Apprentice Greenkeeper

About the role

If you enjoy working outdoors, finishing early, and being part of a friendly, supportive team, you’ll find this role an ideal fit. At Riversdale, we take pride in maintaining a championship-quality course for our members while pursuing strategic objectives. A career in greenkeeping offers rewarding pathways within the turf industry and can even open doors to work and travel opportunities worldwide.

Key responsibilities

• Plan and schedule routine and seasonal maintenance for greens, tees, fairways, roughs, practice facilities, and surrounds in consultation with supervisors.

• Support the development and implementation of golf course turf programs, including mowing, rolling, aeration, scarifying, topdressing, overseeding, fertilising, and renovation works to maintain and improve playing surfaces.

• Operate and help manage golf course irrigation systems, including setting and adjusting programs for different course areas, monitoring performance, identifying dry or wet spots, and reporting faults or inefficiencies.

• Assist in the identification, treatment, and prevention of turf pests, weeds, and diseases across the course, following integrated pest management principles, label directions, and relevant regulations.

• Monitor turf conditions and soil health on greens, tees, fairways, and roughs through visual inspection, basic testing, and recording results, and escalate issues to senior staff.

• Maintain accurate records of agronomic activities, climatic conditions, chemical and fertiliser applications, irrigation schedules, and maintenance works in line with organisational, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

• Coordinate with the pro shop, operations staff, and other stakeholders regarding course access, hole closures, renovation schedules, special events, and competition days.

• Assist in daily course set up, including changing hole locations, moving tee markers, checking and raking bunkers, setting course accessories, and ensuring surfaces are presented to the required standard.

• Operate and maintain golf course equipment and machinery in a safe and efficient manner.

About you

• A strong work ethic

• A team-oriented attitude

• High motivation and enthusiasm

• Excellent attention to detail

• Good time management skills

• Strong communication abilities

• Follow all workplace health and safety procedures, including use of PPE, safe chemical and machinery handling, traffic management on course paths, and participation in safety briefings and training.

• Participate in formal training as required for the apprenticeship, complete coursework, and actively develop technical knowledge and practical skills in golf course sports turf management.