GOSTA Training - Student of the Year

GOSTA Training have been training golf course greenkeepers and landscape employees in the West of Scotland since 1982. The Managing Director, Lesley Lowrie took the decision to commence delivery of greenkeeper qualifications in Edinburgh and Lothian area in the summer of 2011.

Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society were one of the first golf clubs to make the decision to send one of their employees for training. The employee was Markus Klausmann who originally came from the Wildtal, a small village right at the edge of the Black Forest, an area of Southern Germany.

As a trained chef Markus had made the decision to relocate to Scotland to change both his life and career. He worked as a car cleaner and hospital porter for nearly 3 years in order to finance his flight to Edinburgh until he was successful in finding employment on a golf course. During that time he would also attend English Language School in Edinburgh. Markus commented "to say my English was bad would be an understatement." He went on "by sticking to my plan to only befriend Scotsmen and not mix with other German students at the language school I quickly began to grasp English."

Markus went along to Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society one wet day and asked the Head Greenkeeper, Andrew Connor if there were any vacancies. The rest, as they say, is history!

Markus started work back in 2008 and attended Oatridge College prior to moving over to GOSTA to do his SVQ Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Sports Turf. 'Markus was an outstanding student who strives to achieve the highest possible standards at all times and is a worthy candidate to achieve this award' said his lecturer Steve Miller. Steve also commented 'Markus works at a prestigious and historically famous Edinburgh Club and has benefitted greatly from the experience and knowledge passed onto him by the team there'.

Lesley Lowrie presented Markus with the GOSTA Training - Student of the Year Award which was an inscribed Quaich and also the Institute of Groundsmanship - Andrew Murray IOG Student of the year trophy.

If you are interested in SVQ's, Modern Apprenticeships or short courses (Certificates of Competence) in your area please contact GOSTA Training on 0141-556-3999.

Pictured left to right Ian Morrison Captain Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society , Lesley Lowrie GOSTA Training, Markus Klausmann, Steve Miller GOSTA Training, Andrew Connor Head Greenkeeper Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society