ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship


 


Meet the ICL Continue to Learn Scholars for 2024 


Applications will reopen in July 2024.

Each year BIGGA Premium Partner ICL Turf & Landscape invites five BIGGA members to attend the Continue to Learn education programme.

ICL and BIGGA appreciate that the valuable career-development opportunities provided by Continue to Learn are not available to every greenkeeper due to the cost of education, travel and accommodation and so the scholarship seeks to provide a level playing field for ambitious members who would otherwise miss out. 

Following a selection process, the ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship offers five BIGGA members the opportunity to attend Continue to Learn at BTME. The scholarship is worth approximately £500 and comprises three nights' hotel accommodation and a comprehensive education package.

 

To apply for the ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship you must be a BIGGA member in one of the following membership categories:

  • Full Member (categories 1A or 1B)
  • Assistant Greenkeeper (in training) (categories 2A or 2B)

Applicants should be CPD Active and should be able to attend BTME and Continue to Learn. If successful you will be expected to meet the cost of travel, meals and any other personal expenses.

For more information about this and the other great opportunities available to you as a member of BIGGA, visit the Member Opportunities page in the My BIGGA area of the website.

ICL Scholarship Roll of Honour

ICL Scholars 2023

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Allan Spalding

Assistant Greenkeeper, Lundin Golf Club

Coming into greenkeeper later in my working life, I am keen to educate myself slowly but surely to the highest possible levels so that I can propel my career.

What I have discovered so far is that greenkeeping can be quite a solitary existence and I think it is vital for occasions such as BTME and Continue to Learn to act as vehicles to bring colleagues together to promote camaraderie as well as pushing the concept of continuing professional development to the fore of our thinking.

As greenkeepers, if we all keep learning then the whole industry benefits as the paying public will be attracted to better quality and cared for golf courses.

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Jarno Ruscoe

Greenkeeper, Ingestre Park Golf Club

It's a simple fact that knowledge is power! All head greenkeepers and course managers have stood the trials and battles of the uneducated. Attending classes allows people to hear previous triumphs of those who we aspire to be. Not only do we get to hear what they achieved, but we learn how they did it!

I attended a class directed by Kevin Fish at BTME 2022 called Step-by-step: Writing a strategic plan and I realised that without shared experiences, triumphs and failures, there can be no progression. Continue to Learn allows those of us who have a passion for the job to gain valuable knowledge and advice so we can brace ourselves for the time when we ‘take the reins’.

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Michael Sparke

Deputy course manager, Kings Hill Golf Club

Continue to Learn is very important to the industry as it is a place to learn and grow as a greenkeeper. It plays host to so many different things such as seminars, workshops, shows and award ceremonies for many categories like FTMI, Master Greenkeepers and environmental awards, to name a few. 

The knowledge and experience gained from going is second to none and everyone throughout the industry knows it is our biggest calendar event. BTME and Continue to Learn are a chance to meet new people and see what exciting new things are coming for the industry, with all companies present to represent themselves.

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Nicholas Thorley

Deputy head greenkeeper, Saunton Golf Club

Continue to Learn and BTME is an extremely important cog in our industry. I love that each year we are supplied with an amazing trade show with informative and educational classes, many of which are free of charge. I feel this is where our industry differs from others. It is not just all about purchasing from one of the many vendors and I feel BIGGA cares for us as individuals and clearly wants us to enjoy our time at the show and most importantly progress our careers forward.

Having been in this industry for a number of years, I see BTME as a way for greenkeepers to get away from their clubs for a few days, making them feel appreciated for all their hard work and dedication during the past year.

As we all know, greenkeeping is normally quite a guarded subject between clubs. However, over a four-day period during January this all changes. Friends sit and speak about matters over a pint or two and new friendships are formed. The moods are happy, mental health struggles are shared and there is an excited buzz in the atmosphere, for the rapidly approaching season.

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Patrick Brown

Assistant greenkeeper, Wentworth Club

Continue to Learn opens you up to other ways of working, management, tools, methods and education, let alone networking and meeting others you would otherwise never get to meet.

Continue to Learn will help me educate myself further and provide skills that I can use to further my career. I'm a big believer in sharing information and knowledge and everything I would learn from attending Continue to Learn at BTME, I would share with the other staff at the club. Whenever we go away for events or courses, we normally give a small presentation to the rest of the team upon returning and so all that I learn at Continue to Learn, I will pass onto others at work and in my network.

 

ICL Scholars 2022

Kevin Butler, greenkeeper, Saunton Golf Club

Michael Gibbons, greenkeeper, Dunham Forest Golf Club

Abigail Laker, greenkeeper, Frilford Heath Golf Club

Michael Russell, greenkeeper, Preston Golf Club

Jeremy Ward, head greenkeeper, Bradford Moor Golf Club

ICL Scholars 2021

Neil Gilham - Reigate Hill Golf Club

Chris Low - Olton Golf Club

James Matthewman - Maesteg Golf Club

Laura Sayer-Hall - Ardfin Golf Club

Jamie Wright - Huntercombe Golf Club

 

ICL Scholars 2020

William Curran - Beaverbrook Golf Club

John Milne - Rothes Golf Club

Thomas Tomlinson - Boldon Golf Club

Melissa Winkworth - Goring and Streatley Golf Club 

Phil Worth - Macclesfield Golf Club

ICL Scholars 2019

Blair Shearer - Dunbar Golf Club 

Dan Dooley - Mount Murray Golf Club

David Stewart - Walmley Golf Club

Jorge Manso - Coombe Wood Golf Club

Andrew Brown -  Boundary Lakes

ICL Scholars 2018

Daniel Ashelby - Wilmslow Golf Club

Michael Barnard - Royal Automobile Club

Philip Billinghurst - Woburn Golf Club

Michael Hughes - Scotscraig Golf Club

Simon Pyett - Halesworth Golf Club

ICL Scholars 2017

Lyle Davidson - The Carrick

James Evans - Woburn Golf and Country Club

James Sergeant - Sudbrook Moor GC

Richard Sheldon - Marriott Forest of Arden

Darrell Crowley - Owston Hall Golf Club

 

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