Maleny Golf Club in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Avondale Golf Club on Sydney’s North Shore have been bestowed the Australian golf course industry’s highest environmental accolade as joint winners at the 2025 National Turf Industry Awards held in Sydney last week. In front of a large audience at a gala dinner held at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park on June 23, Maleny course superintendent Mick McCombe and Avondale superintendent Robert Biddle received the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association’s (ASTMA) Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment Award, sponsored by association Platinum Partner Syngenta. 

The National Turf Industry Awards dinner officially opened the 2025 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference which was held in Sydney from 23-26 June. The ASTMA Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment 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 Claude Crockford award has been a staple of the ASTMA’s annual awards program since 1996 and recognises those superintendents and their teams for excellence in sustainability and environmental management. The award is named after legendary Royal Melbourne Golf Club superintendent Claude Crockford, who during his near 40-year tenure there championed the environment and managed the courses in harmony with it.

Maleny, an 18-hole golf course bordered to the south and east by the Obi Creek and riverine rainforest and to the west and north by open fields and bush, also boasts two freshwater wetlands within the golf course and is viewed as one of Australia’s most uniquely challenging courses.

The course, a public facility with a Scottish inspired layout, has continually demonstrated eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable practices. Mick’s commitment to environmental stewardship has enabled him to become a certified Epar Connect Administrator. Under his leadership, Maleny has become one of the first six clubs globally to implement the Epar Connect 2.0 Audubon Certification program, an initiative that highlights his commitment to positive environmental impact within golf course operations.

Mick’s contributions to Maleny demonstrate a profound commitment to environmental stewardship and safety. His innovative projects and proactive management have led to significant improvements in the course and its surrounding environment. 

Here are some of the project’s Mick (pictured right) and his team have undertaken to highlight sustainability and environmentally friendly measures:

• Integrating two major construction projects with the Southern Wetland: At the club’s direction and within a tight time frame and ever tighter budget, Mick constructed a 19th hole with double green, revetted bunker and dual fairway; and then reconstructed the 1st green integrating both projects with the sensitive neighbouring Southern Wetland.
• Recycling initiatives: Mick has spearheaded a robust recycling program for glass, cans, and cardboard through the Containers For Change program, recycling up to 4000 cans and bottles per month.
• Waterless toilets installation: Mick led the installation of innovative waterless toilets, a French-designed off-grid system that operates without power or water.
• Blind Shot™ system for safety: To address safety concerns with blind tee shots, Mick, alongside greens director Rob Bailo, developed and implemented the Blind Shot™ system
• Fairway Irrigation Project: Mick played a key role in securing a $163,500 grant for a $230,000 fairway irrigation project, utilising recycled water from the Maleny township.
• Path network upgrade: With over $130,000 in grants, Mick designed and implemented a new path network, ensuring immediate access for golfers even after rain.
• Nesting Boxes for local fauna: The surrounding rainforest was largely planted in 2000 which means it lacks the usual hollows of a mature forest. To address this shortfall, the club has embarked on a program of installing nesting boxes in the bordering forest to support local fauna.

The Crockford Award is the second major ASTMA Award for Mick after he also took home the ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award back in 2016. Mick joins a rare club of fellow superintendents who have achieved the Crockford-Excellence double, including current ASTMA president Ben Tilley (Headland GC, Qld), David Warwick (formerly Avondale GC, NSW) and Tim Warren (Glenelg GC, SA)

“Congratulations to all the other nominees and all the other winners. It’s nice to be recognised and it really is an honour to receive this environmental award,” Mick said when accepting his award. “It’s an honour as a club, we’re a small club and it’s super important to be sustainable and care for our environment in our particular area.

“I couldn’t achieve this without some good guidance. I’ve got some very qualified environmental experts, Dr Max Whitten and Dr Penny Edwards…implementing these initiatives would not be possible without my greens director Rob Bailo, he does all the heavy lifting, and my course team who are a very strong band of volunteers. They all work tirelessly on this vision, and I’d like to thank Maleny for enabling me to act on my vision of sustainability and achieve our goals of environmental excellence.”

For Robert and his team at Avondale, this year’s award continues the environmental excellence that the Sydney club has sustained over a long period of time. In fact, this year’s award is the second time Avondale has received the Claude Crockford Award – an industry first – after winning it back in 2004.

Based in the northern suburbs, Avondale is nestled within a thriving metropolitan district and is perennially ranked within the top 100 courses in Australia. Led by Robert, the Avondale team has implemented a comprehensive environmental strategy which has committed to sustainability in golf course management.

Rob (pictured right) has implemented a digital sustainability system across his operations, ensuring full compliance with environmental legislation. Avondale Golf Club monitors and collects useful data so informed decisions can be made on such things as irrigation, water quality and usage, Argentine stem weevil numbers and soil health and soil microbial diversity.

Rob’s course is also home to northern Sydney’s largest microbat population and he has taken an active role in habitat protection in partnership with local council authorities. Rob’s efforts go far beyond compliance and he has introduced the use of interpretive signage throughout the course to educate members and guests on sustainable practices and ecological values.

Amongst Rob’s other significant accomplishments is achieving and recently renewing Audubon International’s certification as an Environmental Sanctuary, a distinction held by no other course in New South Wales. His compliance with Audubon International’s certification requirements includes demonstrated commitment to:

• Wildlife and habitat management;
• Chemical use reduction and safety;
• Water conservation;
• Water quality management;
• Environmental planning; and
• Outreach and education.

Rob is currently working with The University of Sydney on a research project studying fauna and nest predation and the University is utilising the fauna on his course for this particular study.

“It’s an honour to win this award. Congratulations also to Mick, well done, it’s an honour to be up here with you sharing this award,” Rob said when accepting his award. “Thank you also to Leon Hennessy from the NSW association for nominating me and thank you to Avondale, I can’t do anything without the support of the club, committee, the board and my fantastic team. They are the ones out there doing all the hard work.”

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