Country club’s short-back-and-sides maintained thanks to mowing prowess of Mr and Mrs Phillips
Going the extra mile has become almost second nature for Plettenberg Bay Country Club (PBCC) manager Greg Phillips and his wife, Darell.
The two have jumped in boots and all to ensure that the local golf club is kept in shape for when lockdown finally reaches the stage where golfers can again shout “fore!” – without facing arrest for contravening the current Covid-19 restrictions.
Both have taken to driving heavyweight ride-on mower tractors to give the course grass a daily “haircut”.
Their actions have been lauded by PBCC chairman Howard Garmany, who also highlighted the plight of the club which, like many other small businesses throughout South Africa, faces severe financial challenges with 110 income having been forthcoming for the past two months.
Says Garmany: “Our efforts have been focused on managing the finances, managing our staff, and trying to avoid any retrenchments while keeping the golf course and other facilities in good order.
“But the best story worth telling at the moment is the effort our club manager and his wife are making to keep the golf course maintained. Both of them are driving the heavy mower tractors with great aplomb,” he says.
Greg has taken the extra responsibility in his stride while Darell jokes: “If it were summer, I suppose I could do the job in a bikini…”
The reason Greg and Darell have “volunteered” for this considerable chore is that the club is only allowed 15% of its normal course staff complement of 22.
“So these five ‘essential’ workers, who are only allowed to work for three-and-a-half hours a day because of the stringent travel restrictions in place, look after the greens and fairways. That means that we have to do the first cut and the semi-rough,” explains Greg.
The magnanimous manager concludes: “I’ll do everything I can for my golf club so that we’re ready to open the course as soon as the lockdown becomes history.”