta Shores in NSW.

James and I also discuss just what it takes to not only look after and prepare Magenta Shores but also, to a further point, the detail that is required to understand and maintain any golf course. Why do we do what we do and how to get the best out of a golf course, all whilst understanding what and who you are doing it for. Golf greenkeeping isn't just about maintaining turf, it's about maintaining turf in a particular local environment for the game of golf.

This is one epic convo! I didn't know what to clip out to make it shorter so I just left it all if for you to listen, so strap yourselves in for James and Steve's epic adventure!

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club

Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club

Cape Kidnappers

Woodlands Golf Club

Yarra Yarra Golf Club

Mount Lawley Golf Club

Crafter + Mogford Golf Strategies

OCM Golf

Renaissance Golf Design

Renaissance Golf Design - Tom Doak

The Design Brief is back and this time I'm chatting with another member of The Society of Australian Golf Course Architects, Ryan Van Der Veen.

Ryan joins me to chat about his career, beginning with his time in golf course construction from a young age back in the USA where he was born. After getting his start using heavy machinery on weekends and school holidays, it was during his time studying at Purdue University where Ryan was given an opportunity to work with the late great Pete Dye with the reconstruction of their golf courses.

From this early association with Pete Dye, Ryan was offered an opportunity to work at a golf course Pete Dye was building that in time would become the revered Whistling Straits Golf Course!

Along with working with Pete Dye, Ryan spent a number years working as part of Greg Norman Golf Course Design team outside the USA including constructing the spectacular new Doonbeg in Ireland.

It would soon turn that Ryan was asked to work in Australia with the Norman design team at a new golf course being constructed outside Adelaide in South Australia, when things soon changed thanks to the GFC!

Ryan worked on a few other projects leading the Norman design and build team at some of our well known golf courses including Grange in Adelaide and Cathedral Lodge in Victoria, before life would soon see Ryan stay here in Australia and start his own golf course design business - Van Der Veen Designs.

Join us for a great yarn hearing some wonderful stories from Ryan of building and now designing some great golf courses.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Ryan Van Der Veen - Facebook

Ryan Van Der Veen - SAGCA Profile

sagca.com.au

Pete Dye - Wikipedia

Palmira Golf Club

Purdue University Golf Club

Whistling Straits Golf Course

Blackwolf Run

Barefoot Golf & Resort

Trump International Golf Links - Doonbeg

CopperClub The Dunes - Port Hughes

The Grange Golf Club

Eastern Golf Club

Cathedral Lodge & Golf Club - Greg Norman Golf Course Design

New South Wales Golf Club

The Huntley Development - Landscape Concept

Glenelg Golf Club

Dye Designs Group

Greg Norman Golf Course Design

Love Golf Design

Fazio Design

Walking the Fairways segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dint Golf Solutions⁠⁠⁠ www.dint.com.au and ⁠Colin Campbell Chemicals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.campbellchemicals.com.au There's lots going on around Australia and right here is where you will get all the info you need to stay up to date.

I'm joined on this podcast episode by Tim Warren, Superintendent of Glenelg Golf Club in Adelaide. Tim gives us an update of the club's enhancement plan and how the most recent works are coming along on holes 8 and 9. He also provides an insight into the final holes remaining in the project.

There's also some information about in this episode of new work being completed on course at Elanora Country Club in Sydney, some architecture master planning of a couple of course in Western Australia, and the completion of the course enhancement works at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne.

To finish off I catch up with Josh Smith, greenkeeper at Piltdown Golf Club in the UK after returning from his recent stint at TPC Sawgrass working on course at The Players Championship, and an update of Nigel Taylor's Everesting Challenge in his quest to raise awareness for mental health during 2025!

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠

Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

⁠Glenelg Golf Club

Glenelg Golf Club Course Team - Instagram

Dunsborough Lakes Golf Club

Contour Golf Design Group

Pinjarra Golf Club

Golf Course Superintendents Association Western Australia (GCSAWA)

Lake Karrinyup Country Club

Cottesloe Golf Club

Goldfields Golf Club - Kalgoorlie

Palm Beach Golf Club

Elanora Country Club

⁠Kruse Golf - Facebook

Clayton DeVries & Pont (CDP)

Woodend Golf Club

Medway Golf Club

Box Hill Golf Club

Metropolitan Golf Club

Josh Smith, Adventures in Greenkeeping - Instagram

⁠Piltdown Golf Club

TPC Sawgrass⁠

⁠The Players Championship

Nigel Taylor, The Dirty Dozen - Instagram

Keeper of the Greens - Shane Baker (Mosman Park Golf Club)

Keeper of the Greens - Josh Smith (Piltdown Golf Club)

Keeper of the Greens - Fraser Brown (Lake Karrinyuip Country Club)

Keeper of the Greens - John Mann (Metropolitan Golf Club)