How fun that we get to interview you for the Birdie blog, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hey, my name is Erik and I’ve just turned 28. I come from a golf-obsessed family where both my sisters are qualified PGA instructors. The first time I got to go along to the golf course I was only a few months old, so of course I had to lie in the pram. My mom didn't just push the pram, she played herself and is quite good, with a handicap of around 15.
Do you play golf yourself and do you manage many rounds?
After a few years of competitive play around Sweden, I started working at Barsebäck in the spring of 2014. At first, I was only allowed to rake bunkers, which after a few days is extremely boring, but guess how good I am at it to this day. Fortunately, for a few years now I have had other work tasks besides just bunker raking.
I currently have a handicap of +1.4 and play about 30 rounds a year with friends and family. I’ve hung up my competitive clubs, so now I mostly try to win money from my sisters and friends. I’d probably say the battles against my sisters are the worst, as none of us will back down. I have a cousin who plays competitively and he is hard for me to beat, but shame on those who give up! Working as a greenkeeper does have its advantages, however. For example, I get to know the strengths and weaknesses of the courses, and I take advantage of this on the greens where I find I have an easier time reading the putt lines than others.
What does a day as a greenkeeper look like?
Being a greenkeeper means early mornings because we need to get out and finish before too many golfers set foot on the first tee. My alarm goes off at 4:30 AM and the day begins with a shower to wake up, a quick breakfast, and then off to the golf club. When we are all on-site, we have a classic morning meeting where we go through the day and the boss assigns the tasks. Since we start early, at 6:00 AM, we also eat lunch early, around 11:00 AM. After lunch, we go through the afternoon's work, and either I continue with my morning task or, if I'm finished, there are new tasks waiting. I love this variety; no two days are the same.
How much does it help your work if everyone repairs their pitch marks?
Getting all (!) golfers to repair at least 2 pitch marks per green would, I would say, benefit everyone!! The condition of the greens improves so much faster, and golfers don't have to hit a putt that bounces and then bobbles off the edge of the hole. Not repairing a pitch mark means the grass dies, and it then takes up to several months before the green is fully restored. We spend about 10 hours a week cleaning up after others on the greens; we would much rather have spent this time on something more fun out on the course.
If there is a big tournament coming up where the greens are being specially prepared, what does that mean in terms of extra work?
Something that is extra fun with my job is when we host major tournaments. That’s when we deviate from our usual routines and work from early morning until late evening. Before a tournament, we prep the greens by aerating, top-dressing, and checking the nutrient status, so that the growth doesn't become too high, which then affects the stimp. We strive for the same stimp in the morning as in the afternoon. We mow and roll the greens one to two times a day depending on their speed. In certain exposed areas, we hand-water.
How did you become a greenkeeper? What type of training and qualifications are required?
That I became a greenkeeper is a bit of a coincidence. I graduated in 2013 and then traveled the world in the autumn and winter, and when I came home, they were looking for people at Barsebäck, and it suited me well as I didn't know what I was going to do, so I applied for the job. The week after, the job was mine and I worked the season out, mostly with the bunkers. After a few years as a seasonal employee, I received a permanent position starting Jan 1, 2019.
Do you have any tips for someone looking at a career as a greenkeeper?
For those of you who are keen to start working as a greenkeeper, I recommend applying as a summer worker first, as extra staff are almost always needed then. If you find it fun, you apply for the Greenkeeper training program. It consists of 3 steps:
- GUB – Basic training
- VUB – Further education
- HGU – Higher greenkeeper training
To get more insight into my everyday life as a greenkeeper, or if there are any questions, you can find me on Instagram: ”greenkeeperfromsweden”
We say a big thank you to Erik! We are following on Instagram and enjoying the beautiful pictures taken all around Barsebäck.