Meet the Locals – Wayne Trenerry

Our top little town is full of interesting people from varied backgrounds. Each edition, we’ll be chatting to different members of the community to get their story and share it with you so you get to “Meet the Locals”.

We spoke to Wayne Trenerry, SuperIntendent and Greenskeeper at Tieri Golf Club….

What brought you to Tieri, and when?

I came specifically for this job, four years ago. I was at Emu Park before that.

What’s your history with golf?

I’ve been playing since I was 14 years old. One of my best mates I went to school with got me hooked.

How did you become a Greenskeeper?

I’m a qualified builder by trade but I had a bad accident back in 2002. My doctor told me I couldn’t continue with building work, so I had to change careers. It just happened that before the accident, I had been looking after a golf course. I enjoyed it, so did my Cert III in Greenkeeping and Horticulture, which teaches you how to keep soil and plants healthy. It covered all types of stuff like how to plant and maintain gardens, how to install water features, how to identify and look after different species of grasses, how to eradicate weeds without killing grass, the mechanical side, irrigation systems, and more.

What does being a Greenskeeper involve?

Week in, week out it’s all about mowing the greens, keeping up with diseases in the greens and making sure I’m tackling them properly, manicuring the fairways, keeping the rough down, raking the bunkers, maintaining the gardens and generally making sure the course is ready for competition from Friday onwards.

2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Tieri. What role does the golf course play in our town?

It brings people together. When I started working here, there were only ~20 members. Now we have over 100! For a town our size, that’s great. We’ve even got a few out of towners!

What was the course like when you first started?

It was fine, but there were a few things that needed to be done. I was given three months to sort it out, but it took three years due to the irrigation needing to be replaced.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The players you get to meet and the compliments you get – especially when you speak to people who haven’t been here for years. They often come up and say “Wow, it wasn’t like this before!” – it’s a great feeling getting that recognition for your efforts.

Speaking of recognition, last year Tieri Golf Club won the PGA Regional Tournament of the Year – congratulations! What did winning that award mean to you?

It meant a LOT! It meant all that hard work had paid off. It was even more of a buzz to win it in a small town like Tieri! And to have the support of the Committee and all our sponsors, who are amazing – we simply wouldn’t be able to run the tournament without them. We have so many great players turn up to play at the tournament and for those golf professionals to vote on your course…well, it’s just phenomenal!

People are still talking about it. I was in Rockhampton and got congratulated. The President of the SuperIntendents Association – who has been a big feature in my life as a Greenskeeper and convinced me to stick with it when I was about to quit – came up to me after the awards and said “Mate, you’ve done it!!” – it was a great feeling.

Of course, the challenge now is backing it up this year!

How are you going to do that?

There’s a lot of exciting things happening. The Club and Committee are always wanting to improve which is what I love about this job. But it’s not easy – there’s a lot of stress involved. Sometimes trying to do all the simple things well is the hardest.

We’re lucky to have had an abundance of rain recently so we’ve got grass covered from tree line to tree line. We’re in the process of expanding parts of the course and we’re hoping to have a new water feature installed later in the year. Lots to come!

What makes a top golf course?

Consistent, clean, weed-free greens throughout, with consistent speeds.

How do you describe yourself?

Hard working. I’m passionate about what I do and take a lot of pride in my work. If I’m not happy with it, I’ll stay and keep going until it’s done right. I keep striving.

How would your mates describe you?

Like a bull out the gate! A happy-go-lucky, sometimes cranky bloke, who wears his heart on his sleeve.

How do you spend your spare time…and with whom?

With my two kids, my 20 year old son and 17 year old daughter, and either camping or fishing.

5 things you can’t live without?

• My kids
• My golf clubs
• A good steak
• My phone
• A cold beer … and some chocolate!

Dead or alive, who would be your ideal BBQ guests?

• Tiger Woods
• Jack Nicklaus
• Arnold Palmer…
• And Jennifer Lopez!