The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and Premium Partner ICL have revealed the five participants of the eighth ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship.

From a remote links course on the north coast of Scotland to a nine-hole championship venue close to central London, the ICL Continue to Learn Scholars for 2024 accurately represent the diverse greenkeeping industry and how anyone can make a great career for themselves by grasping the opportunities made available via BIGGA membership.

The five successful BIGGA members have been invited to attend Continue to Learn at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition, taking place in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in January 2024. Continue to Learn is considered the largest learning experience for those in sports turf management outside the United States.

The ICL Continue to Learn Scholars for 2024 are:

• Chris Hale, deputy course manager, Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club
• Sam Norman, assistant greenkeeper, Abbey Hill Golf Club
• Kate Stillwell, course superintendent, West London Golf Centre
• Jason Norwood, greenkeeper, Reay Golf Club
• Jamie Caswell, Blue Course supervisor, Frilford Heath Golf Club

To earn an ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship, BIGGA members must demonstrate a commitment to developing their own professional abilities by engaging with BIGGA’s Continuing Professional Development scheme. Whether through in-person learning, reading the association’s monthly journal, Greenkeeper International, or by accessing resources on the association’s website, BIGGA members can enjoy thousands of learning opportunities, all aimed at improving their professional abilities.

Jason Norwood has previously enjoyed success with BIGGA, having been crowned the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year in 2019 and participating in the The Open Volunteer Support Team and the Future Turf Managers Initiative. The Reay greenkeeper said: “Living in the far north of Scotland, there is a lack of educational events that you would find in other areas of the UK. Being a lone greenkeeper, this proves challenging to get the time away from maintaining the golf course without it impacting the rest of the working week. The ICL Scholarship will enable me to access the best educational event in the greenkeeping calendar.”

Kate Stillwell is course superintendent at West London Golf Centre, a nine-hole championship golf course just five miles from Wembley Stadium. She said: “I feel very fortunate to have been accepted as there is a huge wealth of knowledge to take advantage of at BTME that I can bring back to share with the team. There is huge importance in continuing to educate ourselves on advances in technology, techniques and knowledge within the groundscare industry. There have been contacts I have made for life at BTME and my hope is to carry on sharing and spreading the knowledge, bringing new people into the industry.”

Continue to Learn at BTME 2024 will take place in Harrogate, North Yorkshire from 21 to 24 January 2024. For further information about BTME and Continue to Learn, visit www.btme.org.uk

The Turf Rewards loyalty scheme from ICL and Syngenta, BIGGA members can claim Continue to Learn education vouchers. Points are gained by purchasing products for use on the golf course. For further information visit www.turfrewards.com