EP.154 Keeper of the Greens - Scott Armstrong (Hamilton Island Golf Club)
Description
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
Scott Armstrong has been around a long time as you'll soon hear. Scott began his greenkeeping career not long out of year 10 at school on Sydney's Northern Beaches in an era when it wasn't unrealistic to wear thongs and no shirt working in the hot summer sun out on course. Yes, this is Australia!
Scott had the privilege of learning and working under some of, not only Sydney's, but Australia's leading greenkeeping professionals. After a long start to his career at Manly Golf Club under people such as John Odell, it was soon time to take the reigns for himself and he landed the superintendent's role at Mona Vale Golf Club, still on the Northern Beaches.
Scott spent a number of years working on course before things would take a turn through some challenging times with committee members and he decided it was time to move away from Mona Vale and working directly with turf. Scott took on a role as a sales rep for an industry company which he would continue for many years learning lots of different things from "the other side". Eventually falling out of favour with the sales side of the industry Scott gravitated back to working hands on with turf but it was a bumpy ride before an opportunity presented itself to be a greenkeeper at Hamilton Island Golf Club in the Whitsundays of North Queensland.
This chat has everything and them some in it. I went to Hamilton Island to sit down with Scott for this chat and he doesn't disappoint. We talk about everything from long lost types of machinery, reminisce about old colleagues and peers, discuss what it means to be a team on course, and then there's the travelling around the world for golf, a brush with Clint Eastwood working at Congressional for the US Open, and of course an insight into Hamilton Island Golf Club and the challenges of the current weather conditions. This is a wild and fun ride so get your six point racing harness on and strap in!
You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!
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People and places mentioned in this podcast:
Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club
Cypress Point Club - Monterey Peninsula Golf
Dr. Alister MacKenzie - The Alister MacKenzie Society
Marion Hollins - Marion Hollins Memorial Project
EP.63 Keeper of the Greens - Brad Hole
EP.70 Keeper of the Greens - Pat Wilson
EP.127 Keeper of the Greens - Mark Spraggs
EP.135 Steve's Random Special Guest - Mike O'Keeffe (Ohio State Program)
United States
