EP.122 Keeper of the Greens - James Newell (Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club)

Keeper Of The Greens segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others play, you need a partner you can trust to keep your course in perfect condition. Find your nearest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠J⁠ohn Deere dealer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠deere.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Newell is Superintendent of Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club on the NSW Central Coast just north of Sydney. I took some time to catch up with James and record this podcast with him in his office at Magenta.James has an amazing story that harks back to his homeland in New Zealand. With a farm background and creating and playing on his own rudimentary golf course with his brother, working outside for a living wasn't a far flung idea and James was able to get his first taste of sports turf maintenance through working for a local council. Stepping through the years of working as an apprentice greenkeeper and playing golf regularly, James soon took the opportunity to for a short stint of work on course at the well known Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. Over the next few years James worked at a couple of courses including the outstanding Cape Kidnappers before heading back to a great opportunity at Paraparaumu Beach GC.James' next career move saw him head across the ditch to the great Melbourne Sandbelt region. Taking in all that he continued to learn and be involved with in his career, it wasn't long before James landed his first career superintendents role at Magenta Shores in NSW.James and I also discuss just what it takes to not only look after and prepare Magenta Shores but also, to a further point, the detail that is required to understand and maintain any golf course. Why do we do what we do and how to get the best out of a golf course, all whilst understanding what and who you are doing it for. Golf greenkeeping isn't just about maintaining turf, it's about maintaining turf in a particular local environment for the game of golf.This is one epic convo! I didn't know what to clip out to make it shorter so I just left it all if for you to listen, so strap yourselves in for James and Steve's epic adventure!You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper - Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Golfing Greenkeeper TV - YouTube⁠Send me an email to - [email protected] and places mentioned in this podcast:Magenta Shores Golf & Country ClubParaparaumu Beach Golf ClubCape KidnappersWoodlands Golf ClubYarra Yarra Golf ClubMount Lawley Golf ClubCrafter + Mogford Golf StrategiesOCM GolfRenaissance Golf Design Renaissance Golf Design - Tom Doak