Match Matters – April
Well after months of waiting the 2024 competitive season got underway last weekend with 2 team events on Saturday and Sunday and an American theme to go with it. Most of us tend to consider the golf season starting when the Masters starts so our Masters Match Up feels like a great way to start the season. Well done to Stephen McCauley & Muir McCluskey, our first “summer” season winners.
We followed the up with our Grand Match in honour of Iain Ashcroft with the Big BAshy, 2 teams of 80 players going head to head representing Captain Pau; Stewarts “Stripers” and Vice Captain Tommy “Tigers” Kelly. The Tigers took the title winning by 3 points.
Almost 300 players took part across the 2 days and with the golf being on the telly it was a full on start to the year despite the weather. On a personal note that kind of support makes putting on these events very worthwhile.
Match Plays
We’re off and running with the Match Plays, the first result coming in today in the Fairfax with my admin best buddy Bert Holt falling to Iain Stevenson (nice guy big Stevie so he’s forgiven). Get booking those ties please.
Spotlight – Kevin Wilson (Head Greenkeeper)
Like any organisation it’s made up of the the sum of it’s parts but I think it’s fair to say that without a top Head Greenkeeper and a top team to support him it’s difficult to work out how a golf club can progress. So with that in mind I thought as we set about taking divots (and replacing them) and making plug marks (and not fixing them all the time…(angry face emoji)) we should hear from the guy who’ll have a big say in how good our member experience is this year.
This is my 10th year at Fereneze. Previously I was the deputy manager at Williamwood for 8 years.
I served my apprenticeship leading to 1st assistant at The Whitecraigs golf club for 8 years.
Fereneze has 18 elevated greens which drain very well due to continued aeration/top dressing/overseeding programs. The course is 600ft above sea level so we shed water very well generally across the course.
We have mostly peaty soils allowing coarse rye grasses and wild rush grasses to dominate. Again all very hard wearing which tolerates the exposed conditions. Also the views are 2nd to none. I take my family walks on my spare time to areas like what we have at Fereneze.
Unfortunately the sheds are at the bottom of the hill so every grain of sand and items we need to keep the course has to be carted up hill to their desired locations. The terrain is hard, rocky in places and brutal on machines. With rock a dominating factor irrigation has been a challenge. Upgrading our bowser has been an interesting project recently. Weather unfortunately controls many of our programs including cutting routine/fertiliser applications/topdressing applications/overseeding and wetting agents along with watering.
I am most proud to have came through some pretty challenging times at the club. I’ve seen the club come through struggles financially and almost self destruct out on the course but here we are years past doing as well as the club has ever done. I’m also delighted to be improving machinery and staff training along with upgrading facility for staff, making Fereneze GC a very desirable place to learn and work in a sometimes challenging industry.
Like our members I expect the best working within the boundaries that we have. A better understanding of logistics out on the course/terrain/weather/wear and tear on machines. Temperature, moisture, air, and food, we need only a few elements to fall into place for us to provide a decent surface. Remove any one of these and there’s a dramatic change in product. Bearing in mind each of the elements are controlled by west of Scotland weather!
I get the most satisfaction from seeing the team move forward. The greens department progressing year after year and seeing results out on the course.
I am Kevin, Head greenkeeper/course manager of Fereneze for 10 years. Married with 3 amazing children. 2 daughters and a son. 15, 6 and 5 years old. Brought up in Busby then Mearns, Barrhead, then Paisley. Been back this end of Glasgow for 10 years now.
I enjoy golf, swimming, football, climbing, kite surfing, buggying and camping. I also enjoy woodturning and cars.
Purposeful Task Master (Perfectionist and Approachable)
My team are keen to learn, dedicated and committed to their work.
