For more than three decades, Ewen Murray has been one of the most recognisable and respected voices in golf. His observations are built on a lifetime immersed in the game.
Born in Edinburgh and taught by his father Jimmy, the club professional at Baberton, Murray has experienced golf from every angle.
Having been a player and now a broadcaster, he is uniquely placed to assess how the game has evolved, particularly in the field of greenkeeping.
“My father was a club pro in Edinburgh. I remember growing up, the green staff used to come in and cut the grass, and that would be their job for the day,” he said.
“Rake the bunkers, cut the grass. You look at a head greenkeeper now, they will have a blackboard, and they’ll say this needs to be done, and you’ll have the exact amount of fertiliser that needs to go on the exact date.
“I think it’s just an education that’s grown and grown.
“Agronomy has improved so much in the last 20 years,” he added. “You go to a golf tournament now, and you look at a golf course that’s in as perfect condition as it can be in and everyone takes that for granted.
“They don’t realise how hard the greenkeepers work and how knowledgeable they are.”
Why Ewan Murray believes greenkeeping standards may never have been higher
For Murray, one of the most striking aspects of today’s game is that exceptional course conditioning isn’t confined to elite venues. He believes standards have risen throughout the game.
“We’ve had great greenkeepers in the past, but it’s now virtually everywhere you go where the courses look as good as they can look,” he added.
“Good conditions are expected, and I know to members, they’re expected 12 months a year, which is not going to happen in our country, but I think the standard of greenkeeping is so high.
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“You never look at a tournament on television and think the greens look a bit rough, which happened many years ago. It doesn’t happen now, and that’s down to education, hard work and dedication.”
Murray is a member at Liphook and Walton Heath, and an honorary member at West Lancs on Merseyside, giving him exposure to a variety of course styles and conditions.
He has spent time with David Murdoch, the course manager at Liphook, whose insight has helped deepen his understanding of modern course management.
In the same way Murdoch has shared his expertise with Murray, he believes the transfer of knowledge between generations of greenkeepers has been fundamental to the profession’s progress.
“The standard of greenkeeping throughout the world has changed. I think when you have experienced people training young up-and-coming greenkeepers in the right way to do things, that leads to a steady progression. I don’t know how they can improve on what they’re doing right now.
“You have the head greenkeeper, who is a professor who knows exactly what needs to be done on that golf course, and then he has a plan for his staff to go and execute. It’s just done in a much more professional way, and with a lot of pride as well.
“A greenkeeper wants their course to look as good as it can, and I think in days gone by, that wasn’t necessarily the case.
“The changes in equipment have made things easier. Spiking fairways is another thing – they never used to do that, they never used to aerate fairways.
“Processes like that have all been added, and when people see that, it makes such a difference. If you look at every golf club in our country, the condition of the courses now is better than it’s ever been.
“That’s the kudos I would give to greens staff, that they work in a much more professional manner. You see greenkeepers checking pH levels – that’s been introduced over the years – and if you add all the things together, you’re going to get a better product. The standard of greenkeeping has gone up enormously.”
Ewen Murray factfile
• Born in Edinburgh
• Learned golf from his father Jimmy
• Won the Scottish Boys Championship, the Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship and the World Junior Championship in the same year
• Winner of the 1980 Zambia Open and 1984 Nigeria Open
• Played in The Open four times
• Joined Sky’s golf team in 1991
- This article appears in Your Course, a publication from the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association. Your Course invites golfers to gain a deeper appreciation of what preparing and maintaining a golf course really involves. Head to www.bigga.org.uk to find out more.
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