Crown Golf, the UK’s largest golf club owner and operator, has appointed Mike Bush MG as Group Course Manager across its portfolio of 38 golf courses at 25 separate facilities.

The 39-year old Master Greenkeeper was previously Course Manager at the company’s flagship property, St Mellion International Resort; a role he took up in 2003. He will remain based at the award-winning Cornwall resort and will continue to manage the two European Tour courses there, although his new job will also see him regularly visit all of the group’s clubs.


Mike Bush MG

Crown Golf, which has one of the UK’s largest greenkeeping teams with close to 200 greens staff, predominately owns golf clubs in the South, with Eccleston Park GC in Merseyside and South Essex GC near Brentwood representing the group’s northernmost and easternmost points respectively.

Bush, whose appointment became official on January 1st, has been caretaking the role since Paul Copsey’s departure in late September 2014. He will manage the group’s Course Managers, including setting strategy and maintenance plans for each club, plus will head up the group’s national accounts and machinery purchasing activities.

“I am excited to start 2015 with this new role,” said Mike, who in 2011 became one of only 60 people in the world to achieve BIGGA’s coveted Master Greenkeeper accolade. “My overriding priorities are to develop our large team of greens staff and to continue to improve golf course quality across the Crown Golf estate. Managing people and in-house training are two aspects of my role as Group Course Manager which I particularly enjoy. Implementing a clear training and progression structure supported by my knowledge and experience will enable us to deliver the highest course conditioning standards across the Crown Golf group this year and beyond”.

BIGGA’s CEO, Jim Croxton said, "Mike has demonstrated a commitment to personal development throughout his greenkeeping career and it is hugely gratifying to see his hard work recognised in this way by his employers. The Master Greenkeeper award is widely considered to be the foremost achievement in the profession; we at BIGGA are extremely proud of Mike and wish him well in this challenging role."