The making of a mechanic at Burghley Park Golf Club

James Kimmingsin Talking Turf

The making of a mechanic at Burghley Park Golf Club James Kimmings caught up with Simon Bosett, mechanic and greenkeeper at Burghley Park Golf Club, as he surpasses thirty years of service.

Simon has seen several changes throughout his career, however, one thing has stayed consistent; his passion for the job.

Can you tell us a few of your career highlights?

I like the simple things and when I am fixing a machine, I still really enjoy it. For example; on competition days, if a machine breaks down in the morning and I can get it working within an hour or so, that will give me the biggest buzz. After all these years, it’s still about small wins and being reliable. I remember a previous head greenkeeper called me one day and told me: “I can sleep well at night knowing I have you to fix the machines.” I would say that is one of my career highlights.

How important is teamwork in turfcare?

When you have a small team, it is crucial. When I first came to Burghley Park, Dave Salisbury was in charge and we only had four in the team at that time. We worked together for twenty-one years and it was great, however, when Dave retired, morale collapsed under new management and the team spirit dwindled, which caused people to leave.

It was the only time I considered leaving and I went on a few interviews during that transition period. We soon got through that tricky patch, but it is hard to find a good team where you all get on. We don’t socialise outside of work, but we all try and attend the in-house events.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I would probably say study harder at school! If you come into this trade, you need to be keen. People do not want to work weekends and that can put a lot of people off. My advice is to be passionate about what you are doing - otherwise you will probably quit.

Secondly, I think you should always have a goal. When I first started, I had a daughter who was only six months old and I was doing loads of overtime to support the family. You have to look where you want to be and what you want to achieve!

Has anything changed significantly throughout your career?

I still thoroughly enjoy the job, but things have changed a lot. Obviously, the electric side of things is a huge development, which means machines are much more technical and you have to train hard and learn new things. The club has had to advance too and the workshop and tools are now a lot better, as is the introduction of new health and safety procedures.

Another big change for the club saw the Burghley Estate taken over and they have invested heavily in the future of the golf club. We used to have a committee that ran the club and budgets were very small; we were never able to have machines sharpened or change the oil because we didn’t have the money.

I had a young family when I first started, so my motivation to work was to provide and earn as much money as I could. As you get older, money isn’t as important and your focus turns to the time you have enjoying yourself.

Above: The greenkeeping team from left to right: Eric Knight, Stuart McCrossan, Simon Bosett, Malc Mitchell and Martin Randall.

Did you ever consider a career change?

I am both a greenkeeper and a mechanic, and I love all aspects of the job; you could be cutting greens and get a call to go and repair a machine because it has broken down.

I could never work in an office and I like that things change every day; you never know what to expect. It’s an unpredictable occupation and that’s what I like.

What has been your motivation throughout your career?

Truthfully, it is the things away from the golf course, going on holidays with my wife and spending time with the family. Time is a valuable thing as you get older.

Is it important for clubs to have foundations in place for when staff retire?

I think the club needs to be thinking about who will take over as mechanic when I retire in five years’ time; you don’t find many lawn mower mechanics nowadays. It is hard to get someone who has been to college and it's even harder to find someone with hands-on experience.

You need the apprentices coming through because they are the next generation. It is no good hiring older guys who maybe have another five or ten years left to work, because then you'll be back to square one. I would relish the opportunity to have an apprentice watch me and train them up in order to pass on my knowledge and expertise of the club and all its machinery.

When hiring, it’s important to have someone who understands basic mechanics, to have the ability to fix a machine in-house when something goes wrong. Despite health and safety recommended lifts, the equipment is heavy and it takes a toll on your body.

Despite it looking easy, greenkeeping is a physical occupation, tasks such as hand-raking a bunker gives you a good old burn.