The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association has partnered with Golf Australia to develop a Turf Management Assistance Program for Golf Clubs, designed to assist small, remote and regional Clubs with the support they require to improve playing surfaces and turf management practices.  Right across sport and recreation, it goes without saying that better conditioned playing surfaces encourage greater participation.  This certainly applies to golf where much of the game in played on fine turf, and the conditioning of the course is equally important to the enjoyment of the participant.

Responsibilities for Golf Clubs

Golf Clubs supported through the Turf Management Assistance Program will be responsible for:

• Completion of Turf Management Assistance Program documentation from Golf Australia
• Completing the requirements of the pre-visit checklist supplied by the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association
• Collection of samples for testing as outlined in the pre-visit checklist
• Allocating time for key personnel to work with the aligned Sports Turf Manager on their visit.

Responsibilities for Sports Turf Managers

• Register to be part of the Turf Management Assistance Program 
• Complete Turf Management Assistance Program documentation upon engagement with a Club requiring assistance
• Review and utilise diagnostics testing information provided by AGCSATech 
• Co-ordinate and undertake visit(s) to any aligned Golf Club as required
• Complete a final report for the Golf Club recommending improvement opportunities to turf management practices 
• Be available to provide additional advice from the Club (as required from time to time)

Responsibilities for Golf Australia

Golf Australia will be responsible for:

• Management of the Turf Management Assistance Program
• Identifying Golf Clubs requiring assistance
• Promotion of the service through Regional Development Officers
• Funding the program through Clubs & Facilities Support Team, and 
• Creating, distributing, and recording the outcomes from Golf Clubs. 

Golf Australia will measure the impact of the program on three fronts:

1. Feedback from the club about the assistance provided by the Turf Manager.
2. Before and after surveys of club members about their satisfaction with the playing surfaces 
3. Follow up testing, analysis, and review by the visiting Turf Manager. 

Responsibilities for the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association

The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association will be responsible for:

• Sourcing and co-ordinating the Sports Turf Manager to attend the Club 
• Providing the pre-visit checklist & requirements to Clubs
• Undertaking and completing analytical and diagnostic testing 
• Provision of test results and findings to the aligned Sports Turf Manager
• Maintaining a register of interested and eligible Sports Turf Managers
• Support for engaged Sports Turf Managers
• Sports Turf Managers who would like to be part of the Turf Management Assistance Program, will be required to register their interest to support Golf Clubs under the Program. 

Responsibilities for Sports turf Managers

• Register to be part of the Turf Management Assistance Program 
• Have a trade level Qualification (or expertise) in Sports Turf Management recognised by the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association 
• Be currently employed at a Golf Club or facility and have the written permission of the club at which they are employed (included in Registration process)
• Whilst it does not preclude turf managers from being part of the Program, Golf Australia will prioritise alignment of supporting Turf Managers to Certified Sports Turf Managers (CSTM) who have attained industry recognition as leading professionals to support Clubs  

Compensation and Funding for Sports Turf Managers

Sports Turf Managers engaged under the Program to support an aligned Golf Club will be paid for their involvement 

• A Turf Manager engaged to assist a Golf Club will be remunerated between $500 - $1000 per visit/report that a club requires (to be finalised for each individual alignment and situation).
• All (reasonable) travel expenses will be paid for under the Program, to be discussed based on individual engagements, however the aim of the Program is to minimise travel requirements through using geographically local Sports Turf Managers
• Any initial (pre-visit) testing and additional testing requirements requested by the Turf Manager will be funded by the program 
• Whilst there is no guarantee that all turf managers registering will be allocated opportunities to support Golf Club(s) through the Program, it is anticipated that the number of small or regional Clubs interested in receiving support through the Turf Management Assistance Program will be high, and therefore the opportunities for engagement by turf manager will be comparatively high. 

 

Register to be part of the Turf Management Assistance Program