Oliver Davis, from Royal Adelaide Golf Club in South Australia, has been adjudged Australia’s top golf course turf management apprentice at the recent National Turf Industry Awards. In front of a large audience at a gala dinner held at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park on 23 June, Davis was announced as winner of the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association’s (ASTMA) Graduate of the Year Award, sponsored by association Platinum Partner Toro Australia. 

The National Turf Industry Awards dinner officially opened the 2025 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference which was held in Sydney for the first time in 24 years from 23-26 June. The ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award was one of six awards handed out on the night which recognised the achievements and successes of Australia’s sports turf management professionals over the past 12 months.

The ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award recognises the hard work and endeavour of the industry’s apprentices who have decided to pursue a career in golf course turf management. It has been a part of the ASTMA’s annual awards program since 1996, with finalists taken from the respective state-based Graduate of the Year Award programs. Davis (pictured right) beat home a class field of fellow state graduate finalists to become just the second graduate from South Australia to win the award in its 30-year history.

Davis’s fellow finalists included: Zac Amer (Port Fairy Golf Links); Dylan Buttigieg (Windaroo Lakes Golf Club); James Courtney-Bennett (Lake Karrinyup Country Club); Brad Guthmann (Monash Country Club); Dylan Kingston (Launceston Golf Club); Zac Wels (Tura Beach Country Club)

Judging for this year’s national award was held on the Sunday prior to the start of Australian Sports Turf Management Conference. Davis, along with his fellow state finalists, were asked to give a 15-minute presentation to a three-person judging panel about themselves and their careers to date. They were then quizzed on a series of technical and general questions to further ascertain their level of turf management knowledge and proficiency. Such was the caliber of this year’s graduate cohort, it took the judging panel more than 90 minutes of deliberation to decide the eventual winner.

“It’s a great honour to be up here and accepting this award,” Oliver said when accepting the award. “Well done to all the other graduates, from all reports from Mark and all the other judges it was a great team and it’s been great getting to know them all throughout the week. I’d like to thank the ASTMA, Mark, Albert and Chris who were my teachers and who helped bring the ASTMA RTO to South Australia to progress with the Certificate III in Sports Turf Management side of things over there.

“I’d like to the TMSA and Tim Warren as well, as well as Nathan Bennett and the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. What you’ve done for me in mentoring and sharing your knowledge and backing me has been great.”

Jonathan Marett (pictured right), from People First Stadium in Queensland was adjudged Australia’s top sportsfields and grounds turf management apprentice on the night. Marett was announced as winner of the Sportsfields and Grounds Graduate of the Year Award, sponsored by ASTMA Platinum Partner Toro Australia. 

The Sportsfields and Grounds Graduate of the Year Award recognises the hard work and endeavour of the industry’s apprentices who have decided to pursue a career in sports turf management. The finalists for the award are taken from the respective state-based Graduate of the Year Award programs. Marett beat home a class field of fellow state graduate finalists to become just the second graduate from Queensland to win the award in its 15-year history.

Marett’s fellow finalists included: Dylan Benfield (Garangula Polo, NSW); Nathan Hitch (Scotch College, WA); Jorjia Hogg (Newcastle Council); Sean Howard (Victoria Racing Club); Tom Jolly (D&D Curators); Latisha Smith (Waratah Wynyard Council)

Judging for this year’s national award was held on the Sunday prior to the start of Australian Sports Turf Management Conference. Marett, along with his/her fellow state finalists, were asked to give a 15-minute presentation to a three-person judging panel about themselves and their careers to date. They were then quizzed on a series of technical and general questions to further ascertain their level of turf management knowledge and proficiency.

“It’s a tremendous honour, I didn’t think I’d be here four years ago, so I do appreciate being in a room full of the knowledge and talent tonight,” Jon said when accepting his award. “It’s been great with the fellow nominees over the last couple of days. It’s important for me to thank the STA, TAFE Queensland and my team, I’m really grateful to be a part of it.”

Story by Nick Creely/Pictures by Brett Robinson (ASTMA)