GREENKEEPING
The greenkeeping team at Langdon Hills - course manager Spencer Adams-Dunstan ( front row , centre right ) contracted COVID-19 at Christmas and was bedridden for a period
With high volumes of people playing golf – last year it was estimated that there was an extra 1,000 rounds per golf course every month – it remains to be seen how courses hold up to such levels of wear and tear .
These high-pressure working conditions eventually take their toll on the staff and it was sad to discover that a majority of greenkeepers admitted to having worried about their mental health . Eighty per cent told us they had worried about the mental health of a member of their team and BIGGA has worked to support our members throughout this crisis with initiatives such as the Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund or our free counselling helpline .
has taken place . Last September , Thank a Greenkeeper Day saw the topic trend in the top 10 of UK Twitter throughout the day as everyone from professional golfers to The R & A and golf club members took to social media to thank greenkeepers for their hard work and dedication .
It ’ s been a difficult year for everyone , but with the onset of spring , there ’ s a sense of optimism that some positives may finally emerge for BIGGA members and the nation ’ s other greenkeepers .
www . bigga . org . uk Lucy Sellick
On the positive side , the world is steadily moving back to normal and the activities of greenkeepers have been in the spotlight more than ever . Frustrated golfers , sat at home scrolling on their smartphones have read more about the activities of greenkeepers in the past year than ever before and the majority are incredibly grateful for the work that
8 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | April / May 2021