O agronomy Brent Downs has become the 90th Master
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Otter Creek ’ s director of agronomy becomes BIGGA ’ s 90th Master Greenkeeper
tter Creek director of
O agronomy Brent Downs has become the 90th Master
Greenkeeper since the certification ’ s inception in 1990 .
In doing so , Brent , 43 , is just the 36th person to possess both Master Greenkeeper and Certified Golf Course Superintendent classifications , two of the highest accolades available to experienced golf greenkeepers on either side of the Atlantic .
Of the moment he was told he had been successful in achieving Master Greenkeeper status , Brent said : “ It was amazing and there were a lot of different emotions . I know the journey to get there and a lot of people have walked it before me , so it was equal parts shock and gratitude . The elation , thankfulness and introspection came later .”
Although a resident of Indiana in the Midwest United States , Brent attributes much of his success to experiences gained during spells in Australia and the United Kingdom . Having interned at Loch Lomond Golf Club in 2007 , Brent has become the fourth Master Greenkeeper to be associated with the Argyll & Bute course , following in the footsteps of Ken Siems , David Cole and Janne Lehto .
“ Not a whole lot of people get the opportunity to intern in Scotland and Australia at the beginning of my career ,” said Brent . That just changed my perspective and my worldview so much . It was the first time I ever heard about Master Greenkeeper , because even though there are only 90 of us , four of them are in some way tied to Loch Lomond Golf Club – Ken Siems and David Cole , who were my bosses at the time , and now Janne Lehto and me are Master Greenkeepers 89 and 90 .”
After word of Brent ’ s achievement was circulated to his fellow Master
Greenkeepers , he was flooded by congratulations .
I ’ m proud of the part I played in this , but you don ’ t ever accomplish anything like this on your own ,” said Brent . “ It takes a village and I ’ m grateful for the Master Greenkeepers that mentored me , coached me and calmed down – they just kept encouraging me to stay with it .
“ The minute Deb [ Burnett , BIGGA Learning and Development Manager ] sent out that email , I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever received so many congratulations . It was at that moment I realised what a community or family Master Greenkeeper is .”
To qualify for the Master Greenkeeper Certificate , a candidate must have at least 10 years ’ experience working as a greenkeeper including three years as a course manager , head greenkeeper or superintendent . Certification includes the completion of a rigorous assessment programme that covers all aspects of golf course management .
Master Greenkeeper is a mark of distinction and is highly respected in the golf industry , signifying the holder has achieved the highest level of professional expertise with a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of golf course management .
You can find out more about Master Greenkeeper on the BIGGA website , www . bigga . org . uk
16 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | July / August 2024