Is the grass greener for those who leave turf care?
Many in the industry love the job that they do and the passion for turf care is what keeps them in the role. We find out what people do if they have left. How do they find it and is the grass greener?
Some have mentioned online that the wages are killing them and unfortunately, the love for the job doesn’t provide for families. We take a look into why people have left and why others show loyalty.
It seems that some can’t get away from turf care, one wrote: “I left a couple of times but always come back, sometimes wages and pressure can take its toll but its a job that's hard not to love. I just remind myself i could be in a factory packing boxes.”
Another has been loyal to turfcare: “I work on a nine-hole golf course in the Channel Islands. I get £32,500 before tax which sounds good but the stress levels can be high. I do love the job but I'm not sure it’s worth the headache and lack of respect or money.”
A Facebook user who left the industry three years ago highlighted his regret: “I miss it bad, but money wasn’t sustainable. I needed something different but miss kicking about on the golf course. I really do miss it.”
Another user highlighted the topic of wages: “I left 6 years ago to go into groundworks. I miss it like mad but my wage is more than double what it was. It doesn't feel the same when the end of the week comes and you've just buried everything you've done, rather than look back at the course and see the work of art you've created. Unfortunately, satisfaction doesn't pay the bills.”
Several individuals have turned to self-employment: “I went self-employed doing lawn care, garden maintenance and landscaping. To be honest I like my job but it's not as good as greenkeeping. However, I can earn more and work less doing what I do, so more family time is possible.”
Another added: “After almost 40 years in greenkeeping I left and have two businesses now. I'm a rare book dealer and I also work 3 days a week doing grounds maintenance with the option to work more if I want to. I earn more money than I did as a greenkeeper working in Surrey. The funny thing is I don't miss greenkeeping and haven't been on a golf course since my last day .. about 2 years ago.”
Here at Pitchcare we love the work that people do in turf care.