Toby Smith: Seizing opportunities with both hands

When Toby Smith saw a LinkedIn post seeking volunteers for the KLM Open, the semi-professional goalkeeper was never likely to let the opportunity slip through his grasp.

 

Having only joined the industry just over three years ago, Toby has worked his way up to deputy course manager at Redlibbets and his hunger for self-improvement drove him to pursue the chance to get involved at the DP World Tour event in the Netherlands.

With the encouragement and support of Course Manager Rob Craig, Toby emailed the Amsterdam venue’s Superintendent Dylan Kuik. Within weeks, he was on site at The International as part of a 30-strong volunteer group working alongside the home greenkeeping team.

“I emailed Dylan and sent him over my CV, showing what I’ve done previously, what my goals and targets are, what I wanted to get out of it and how I felt I could benefit his team for the week,” Toby said. “I just pretty much said, ‘Look, I’d love to be involved’. I didn’t have to wait long for a reply and it went from there.”

Toby’s progression within greenkeeping has been rapid. Having joined Redlibbets with no formal qualifications in 2023, he is now in the process of completing his Level 3 and has ascended to the role of deputy.

He is quick to acknowledge that, along with his own hard work, the support of the club and his course manager has aided his progress, and that backing proved crucial when the KLM Open opportunity came up.

“I was very lucky, having spoken to our course directors, that any volunteer work would still be classed as paid work, so it wouldn’t come out of holiday or leave,” Toby said. “They have been very supportive of that and I’m fortunate to be at a club where you get that level of backing to allow you to do things like this.”

That support meant the experience became more than personal ambition. Toby wanted to see how a Tour event operated, but he also saw value for Redlibbets and for colleagues who may want to follow a similar path. By making contacts and understanding how volunteer teams operate, he hopes to help others access opportunities in the future.

“I can bring the experience back here, but also if we have other guys behind me fancy doing an event, then I can use my new-found connections and try to push other people for it as well,” he said. “It’s not solely for me. It’s thinking about other guys as well.”

The scale of the operation in Amsterdam saw around 30 volunteers supplementing 15 members of the home team, six of whom were seasonal staff. On arrival, volunteers were introduced to the team, given an overview of the week and then allocated duties through pre-shift briefings.

Those first shifts were partly about the home team understanding each volunteer’s abilities, while the volunteers were also asked to list their preferred jobs. For Toby, that was an opportunity to show he was prepared to contribute wherever required, rather than simply wait for one of the more eye-catching tasks.

“You can look at it two ways,” Toby said. “They might genuinely be interested in what you want to do and see what they can sort out, but on the other hand maybe they’re testing you a little bit. Who is just going to put mowing down as their top three, and who has got a bit about them to say bunkers or something else, because they’re not afraid to jump in? You need to show that you’re prepared to get stuck in and do what the team needs, not just go for the safest or easiest option.”

From there, the week quickly settled into a rhythm of early starts, split shifts and a level of organisation designed to ensure every detail was covered before the cameras arrived. Toby’s main role was mowing fairways, a familiar task but carried out in a setting with a different level of pressure.

“You’re acutely aware that in a few days the TV cameras are going to be on it and your work is going to be on Sky Sports,” he said. “But as soon as you get on the first fairway and drop the units, you’re like, ‘I’m all right now’. You settle into it and then it becomes like a normal day-to-day. The actual physical operation is no different to what we do normally. It’s just organised slightly differently, or maybe a different technique or way of doing it.”

 

Toby found some of the most useful learning came through small details. One example was the use of sprayed marks in front of greens, originally linked to yardage books and hole locations, which the maintenance team also used as a guide for mowing directions.

Back at Redlibbets, Toby discussed the idea with his course manager and general manager, and the team has since used a similar approach to help refine cutting directions.

“It’s just a small thing, but it has helped us be a bit more accurate with what we’re doing,” Toby said.

Toby did not return expecting to overhaul Redlibbets’ operation, but he did come back with sharpened awareness of how marginal gains can help drive standards up.

The networking element also exceeded his expectations. One of the first people he spoke to on arrival was DP World Tour Agronomy Advisor Bryan Cox, and throughout the week Toby found himself working alongside a range of experienced greenkeepers.

 

“You’re working alongside people with tons and tons of experience that otherwise you just would not meet,” Toby said. “The opportunity to have that is second to none. Where else can you get that? For greenkeeping to be a job that offers that quite abundantly is something people don’t necessarily grasp and understand to its full extent.”

The experience has also helped clarify his own ambitions. Having already progressed quickly, Toby has no intention of resting on his laurels, and working at the KLM Open gave his ambitions a sharper focus.

“When I was sat out on the fairway mower and the sun was out, my fairway team was a good team and we were having a great laugh, I was like, ‘This is where I want to be’,” he said. “It’s definitely made me think ahead about where I want to be. I’m really happy with where I am now, but I do have ambitions and I want to work towards being at a Tour venue and working my way towards head man. That’s where I want to go.”

Toby’s football background has shaped the way he approaches that progression. Having played competitive sport for much of his life, he is used to high-performance environments and the need to keep testing yourself. In greenkeeping, he sees the same principle at work. He believes opportunities often come to those who are willing to make the first move, ask questions and show they are serious about improving.

“I come from a sporting background and I play football, so I’ve always been very competitive with myself as well as with other people,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to go and do the best and be the best, not in an arrogant way, but through wanting to develop and achieve my own potential.”

Toby acknowledged the many ways BIGGA membership can help greenkeepers broaden their horizons, from established initiatives such as The R&A Championship Agronomy Programme to the connections made with fellow members at events such as BTME. However, his experience also showed there are other routes available for those willing to put themselves forward.

“You can definitely go and get yourself out and get amongst it,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter what level it is. It could be PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Challenge Tour, a local event at a course around the corner, it could be anywhere. Just getting yourself in it, meeting people and starting to venture out of the circle you’re currently in really does open doors.”

That openness is one of the things Toby values most about greenkeeping. During his first three years in the industry, he has found people willing to answer questions, share knowledge and help others progress.

“Everyone is open-armed and very welcoming and open to chat,” Toby said. “There is no silly question. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, so if you want to learn and understand new things, you have to ask questions.”

With his first DP World Tour event coming from a speculative email, his belief that career development is shaped by the opportunities you are prepared to chase has strengthened.

“Nothing worth having is just going to fall into your lap,” he said. “You have to take ownership of your own path. If you want to develop and improve, you have to put yourself in a position to be there when an opportunity does come up. If you don’t, somebody else will.”

Toby's top tip

• Keep an eye on LinkedIn and other channels for posts from tournament venues and course managers
• Speak to your course manager first and explain how the experience could benefit the club as well as your own development
• Send a professional email introducing yourself, your current role and why you want to volunteer
• Attach an up-to-date CV, even if the advert does not specifically ask for one
• Explain what you hope to learn but also what you can offer the host team
• Be willing to take on any task, including the less glamorous jobs
• Ask questions while you are there and learn from people at every level
• Bring ideas back to your own club, even if they are small details rather than major changes
• Stay in touch with the people you meet because one event can lead to another
• Start locally if that feels more manageable, then build towards larger events

 

Toby’s KLM Open diary

Saturday 30 May
Arrived on site at 3pm for the meet and greet. Welcome dinner at 5pm. Got to know the other volunteers and the team at The International. Networking opportunities, including a chat with DP World Tour agronomist Bryan Cox. Course walk.

Sunday 31 May
Day one. Breakfast at 8am, followed by team meeting at 8.30am. First shift at 9am. Mowed fairways at 9mm. PM shift mowing fairways on Route 1.

Monday 1 June
AM mowing fairways, focusing on centre lines and clean-up. PM hand-mowing greens at 2.8mm on a 9–3 direction.

Tuesday 2 June
AM mowing fairways, with centre lines and clean-up. PM hand-mowing greens at 2.8mm on a 10–4 direction.

Wednesday 3 June
AM mowing fairways, focusing on centre lines and clean-up. PM taking markers off, checking markers and blowing debris.

 

Thursday 4 June
AM mowing fairways, with centre lines and clean-up. PM taking markers off, blowing debris and helping with bunker splash.

Friday 5 June
Assisted with mowing around the course, including greens and surrounds. During the morning shift, removed and replaced players’ ball markers while mowing greens as part of preparations for the continuation of round one after rain delay. After play, hand-picked divots on fairways and full raking of bunkers. Busy day, with three shifts.

Saturday 6 June
Another triple-shift day. AM raking bunkers. After play, mowed fairways and continued the changeover. PM hand-mowing greens, disengaged the blades and just rolled to maintain green speed, plus helping with bunkers.

Sunday 7 June
Mowed fairways, with centre lines and clean-up. Team photos and breakfast. Met the winner and had photos taken on the 18th green.