Luke Turner, greenkeeper at Willingdon Golf Club in Eastbourne, has won the 25th Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, and with it an all-expenses-paid trip to study turf management in the USA.

Luke, 28, who is also a student at Plumpton College in East Sussex, was awarded the coveted title thanks to the high level of technical knowledge he demonstrated in a series of practical tests, and his professional performance in what was a rigorous interview process.

Luke Turner is the winner of the 25th Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award.

He beat off stiff competition from seven other fellow student greenkeepers at the national finals at BIGGA House in York and will, in January, fly to America for eight weeks to undertake a six-week residential turf management course at the University of Massachusetts, courtesy of awards’ sponsors Toro. The trip also includes visits to The Toro Company’s global headquarters in Minneapolis and renowned GCSAA Golf Industry Show & Conference in Orlando, Florida.

“I was hoping, but not expecting, to win,” says Luke. “The competition was incredibly tough and I was up against seven really impressive guys – I think the achievement will take a while to settle in! I’m very much looking forward to my trip to the States.

“It’s a huge opportunity to go out there learn as much as I can and then bring it home to implement at Willingdon. Gaining international experience is a big part of my career plan and I see this trip as the start of fulfilling that ambition.”

Luke continues: “I’m really grateful to Peter Negus, course manager at Willingdon Golf Club, who gave me a chance and my break into greenkeeping, and to all those at BIGGA, Toro and Lely for the opportunity and a good and fair interview process.”  

Luke was declared winner by a judging panel, which included Lely’s Trevor Chard, Toro representative and golf course consultant Bruce Jamieson, BIGGA vice-chairman Chris Sealey and BIGGA learning and development manager Sami Strutt.

They also selected two runners-up. Scott Roberts from Hankley Common Golf Club in Surrey and Sam Evans from Oakland Park Golf Club in Buckinghamshire both win a trip to BTME 2014 and BIGGA’s Continue to Learn education programme. All finalists receive a year’s free membership to BIGGA.

Over the 25 years, the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award judges have interviewed 750 student greenkeepers on a local level and almost 200 in the finals! 

For more information on the annual Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award visit www.bigga.org.uk.