Turfing to a tee

By Contributed

Feb 25, 2025

Cobram Barooga Golf Club Superintendent Terry Vogel with Women in Turf volunteers (L-R) Vicki Liddington, Ella Arter, Emma Lewis, Abbey Taylor, Chrissy Wilson and Olivia Cowan. Photo by Contributed

Female greenkeepers from across Australia formed a crucial part of the team behind the scenes at the recent Webex Players Series PGA at Cobram Barooga Golf Club last month.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

John Deere’s Women in Turf program returned for a third year when six participants assembled at the club to learn from the best in the business ahead of its recent showpiece competition.

Cobram Barooga Golf Club course superintendent Terry Vogel said the club really looks forward to the week because the volunteers bring an uplift in energy around the shed.

“They’ve each got their own unique set of skills and experiences, so we try and pair them up with our guys based on that and make sure everyone gets a chance to experience the different jobs – whether it’s greens mowing, changing holes, raking bunkers etc,” he said.

“Labour is a big issue in the golf industry, so recruiting more people into the industry is crucial. The problem is the career is often not promoted to females, so we’re missing out on a big opportunity. This program is a huge positive in promoting green keeping and encouraging more women to join.”

John Deere Australia and New Zealand Golf and Turf Sales Lead Corey Clark with volunteers Chrissy Wilson and Olivia Cowan. Photo by Contributed

John Deere Australia and New Zealand Golf and Turf Sales Lead Corey Clark said the goal of the program was two-fold – to keep talented individuals in the turf industry and to encourage more to join.

“This program is crucial to growing the game by encouraging more women to consider this profession,” he said.