Bahamas has the sun but Mach Dunes greens shine
A MACH Dunes assistant head greenkeeper found the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
Craig Barr, 30, has just returned from the working holiday of a lifetime at Southworth Developments’ world first tropical links golf course, Abaco in the Bahamas.
Craig, who plays off eight himself, was kept so busy during the fortnight’s working break, tending the greens for the PGA Web.com competition, that he was unable to squeeze in a round.
‘It was an amazing opportunity when Southworth’s Simon Freeman volunteered me to go,’ said Craig.
Floodlights
‘At this time of year in Abaco the sun shines in the Bahamas from 6.30am till 6.30pm, but when it goes down, it is gone. Often I worked 14-hour shifts and some evenings we were working under floodlights.
‘Unlike Machrihanish, they do not really have an off season and there are 15 in the greenkeeping team compared to our five.’
Despite the Bahamaian sun, Craig, who went into greenkeeping aged 16 straight from Campbeltown Grammar School, said he was really pleased to get home to Kintyre and Campbeltown.
Craig added: ‘There is lots of science behind looking after golf course grass and keeping it at just the right length.’
Abaco is built using a grass variety called Paspalum from a cultivar developed in the 1970s.
‘Craig added: ‘Most of the grass at Machrihanish Dunes, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), is Fescues and Bents, which is what it was originally.
‘As it is an SSSI we have to protect the many wild flowers when tending the course.’
Craig’s working life began as an apprentice at Machrihanish’s original course, where he worked in the holidays after visiting during work experience from school.
Block release
‘During the four-year apprenticeship I took block release at Elmwood College in Cupar, Fife,’ said Craig.
Once qualified, Craig, who grew up at his parents’ Clochkeil farm, used his NVQ in sports turf science to work at the Carrick course on Loch Lomondside before joining Mach Dunes which he left for six months in Sydney, Australia, before returning once again.
‘Greenkeeping is a great career, out in the fresh air. I would recommend this to any youngster,’ added