SIX female greenkeepers from around the country played a crucial role in preparing Cobram Barooga golf course for the Webex Players Series PGA event recently, as part of John Deere’s expanded Women in Turf Program.
It’s the third year running that participants in the program have combined learning new skills with assisting course superintendent Terry Vogel and his staff prepare the course for its showpiece competition.
The women participating in this year’s expanded program range from apprentice greenkeepers to experienced horticulturalists.
Abbey Taylor, an apprentice at Charlestown Golf Club in Newcastle, said the work experience helped broaden her skillset.
“I was able to do a few jobs I wouldn’t normally do at my course, and the staff at Cobram Barooga were great in explaining different things and helping me out as I learned,” Ms Taylor said.
“I was very nervous coming into the week not knowing anyone, but getting to know all the other volunteers and hearing how they’ve got to this point in their careers has been great. It’s important that more people know they have opportunities like this in the turf industry.”
Chrissy Wilson, from Green By Nature in Brisbane, has more than 10 years’ experience in horticulture and conservation land management, but this was her first time working at a golf club.
“My supervisor, Shana Stopp, came to Cobram Barooga for the Program last year and she highly recommended it,” Ms Wilson said.
“It’s been fascinating learning what goes into preparing a course this size – the attention to detail is outstanding. Terry and his team have been really understanding with me not knowing some of the golf terminology and have really taken me under their wings.”
For Mr Vogel, the volunteers bring more than just extra hands to help with the club’s biggest event of the year.
“We really look forward to this week each year because the volunteers bring a big uplift in energy around the shed,” he said.
“They’ve each got their own unique set of skills and experiences, so we try and pair them up with our guys based on that and make sure everyone gets a chance to experience the different jobs – whether it’s greens mowing, changing holes, raking bunkers etc.
“This group has really jumped into everything this year, and haven’t needed a whole lot of guidance from the staff. It’s definitely a win-win for our team and the volunteers.
“I was a little cautious the first time we hosted this program in 2023, given it’s all-male staff here. But now it’s a big highlight for the year, and it’s great to hear the positive comments from the volunteers and the regular team.
“Labour is a big issue in the golf industry, so recruiting more people into the industry is crucial. The problem is the career is often not promoted to females, so we’re missing out on a big opportunity. This program is a huge positive in promoting greenkeeping and encouraging more women to join.”
After launching the Program at Cobram Barooga in 2023, and returning for last year’s Webex Players Series, John Deere is collaborating with environmental science company, Envu, and the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) to take this year’s initiative to the next level.
“Over the next 12 months we’ll be providing the participants mentoring around turf maintenance, career development and other soft skills that will help grow their careers,” John Deere Australia & New Zealand Golf & Turf Sales Lead, Corey Clark, said.
“The goal is two-fold – to keep these talented individuals in the turf industry, and to encourage more to join. This program is crucial to growing the game by encouraging more women to consider this profession.”
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