Phil Helmn is a Master Greenkeeper (1 of a select few worldwide) and has risen from the bottom through the greenkeeping ranks. Since leaving college in 1987, where he gained his diploma in sports turf science with honours, he has lived and breathed golf and greenkeeping all his 35 years working life.
His father was the local golf pro which influenced Phil’s early years growing up in his hometown of Morecambe, Lancashire. Like many in the turf industry he got the greenkeeping bug by working on his local golf course during school holidays and weekends. Phil knew from those early days that greenkeeping was to be his lifelong vocation and, as a result, has always worked in the golf course world. Phil has gained over thirty five years valuable experience working with plentiful as well as tight budgets, large and small teams and has mastered the need to get the best out of all resources available. Phil has managed full golf course construction projects, grow-in’s, re-builds and regular maintenance operations with teams on a wide range of soil types in the U.K., Europe and America and has used these experiences to fine tune his mentoring and common-sense management style. Phil has also spent time college lecturing when his busy timetable has allowed and also became an industry assessor to help support more work based practical forms of learning. Phil enjoys speaking at regional, national and international conferences on turf leadership and has been successful in applying these into more workshop style formats enabling a more ‘hands on’ learning experience. Phil’s a natural born communicator and his infectious passion for supporting and sharing his experiences and knowledge in a no nonsense, easy to understand way shines through at every level. Phil is the proud father of four children Emily (sixteen) and triplets Florrie, Harry and Artie (eight).