Providing professional development

and Educational opportunities for

SUPERINTENDENTS.

Applications Open!! The Future Turf Managers Initiative (FTMI) 2025/2026

The FTMI is back!

This hugely popular initiative and development program is a partnership between Jacobsen, ASTMA and the NZGCSA.

The FTMI is a world-wide program developed and operated by Jacobsen, successfully delivering education to future leaders in the Turf Industry. It has been designed to provide practical tools and guidance to help you to pursue your career aspirations through a professional development course.

Applications are open!

For more information, what’s involved and how to apply take a look at the FTMI page

Applications close Monday 22 September 2025.

Brandt/John Deere Whole of Golf Conference 17-19 August 2025

The Whole of Golf Conference is just around the corner—don’t miss your chance to connect, learn, and celebrate with industry leaders.

There is still time to register!

Dates: 17-19 August 2025

Location: Ellerslie Event Centre, Ellerslie, Auckland

Two-Day Registration: Includes full conference access, Golf Awards Presentation, and Awards Dinner.

Information and Conference Programme: - Click  Here

Registration: – Click Here

Programme Highlights:

  • Monday – Plenary Sessions
    Culture, leadership, and the future of golf
    Inclusivity and governance in club environments

  • Tuesday – Targeted Forums
    Course development and sustainability strategies
    Branding, innovation, and profit maximisation in golf retail
    Golf biomechanics and career pathways
    Keynote from Ian Baker-Finch — Open Champion and Chair of PGA Australia

Whether you’re focused on operations, management, or on-course excellence, this is a conference designed to energise every corner of the industry.

Visit https://www.golfmanagers.co.nz/ for further information.

Fine Turf Seminar - Gala Dinner - AGM

Once again another outstanding Fine Turf Seminar last week at the Events Centre in Rotorua hosted by CNITMA. We would like to thank them for hosting and for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes bringing everything together for what was a brilliant couple of days! Not always a easy task at times, but these events are so important for our industry.

Fine Turf Seminars provide invaluable platform for greenkeepers and industry professionals to engage with the latest advancements in turf management, share best practices, knowledge and celebrate outstanding achievements within the Industry. They also provide a chance to catch up with friends and fellow Turfies from all around the country, share some yarns (and perhaps a few quiet beers...) after all ours is a small industry and we tend to try check in and make sure all is well with each other.

One part of of the seminar which is looked forward to by many is the Gala dinner which was held on the Monday night. This offers a chance to recognise and celebrate achievements of our NZGCSA members and others in our industry.

The following NZGCSA Achievements and Awards were presented during the dinner:

NZGCSA Life Membership - John Spraggs

NZGCSA Distinguished Service Award - Gordon Trembath

NZGCSA Parkland Excellence Award - Spencer Cooper

NZGCSA Environment Award - Grant Saunders

Congratulations to you all and also a big thank you to everyone who helps make these possible!

We also held our AGM during the FTS on the Tuesday morning and would like to thank those who attended.

Together these events foster professional growth, acknowledge achievement, and support the ongoing development of the Turf Industry in NZ.

Left to right - Jason Perkin (NZGCSA President), John Spraggs (NZGCSA Life Member), Peter Boyd (NZGCSA Life Member)

NZGCSA Life Member - John Spraggs

John Spraggs was honoured with Life Membership of the NZGCSA in recognition of his contributions to the NZGCSA and the NZ Turf Industry.

We were delighted to be able to present NZGCSA Life Membership to John during the dinner at the Fine Turf Seminar in Rotorua on Monday night in front of his peers and members of the NZGCSA.

Congratulations John!

Left to Right - Jason Perkins (NZGCSA President), Gordon Trembath, Peter Boyd (NZGCSA Life Member)

NZGCSA Distinguished Service Award 2025 - Gordon Trembath

The NZGCSA Distinguished Service Award seeks to recognise an individual who has given outstanding service to the golf turf industry within New Zealand.

Congratulations to Gordon Trembath who is the recipient of the 2025 NZGCSA Distinguished Service Award.

The award was presented to Gordon during the dinner at the Fine Turf Seminar in Rotorua on Monday night.

Well deserved Gordon!

2024 NZGCSA Parkland Excellence Award - Presentation at the FTS

Jason Perkins - NZGCSA President (Left) and Spencer Cooper (right)

As announced earlier in the year the winner of the 2024 NZGCSA Parkland Excellence Award is Spencer Cooper. This prestigious honour recognises the dedication, agronomic expertise, and leadership demonstrated by New Zealand’s top golf course superintendents.

It was wonderful to formally present Spencer with this award in person during the dinner at the Fine Turf Seminar in Rotorua and celebrate his achievement with his fellow turfies and the wider Turf Industry.

Congratulations Spencer!

Our thanks goes to Parkland for sponsoring this award.

 

Jason Perkins - NZGCSA President (left) and Grant Saunders (right)

NZGCSA Environment Award Sponsored by PGG Wrightson Turf and Proudly Supported by Golf NZ - Presentation at FTS

As announced earlier in the year, Grant Saunders and St Andrews Golf Club, Hamilton are the NZGCSA Environmental Award winners for 2024.

This award, proudly sponsored by PGGWrightsonTurf and supported by GolfNZ recognises the course superintendent and golf club that have excelled in Environmental stewardship. 

Grant was formally presented with this award during the dinner at the FTS and it was fantastic to be able to celebrate and recognise his environmental stewardship in front of his peers, fellow Turfies and the wider Turf Industry.

Congratulations Grant!

Our thanks goes to PGGWrightsonTurf for sponsoring this award.

 

Unsung Heroes - A History of Golf Course Greenkeeping in New Zealand

A history of golf course greenkeeping written by Mike Finlayson. The book takes you from when golf was first introduced into New Zealand and through the decades with the evolvement of greenkeeping over the years to the present.

Past and present Greenkeepers share their careers, stories and memories. The book also features a chapter written by the late Nigel Lloyd on golf course machinery and equipment.

To order a copy please fill in the below form and we will contact you to get your book to you.

Each copy is $25 and includes postage in NZ.

Our thanks and gratitude goes to Mike Finlayson for the idea, concept, research and all his time taken to put all this history down on paper. Also thanks to anyone and everyone who contributed, offered advice, encouragement and their memories!

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