Career Guides
Greenskeeper/Groundskeeper
Greenskeepers maintain turf and synthetic grasses used for professional or amateur sport.
Where you Might Work
Greenskeepers could find themselves working in many desirable locations, including:
- Professional sporting grounds such as the Gabba and Suncorp Stadium
- Amateur sporting grounds
- Bowling lawns
- Tennis clubs with grass courts
- Golf clubs
Key Responsibilities
Greenskeepers undergo many different tasks throughout the day. These tasks include:
- Preparing seed beds for new turf.
- Establishing turf by watering, sowing, seeding, and repairing weed damage.
- Mowing, rolling, and levelling turf.
- Pegging and marking out lines and logos.
- Installing nets, posts, and stumps.
- Placing other sports equipment on playing areas.
- Operating power tools such as mowers, aerators, cultivators, and line marking equipment.
- Constructing different types of surfaces for different sports (e.g., cricket wickets, tennis courts, golf greens etc.).
- Maintaining turf by repairing, fertilising, and top-dressing lawns.
The Skills and Attributes You Will Need
Greenkeeping is a unique profession due to its hand-on nature, meaning it requires a different set of skills compared to some other careers. The skills you will need could include:
- Undergoing physically demanding tasks every day such as mowing, clipping etc.
- An ability to work in all weather conditions, especially hot temperatures.
- An ability to work to a deadline and have projects ready to go by the end of it.
- Confident with the use of machinery such as motorised mowers and hedge trimmers.
- Good knowledge of the sport which is played on the turf you curate.
- Being able to work collaboratively as well as individually.
- Good physical fitness.
Market Insights
Market Insights
Market Insights
Market Insights
Market Insights
Retrieved from: Labour Market Insights
Salary: The average salary of a greenskeeper ranges $50,000 to $65,000, according to seek.com.au.
Qualifications
The following guide displays some VET courses you may undertake to become a greenskeeper; however, formal qualifications are not deemed essential.
| Course/s | Potential Career Outcomes | Further Qualifications | Duration and/or number of units |
| Certificates I, II, III, and IV in Horticulture (AHC40422) | Uncovers all the skills and knowledge for entry level work, all the way to supervisory jobs in the horticulture industry | Diploma of Horticulture Management | Cert IV = 12 units of competency recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework. |
| Certificate II and III in Sports Turf Management (AHC31319) | Allows you to carry out trade-level roles within sports turf management. | n/a | Cert III = 23 units of competency recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework. |
Additional Qualifications
- Forklift licence
- Driver’s licence
Already qualified? Head to the Sportspeople jobs board for the best selection of positions currently available in the industry.
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