EP.127 Keeper of the Greens - Mark Spraggs (Forster Tuncurry Golf Club - Tuncurry Course)

Keeper Of The Greens segment of The Golfing Greenkeeper Podcast
is brought to you by John Deere Golf. When you work where others
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It's time to venture to a regional part of the country and this
time I'm talking with Superintendent of Tuncurry Golf Club, Mark
Spraggs.





Mark was born and bred in the Wellington region of New Zealand.
Growing up to a greenkeeping Father and living on course, it was
basically inevitable the he was destined to become one himself.
Mark's greenkeeping career began at a nearby 9 hole golf course
before a move to the course where his Father worked at Hutt Golf
Club to completed his apprenticeship.





Mark's interest in greenkeeping was soon to take a turn for much
bigger adventures and he took the opportunity to look into a job
at a new Jack Nicklaus golf course build, The Kinloch Club which
he landed. Upon the completion of the build at The Kinloch Club,
Mark decided to participate in the Ohio Program and head to the
USA to work on some of their most well known courses which
included the revered Pine Valley Golf Club!





Returning to New Zealand for a short time after enjoying his time
in the USA, Mark decided once again on a new direction and this
time he landed his first job at Elanora Country Club in Sydney,
Australia. He was able to learn a great deal during his time at
Elanora before it was time with a young family to move out of the
big smoke and take up residence on the Mid North Coast of NSW.
From here Mark took the opportunities that presented themselves
to him before landing his currrent role as Superintendent at
Tuncurry GC.





Join with me as Mark takes us through his greenkeeping career
culminating in a deep dive into why Mark is so passionate about
Tuncurry Golf Club and what it has the potential to become, more
so than it already is.





You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!


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Send me an email to - thegolfinggreenkeeper@gmail.com





People and places mentioned in this podcast:


Forster Tuncurry Golf Club


Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club (formerly Hutt Golf Club)


Royal Wellington Golf Club


The Kinloch Club


The Ohio Program


Pine Valley Golf Club - Wiki


Sea Island


Oakmont Golf Club


Elanora Country Club


Club Taree


EP.61 Keeper of the Greens - Glenn Gibson-Smith