EP.110 Keeper of the Greens - Chris Rae (Orkney Golf Club)

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Chris Rae is an expat Aussie and Superintendent of Orkney Golf
Club. Orkney Golf Club is located on the outskirts of the
township of Kirkwall on the largest of the Orkney Islands to the
north of Scotland.





Beginning his greenkeeping career at Pennant Hills Golf Club, one
of Sydney's premier golf clubs, Chris was exposed to high end
greenkeeping practices from the get go. It wasn't long before he
moved to Concord Golf Club, also in Sydney, where he was mentored
by one of the most respected greenkeepers of the industry,
Superintendent Mark Parker who is now at NSW Golf Club.





After completing his greenkeeping trade at a couple of the best
courses in Sydney and being trained by some of the best, Chris
was given an opportunity to get hands on in golf course
construction for a couple of years.





As life changes, Chris soon found himself with an opportunity to
travel to Scotland after meeting his now wife and before he knew
it he was trying to understand the Scottish accent in everyday
life. A number of years working outside greenkeeping at a few of
different jobs would soon make way for a chance at getting back
on the greenkeeping tools and taking on the role of
Superintendent at Orkney Golf Club. As it turns out, maintaining
a golf course in the far north of Scotland is very different to
that of maintaining a golf course in Sydney!





Chris's story has everything in it from maintaining golf courses
at the top end of town in Sydney to the remoteness of island life
a mere seven degrees latitude outside the Artic Circle! Come with
me for my first journey to the other side of the planet and a
conversation that includes golf that might start at 9am,
sometimes finishes after midnight, 24 hours of daylight, castles,
pheasants, Viking heritage and a church built in an era when the
year sounds more like it's time for smoko!





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





People and places mentioned in this podcast:


Orkney Golf Club


The National Golf Club - The Old Course


Pennant Hills Golf Club


Concord Golf Club


NSW Golf Club


Royal Dornoch Golf Club


The Australian Golf Club


The Royal Melbourne Golf Club


Stuart Rennie


Tom Doak


Orkney Islands


International Island Games 2025