A Number Crunch on Turf Care Salaries Worldwide.

By: Patrick Brennan

What do Victorian chimney sweepers and modern day Turf workers have in common?

They both get dirty on the job. 

And they’re both scratching out a living.

Okay, so maybe that’s exaggerating. But from a purely financial worldview, in the modern economy it makes very little sense to begin a career in the art form that is Turf Care, or Greenkeeping. I’ve done a deep dive into reports and earnings stats from all over the globe, with particular focus on the bigger golfing nations.

The Number Crunch

After researching average reported salaries via Indeed, Glassdoor, golf course adverts and articles from around the world, it is easier to make sense of the numbers using one currency. As a UK national, GBP makes sense to me, so the conversion has been done this way. For those unfamiliar with the currency, £1 = $1.20 US, and $1.60 CAD. 

1. The average greenkeeper salary in England was around £20,000, according to a Golf Monthly report from February 2022. At £10.26 an hour, they’re sitting £6,000 behind average salary in the UK. 
2. Head Greenkeeper remuneration packages are on the decline; with the proportion earning more than £50,000 having dropped from 29% to 21% over the last three years. Even if you stick with it for the long-haul, the top job often has a minimal ROI. 
3. Australia boasts an hourly rate of $24 AUD for its greenkeepers at an entry level. The equivalent yearly salary sits around £25,000. 
4. New Zealand advertises a greenkeeper salary of $39,000 NZ, or just over £20,000. 
5. The USA averages at $32,000, or £26,500. One of the higher averages, but it is difficult to find state-by-state analysis, and some states have a very sparse winter, meaning golf is not the focus. A greenkeeper in Florida would work almost double the hours of someone in Colorado. 
6. In British Columbia, Canada, a junior greenkeeper can expect between $16-18 an hour, as advertised on various job postings. The yearly salary does not apply due to Canada’s extreme seasons, where golf courses are covered in snow from November to April. In a golfing season (May to October), a greenkeeper would take home around £8,000.

With no tipping culture from which to benefit, and no customer facing aspect to the role, an entry level greenkeeper in Canada is only taking about $2000 home each month, and that’s before you’ve stepped outside. Luckily, golf is free. 

Demand for Golf has sky-rocketed

The financial situation presents a serious issue, not least because of the increase in golfing participation. Which means members lists are never-ending, the golf course is seeing unprecedented traffic through the bunkers and greens, and the jobs list increases each day as demand for pristine courses is on the rise. Bunker edges need to be refined, sand needs to be raked, holes need to be cut and tees to be cleared and mowed. 

Underpaid & Overworked

The stresses are amplified by the financial burden of being a greenkeeper. The vast majority will say they do the job for the love of the sport, or the early mornings, or the solitude that some workers thrive in. 

But it is interesting to see the breakdown of numbers. Labour costs are the biggest expense that Superintendents have to grapple with, which means hourly rates won’t be doubling any time soon. In parts of the world like Canada, only six months of cash flow is guaranteed during the summer months, such is the severity of the winter season. 

A 2021 survey conducted by BIGGA (British and International Golf Greenkeepers' Association) detailed the worrying rise in mental health cases amongst greenkeeping colleagues. More than 200 members pitched their thoughts, with 41% admitting to worrying about their own mental state, 20% frequently worrying and 80% expressing concern about the mental health of a colleague. This is a staggering statistic, but the job does tick all the boxes for a perfect psychological storm; isolated, low-paid, and limited social interaction due to unsociable working hours. I normally choose to focus instead on the pros; using the hours no-one else wants, having time off during the day, and working outside on something worthwhile. 

There are hundreds of topics to explore within the Turf care universe, such as workforce representation, hourly rate, certifications to be gained on the job, and much more. The above is a quick survey of the financial benefits of a greenkeeping job; leaving us with the question, should something change? or, is this simply the 'rub of the green'?