58 YEARS AT CASTLEFIELD
Many congratulations to Peter Thompson who has completed 58 years as greenkeeper at Castlefields Golf Club in Rastrick near Huddersfield.

Peter, who will be 80 in August, can lay claim to having sunk 19 holes-in-one at the six-hole par three course - and a further three away from home!

One he holed at Longley Park, he couldn't celebrate as it was the club steward’s day off and the bar was not open! (The Huddlesfield Daily Examiner)

HONOUR FOR REDDITCH'S HARVEY BROOKS 
Redditch Golf Club greenkeeper Harvey Brooke has been given the honour of working at the 2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool.

Every year BIGGA picks a select few to support the local greenkeeping team at the Open venue. The support team was whittled down from 142 applications from all around the world.

The captain of Redditch GC, Phil Guise, told the Redditch Standard, "This is a tremendous achievement and very well deserved. Harvey works as part of an excellent greenkeeping team at Redditch Golf Club, which is the reason we are able to enjoy our course in such a great condition."

Harvey wrote on his popular blog, "To work at the Open is an honour in a greenkeeper's career and I look forward to learning more from the experts there on how best to present a course for such a prestigious championship.

"It will also be fantastic to be able to watch the best in the world battling it out for the old Claret Jug but I suspect I will be keeping my head down in the run-up to the event, aiming to ensure the greens are in the best possible condition for the four days of the competition." (Redditch Standard)

GREENKEEPER CONVICTED OF EQUIPMENT THEFT
The Head Greenkeeper at Boldon Golf Club, has been sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 180 hours’ unpaid work, for his part in a scam which involved ordering tools and equipment, paid for by the club, but kept for himself.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that when police raided John Devlin's home they found the stolen equipment including drills and pressure washers.

The Sunderland Echo reports that prosecutor Paul Rowland told the court Devlin, 52,  was able to carry out the deception with the assistance of his friend Steven Slack, who used his position with a firm who supplied the club to alter invoices.

Slack admitted false accounting on the basis he made no profit from the fraud.

John Devlin admitted that his part in £5,000 worth of fraud, was in order to acquire tools for his sideline gardening business. (Sunderland Echo)