By Nick Creely

As a recent graduate of the Future Turf Managers’ Initiative (FTMI), Trentham Golf Club superintendent Ricky Mether (pictured) has seen first-hand the multitude of benefits provided by the worldwide program. 

Mether, who got his start into turf through the AFL Sports Ready Program, serving an apprenticeship at the Capital Golf Club before stints in Europe, Medway Golf Club and Gisborne Golf Club, said the FTMI program was a beneficial tool in advancing his career.

“The FTMI program has really helped me identify what my goals are for my career and where I aim to be. The FTMI program has helped me identify the best pathway to achieve my career goals,” he said.

“There was a lot to take away, something as simple as resume building and job specific cover letters to budgets and their intricacies and even just picking the mentors’ brain on a few things was invaluable. 

“My biggest takeaway though was during Mark Carter's presentation and building a fun work environment through traditions and support which then translates into better outcomes for the club, staff and myself.”

He said the main highlight was the presentation from former Olympic swimming champion Brooke Hanson, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the 4x100 medley.

“Her story of perseverance from being allergic to pool water and missing out on consecutive Olympics even though her times were good enough as well as Brooke's positive attitude towards life was really inspiring,” he said.

Mether took over the role at Trentham a few years ago with a crew consisting of an apprentice and a two-and-a-half day casual and said the FTMI program provided terrific learnings to take back to the day-to-day turf management of the course.

An important focus of the FTMI is also providing opportunities for turf managers who come from smaller regional facilities where staffing and budgets are often not at the same level as those in metropolitan areas, with Trentham 70 minutes northeast of Melbourne. 

“I have tried to take a little bit of everything I learned and incorporate it into my management of Trentham, whether that’s through Carmen Sederino’s presentation on being confident and clear with my message when speaking to committees and membership and Mark Carter’s team building and creating a fun, inclusive environment,” he said.

“Also Ben Gibson’s presentation and creating my own personal brand that I can portray to the membership and golf community, Peter Schumacher's budgeting presentation, learning about different personalities through Mark Unwin’s presentation and how everybody is different with their own strengths and weaknesses and how to approach different personality types. 

“Dr Juliette Tobias-Webb’s presentation on how to speak to people was another one and learning that having a conversation can go many different ways just with the words and delivery I choose to use and how I can lead conversations to get a more positive outcome.”

He said there were plenty of projects in the pipeline at Trentham.

“I do really enjoy my role at Trentham, at times it can be frustrating regarding resources but also it’s also very rewarding at the same time,” he said.

“We are currently about to replace all the irrigation around the greens and tees in house with a system that only one other golf course has used so far which will be a huge learning curve for myself and staff.”