Devonport Country Club’s Craig Walker set new ground when he was bestowed the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association’s (ASTMA) longest-running award at the recent National Turf Industry Awards.

In front of an audience of more than 270 at a gala dinner held at the Adelaide Oval, Walker received the ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award, sponsored by association Gold Partner Envu, becoming the first superintendent from a Tasmanian golf course to win the award in its 34-year history.

He beat home a strong field of course superintendent finalists drawn from across the country, including Brent Hull (Moruya Golf Club, NSW), Kelvin Nicholson (Palmer Coolum Resort, Qld) and Des Russell (Cottesloe Golf Club, WA).

Walker has been a golf course superintendent for 13 years and in his current role at Devonport Country Club for the past four years. During that time he has played a key role in the club’s metamorphosis into one of the premier golf and sporting facilities in Tasmania.

Six years ago, in a bid to secure its future, the then Devonport Golf Club made the bold move to merge with two local bowling clubs and a croquet club to form Devonport Country Club.

Walker was brought on board in July 2019 to oversee turf management operations across all areas of the new entity.

“Craig’s skills as a sport turf manager are only superseded by his passion for the industry,” said Devonport Country Club general manager Brett Kerr.

“To achieve the level of sports turf quality that is delivered day in day out across multiple turf disciplines with a small team, comprised mainly of apprentices, is remarkable.”

The other ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award recipients included:

Graduate of the Year Award: Jayden Zappelli, from Kalgoorlie Golf Course in Western Australia

Finalists: Riley Willcox (Gold Creek Country Club, ACT), Jackson Lanning (Killara Golf Club, NSW), Daniel Fulcher (Maroochy River Golf Club, Qld), Sophie Hamdorf (Royal Adelaide Golf Club, SA) and Solly Marshall (Kingston Heath Golf Club, Vic).

Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment Award: Rod Tatt, superintendent from Mount Lawley Golf Club in Western Australia

The National Turf Industry Awards dinner opened the 2023 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference which was held at the Adelaide Convention Centre.