Alistair Beggs, the R&A’s Head of Sustainable Agronomy, told a GCMA Insights episode of The Golf Club Talk UK Podcast why clubs are key to future-proofing the sport
This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.
Golf is going to change.
Whether that’s because of water resources, chemicals, or climate change, Alistair Beggs believes the sport we play in 15 to 20 years will look noticeably different.
And while the wider industry is now getting switched on to what that means, there is another group that need bringing up to speed quickly. You guessed it – those of us that play.
“We feel as though we’ve been quite good over the years getting messages out to greenkeepers, or getting messages out to technical professionals,” said The R&A’s Head of Sustainable Agronomy as he outlined the governing body’s Sustainable Agronomy Service.
But he told a GCMA Insights episode of The Golf Club Talk UK podcast: “What we’ve got to get a lot better at is getting the message out to golfers, because they have a certain expectation of their courses these days and they expect the highest of standards.
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“They see great, well-conditioned golf courses on their televisions week in and week out and they expect theirs to be the same.
“The job of greenkeepers is to optimise the conditioning and performance of golf courses as best they can, and we’re here to help them in that quest.”
The Sustainable Agronomy Service is building on The R&A’s aims to protect and promote golf, while ensuring it is thriving in 50 years’ time.
Clubs can reach to out a team of agronomy experts and get support, advice, and best practice as they look to future-proof their facilities against the threats and challenges that new legislation, and climate drives are likely to bring.
As Beggs told GCMA Insights, it’s about The R&A developing relationships with clubs and getting to know courses on a case-by-case basis.
“We work well with clubs when we have a good knowledge of them, and we work well with people when we have a good knowledge of them,” he added.
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“The start of it is about getting to know the site and getting to know the key protagonists at individual clubs. Obviously, the club manager is a really important person in that whole journey and it’s important for us to develop relationships with that person, and it’s important for us to develop relationships with the greenkeeping team.
“We can then start to provide advice that is suitable to that club, because we’re going to all types of clubs, from the grassroots to championship venues and everything in between, so the advice is not the same at every club.”
Clubs need to be on the front foot, anticipating what is coming, and The R&A team will also be able to assist those trying to get to grips with the long-term and the strategy that demands.
Beggs also confirmed the money generated from providing the service will be ploughed back into the game. “It’s fed back into turfgrass research, it’s fed back into greenkeeper education,” he explained.
“It’s important for people to realise that if they do feel as if they’re subscribing and contributing to the agronomy service, then the monies that they are contributing are going back into the game.
“That’s an important message for everybody. There’s a feelgood factor about that for a lot of folks.”
For more information on the Sustainable Agronomy Service, click here.
This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.
Get involved in the debate. To join the GCMA, click here, or to organise a call with a member of the GCMA team, just complete this form and we’ll be in touch!
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