Inspirational, to be Frank

This article first appeared in On Course - Issue 22

"IT'S BEEN inspirational" claimed Paul Woodham, Course Manager at Gay Hill Golf Club, Hollywood, Worcestershire, referring to the Professional Development Award.

The award, obtained from the European Social Fund by Lorraine and Graham Hatton-Downward of Plan-It Training, meant that earlier this year three days of management training was offered to greenkeepers by the ever-popular Frank Newberry.

With the kind permission of the committee and the assistance of the Club Secretary Julie Morris, each of the three events was hosted at Gay Hill Golf Club by Course Manager Paul Woodham.

Employers were only required to pay people to attend the training and of course pay their wages as they develop and practice the skills learned from the sessions. This in turn enables participants to develop their portfolio and prepare for an assessment to gain an NVQ qualification.

Frank requested - and got - industry specific training materials, developed by
the GTC. These vital materials covered:

• Managing Yourself,
• Managing Information for Action, and
• Estimating Resources (Project Management).

"These materials, developed by the GTC, are as good if not better than any that I have seen in 20 years of management training in UK industry," said Frank. "I have used them a number of times most notably at Harrogate Week this year where I ran a two day seminar to an international audience called 'The Greenkeepers Guide to Project Management'.

"I like the fact that they are available in a CD-ROM format as well as the traditional handbook design and I would recommend them to anyone. I personally believe that every career-minded greenkeeper should have a personal copy."

Back in Hollywood, three separate oneday events were scheduled to be separated by a few weeks so that participants could immediately put their learning into practice and then report progress at the next event. For example, one of the projects planned on the last workshop drew this reaction from Robert Tobin, Chairman of Green at Gay Hill Golf Club:

"The project management skills gained by Paul are being extensively used in a forthcoming Health & Safety project. This will involve moving mature trees to create a protective screen alongside a boundary of the course.

"Paul's communication and managerial skills will enable him to keep the membership informed about the project as when talking about increased expenditure on health & safety matters it is often a sensitive issue."

Paul himself expects this training and even more like it to come later this year will reap many rewards for greenkeepers and golf clubs alike. "The fi lmed interviews and coaching done by Frank was particularly invaluable," he said. "It has resulted in a change in the way the members of my greens team are now perceived by our club members. The committee at Gay Hill Golf Club need its greenkeepers to not only maintain the course but to communicate well.

"Building their confidence with this training has meant they are now able to do their duties more effectively and their greenkeeping skills have already become more visible to club members. It has left them in good shape for future advancement to Deputy Course Manager level and higher.

"Where the training has also been invaluable, has been the way it has impacted on my fellow Course Managers in the area who can now see the wider potential of the PDA programme as it is run by Frank, " continued Paul. "They are now actively looking for opportunities to involve more green staff in future events. It will raise their profile in their own clubs."

Learning materials are available from the GTC: CD-ROMs of Level 2 and Level 3 materials cost £30 each and printed hard copies including the CD-ROM cost £120 each. Price includes VAT, postage and packing within the UK.