Q&A with Jordan Troughton, Golf Course Superintendent at Umdoni Park Golf Club

Q&A with Jordan Troughton, Golf Course Superintendent at Umdoni Park Golf Club

When did you realise that turf management was the industry you want to take further?

Coming out of High School I realised I wasn’t good enough to go pro, but I knew I needed to be involved in the game one way or another. I was introduced to the African Turf Academy in Pretoria and immediately fell in love with the idea of turf grass maintenance.

What is the best and worst part of being a golf course superintendent?

The best part is definitely reaping what you sow. Maintaining a golf course is almost immediately visible and the compliments from members and visitors alike is what gives me motivation.

Compliments from members and visitors alike is what gives me motivation

I would have to say the worst part is waking up at 4:30 in the morning, but as I’ve learnt, if you’re not a morning person then greenkeeping isn’t for you.

You got into greenkeeping at a young age and have been very fortunate to have Gary Barker, who has been in the industry for a very long time as a mentor, how much has his knowledge helped you?

Yes, I am very grateful to have Gary Barker as my mentor. He is one of the most knowledgeable persons I’ve ever met. He brings with him immense experience as well as an eye for detail, which not everyone can see. He will advise tried and tested methods whereas I will suggest new school ideas and we seem to have a winning formula.

You are at Umdoni Park GC, a coastal course, does the coastal weather influence the maintenance and how?

Obviously all golf courses have their challenges. We are blessed with warm weather that suits our summer grasses. Sometimes we experience high winds which effects our spraying and irrigation. These winds can also blow sand out of our bunkers which we have to monitor closely.

What are your biggest challenges currently at Umdoni Park GC?

One of our biggest challenges at Umdoni Park is keeping our disease on our greens at bay as well as making sure our bunkers stay consistent. The biggest complaint from golfers in general are greens and bunkers.

Does one need different machinery on course for different types of grasses around the country?

Generally no. however, here at Umdoni Park we have a broader leaf of grass which takes more strain on the machine, which is why we’ve opted for rotary cutting units for our fairways and rough and cylindrical units for our tees and greens.

How big a difference does climate and location play in golf course maintenance?

It definitely does play a difference. The Western cape experience winter rains which is why they tend to opt for winter grasses whereas more northern courses experience the opposite.

Every new course being built has to take location and climate into account in terms of the grasses they choose. Some grasses are easier to maintain and disease resistant, whereas other grasses harbor disease more easily and grow at a rapid rate.

To what extent does course setup affect slow play, and how do you deal with it?

Course set up does have a part to play in slow play. At Umdoni Park we mostly deal with a North East and a South West wind and being along the coast, every time you play it will be different.

As a maintenance team we try and take this factor into account. The average golfer does not enjoy playing directly into 40 kph+ winds so we have to be strategic in terms of tee and pin placements.

Do you think it should be mandatory for each golf courses to close one day per week for maintenance?

I do not think it is completely necessary to close your course one day a week unless the golf course experiences a lot players through the week. It is difficult for a maintenance team to complete certain projects when there is a lot of golfers around. Closing the course could also mean more time for turf recovery, attention to detail and also giving the course staff a break.

Closing one day a week could mean a 15% drop in turnover

Sometimes you have to way up other factors like amenities that the golf course provides. Closing one day a week could mean a 15% drop in turnover across the board so you have to determine whether closing the course out ways the clubs profitability.

Do maintenance staff ever come into conflict with golfers and how do you deal with this?

Very seldomly. Sometimes we are faced with a situation where we have to get a certain product down immediately due to weather or other factors. I always let my staff know the severity of the situation.

There has to be a mutual respect between golfers and maintenance staff

There has to be a mutual respect between golfers and maintenance staff and I can guarantee that whatever the maintenance staff are doing is almost always more important than your social game of golf.

How important is it for golfers to repair their divots and pitch marks immediately vs only a couple of days or week later?

Repairing pitch marks and filling your divots is part of golf etiquette. We are playing an esteemed sport so we need to keep to that tradition. It also helps tremendously in the recovery of the turf and the overall appearance. A fixed pitch mark will take 3 days to recover. A badly fixed or unrepaired pitch mark will take 14 days.

People always complain about inconsistent bunkers, how difficult is it to maintain consistent bunkers and do you implement general checks and how?

Like I’ve said, bunkers are always in our suggestion box. We implement a system where bunker depths are checked every time we rake bunkers. We also have a system where bunker faces need to be 2 inches and compact, whereas the playing area of the bunker needs to be 5 inches plus. As long as the actual sand you are using is the same throughout, then this system can work along with regular trimming of edges.