It has been said that David Golding was the unsung hero of greenkeeper education.
After being presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award sponsored by Baroness at BTME 2023, that’s no longer the case.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, David drove educational opportunities for greenkeepers to new heights. Possessing a passion for education and desire to improve development opportunities for his peers in greenkeeping, David’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry helped lay foundations that have only recently come to fruition with the establishment of the Level 5 greenkeeping apprenticeship and the new Level 2 and 3 qualifications.
That’s not bad for a lifelong Manchester United fan who left school at the earliest opportunity, without any meaningful qualifications other than a cycling proficiency certificate.
“David was one of the most influential people in the industry ever, in terms of bringing the professionalism of greenkeeper training forwards. "at heart he was a greenkeeper who believed that education was key and he saw the opportunity to improve the profession for his fellow greenkeepers.” BIGGA CEO JIM CROXTON
David began his career as an apprentice at Buxton & High Peak Golf Club.
Speaking upon his retirement in 2016, David said: “I remember hating exams and I will never forget the disappointment of my parents and family that I failed my Eleven-plus as my classwork was apparently very good. At the time I didn’t realise it, but that result was really the turning point in my life.
“While the apprenticeship [at Buxton & High Peak] was three years, there was no formal education and you truly learnt everything on the job. Your education and training was only as good as your boss and thankfully I had one of the best in the business.”
After short spells at Camberley Heath in Surrey and Dore and Totley in Sheffield, David spent 16 years working across multiple courses for Trafford Borough Council.
Upon the formation of BIGGA in 1987, David was appointed the association’s first Northern regional administrator. In 1989 he became BIGGA’s first education officer and then in 1993 when the GTC became an organisation in its own right – a requirement of way it was funded through a golfer levy – he became its education director, a post he would hold until his retirement.
"The Condition of golf courses has improved out of all recognition in my lifetime, during which I have had the joy of working alongside literally hundreds of greenkeepers. The old timers were happy with their lot but yearned for something better for future generations. david belonged to a generation of greenkeepers who wanted better and, more poignantly, fought hard to achieve it." donald steel, golf course architect
When he first joined BIGGA, one of David’s first tasks was to develop a series of management courses. These skills were seen to be lacking among head greenkeepers and this type of training has enabled many talented greenkeepers to become professional course, estate and club managers.
David was also keen to impress the need for clubs to recruit qualified and talented staff and to then allow the greenkeepers to do their job to the best of their abilities. It’s heartening therefore that BIGGA is undertaking work behind the scenes to introduce an accreditation scheme and the association hopes to make further announcements about this in due course.
David had a number of successes throughout his time with the GTC and among his greatest achievements was uniting the Home Unions, BIGGA, PGA and, for a period, the European Tour and The R&A within the GTC structure, which enabled the industry to present a unified front.
"working with david, you picked up his passion to make everything better for greenkepeers. He has been the bedrock of all that we do now and for him to be honoured in this way is fantastic and long overdue." fiona lyttle, the gtc
David is hugely well known in the education sector, but not among greenkeepers themselves. The nature of the GTC as a behind-the-scenes organisation has meant his contributions may not have been fully realised by those working in greenkeeping, until now. Greenkeepers would engage with various training providers and complete qualifications, unaware that David was the one who laid the foundation blocks for those qualifications to exist and be as good as they are.