EP.110 Keeper of the Greens - Chris Rae (Orkney Golf Club)

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Chris Rae is an expat Aussie and Superintendent of Orkney Golf Club. Orkney Golf Club is located on the outskirts of the township of Kirkwall on the largest of the Orkney Islands to the north of Scotland.

Beginning his greenkeeping career at Pennant Hills Golf Club, one of Sydney's premier golf clubs, Chris was exposed to high end greenkeeping practices from the get go. It wasn't long before he moved to Concord Golf Club, also in Sydney, where he was mentored by one of the most respected greenkeepers of the industry, Superintendent Mark Parker who is now at NSW Golf Club.

After completing his greenkeeping trade at a couple of the best courses in Sydney and being trained by some of the best, Chris was given an opportunity to get hands on in golf course construction for a couple of years.

As life changes, Chris soon found himself with an opportunity to travel to Scotland after meeting his now wife and before he knew it he was trying to understand the Scottish accent in everyday life. A number of years working outside greenkeeping at a few of different jobs would soon make way for a chance at getting back on the greenkeeping tools and taking on the role of Superintendent at Orkney Golf Club. As it turns out, maintaining a golf course in the far north of Scotland is very different to that of maintaining a golf course in Sydney!

Chris's story has everything in it from maintaining golf courses at the top end of town in Sydney to the remoteness of island life a mere seven degrees latitude outside the Artic Circle! Come with me for my first journey to the other side of the planet and a conversation that includes golf that might start at 9am, sometimes finishes after midnight, 24 hours of daylight, castles, pheasants, Viking heritage and a church built in an era when the year sounds more like it's time for smoko!

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Orkney Golf Club (orkneygolfclub.co.uk)

The National Golf Club - The Old Course (nationalgolf.com.au/our-courses/the-old-course)

Pennant Hills Golf Club (pennanthillsgolfclub.com.au/cms)

Concord Golf Club (concordgolfclub.com.au/cms)

NSW Golf Club (nswgolfclub.com.au/cms)

Royal Dornoch Golf Club (royaldornoch.com)

The Australian Golf Club (australiangolfclub.com/cms)

The Royal Melbourne Golf Club (royalmelbourne.com.au)

Stuart Rennie (renniedesign.co.uk/profile)

Tom Doak (doakgolf.com)

Orkney Islands (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkney)

International Island Games 2025 (orkney2025.com)