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'Lee Trevino came to the greenkeeping shed asking to borrow an axe'

Former Walton Health head greenkeeper Clive Osgood formally left his role at BIGGA on 31 January following a stellar career that saw him host a Ryder Cup and five European Opens at the Surrey venue.
Clive, 69, is a native of Walton-on-the-Hill in Surrey and has lived in the vicinity of Walton Heath his entire life, aside from a two-year spell at Boxhill, a heady two miles away.
Joining the Walton Heath team as an apprentice on 1 August 1966, Clive recalled how he didn’t get much work done that first day as it was the day following England’s victory in the World Cup. “It was a happy day and I didn’t really think about the work!” said Clive.
Like many, Clive turned to greenkeeping after realising he would not be able to become a professional golfer. He had got into the game through the local Artisan Section as a junior and, reaching a handicap of four, he represented Surrey at Colts, Youth and Artisan levels. Joining the Walton Heath greenkeeping team, Clive worked under head greenkeeper Fred Dulake, who was famous for riding around the course on his bike and who he would succeed in 1980.
Walton Heath has always held important golf events, such as the big money matches held between James Braid – the five-time Open champion who was professional at the club for 46 years – and his great rivals Harry Vardon and JH Taylor. It was also the host venue for one of the oldest professional tournaments in the world, the News of the World Matchplay. But it was the Ryder Cup in 1981 that brought the club global fame and the opportunity to present Walton Heath to the world came just a year into Clive’s tenure as head greenkeeper.
“That really was the highlight of my career and it goes without saying that it was a privilege to prepare a course for a Ryder Cup,” Clive recalled.

The American team has been described as among the best ever assembled for the Ryder Cup, with all except one being Major winners. For the Europeans, the team constituted a crop of youngsters who, although soundly beaten that time out, featured players who would forge hall of fame careers including Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Sam Torrance and Mark James.
A highlight of the week for the greenkeeping team was Lee Trevino wandering into the shed and asking if he could borrow an axe to break into the clubhouse as he wanted to change his shoes so he could hit some balls.
“It made everyone’s day when he came over,” said Clive, who recalled how the weather was poor for the event but the course held up well and he received a number of letters of thanks from the players afterwards.
During his time at Walton Heath Clive would host numerous professional and amateur tournaments including five European Opens. Walton Heath has a long history of holding its greenkeeping team in high regard – a portrait of the first head greenkeeper, Thomas McNiece, is on display in the clubhouse – and in 1997 the team enjoyed the luxury of a new maintenance facility, opened by the local mayor. Speaking at the time, Clive said: “For us it really was a case of from stable block to modern facility. We didn’t have power or hot water until 1996 and sitting here with our computers and security cameras, I often think back to Fred Dulake and wonder where he would have parked his bike.”
A lifelong Sutton United fan, Clive has previously acted as vice president of the football club. He also supported BIGGA throughout his career and in 2001 was appointed chairman of the association at a time of growth, with the membership at an all-time high of 7,150.
His year as chairman coincided with the Foot and Mouth outbreak, which caused significant strain for the nation’s greenkeepers and comparisons can be drawn with the current coronavirus health crisis. Then, as now, Clive noted how BIGGA members rose to the challenges presented them.
During an eventful year as chairman, Clive attended the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, where he was caught up in an earthquake. Running outside the hotel, he was grabbed by a local news crew and interviewed about what had happened. “Buildings were moving about a foot up and down and it really was quite frightening,” he recalled.
Clive added: “I enjoyed my year as chairman and I met some lovely people.” Writing in his monthly column at the time, he joked how he scheduled difficult work such as aeration for when he would be away from the club on BIGGA duties.

In 2005 Clive joined BIGGA as regional administrator for the South East region. “I enjoyed working at BIGGA at the end of my career,” he said, adding his disappointment that health issues prevented his being more involved in recent years. “I only wish I could have carried on a little longer.”
In 2016 Clive was awarded life membership of the association and said that despite his stepping down from his role with the association, he remains available to speak to anyone who would like to chat about any matters. He added that he is also looking forward to getting some sun on his back, enjoying his garden and cheering on his beloved Sutton United when crowds are allowed back into Gander Green Lane.
Author

Karl Hansell
Karl has been head of communications for BIGGA since March 2016. His duties include editing the monthly Greenkeeper International magazine, in addition to other communications activities for the association.