Pittwater Life April 2023 Issue

News
‘New’ Avalon GC
turning heads
Experienced greenkeeper
and lifelong Avalon resident
Shannon Simmons
couldn’t believe his luck when
he heard Northern Beaches
Council was recruiting for a
superintendent for its Avalon
golf course property.
“I always thought it would
be my dream job,” said Shannon,
who cut his teeth in the
industry working at private
clubs Elanora and Monash
before running his own lawn
maintenance business for a
decade.
“I told myself if it ever
came up I would go for
it – I couldn’t believe it
when I was successful,
it’s such a thrill.”
Shannon started work
at the nine-hole Avalon
golf course, which celebrates
its centenary in
2026, last September.
Within weeks, the
tongues of local players
started wagging about the
impressive polish he was
making on site, courtesy
of his attentive tending to the
tees, rough and greens and
his painstaking mowing of
fairway lines.
Shannon was recently
joined on staff by colleague
and friend John Kljajic, who
likewise has experience at
Elanora and Monash Country
Clubs.
John, from Warriewood,
takes pride in double-striping
the fairways, presenting them
in a condition that the committee
at Augusta National,
home of this month’s US Masters,
would be proud of.
Shannon says his aim is to
see the Avalon links upgrade
its reputation to become one
of the best nine-hole courses
in Sydney, if not NSW.
“Certainly to make it the best
Council-maintained course or
park in NSW,” he said.
And it appears he and John
are on the right track, with
the local men’s and women’s
clubs affiliated to the course
reporting increases in their
memberships.
Shannon said his long-term
goal was to re-surface the
nine greens, which over many
decades have seen various varieties
of couch grasses form
the putting surfaces.
“In the meantime we’ll just
keep picking away, doing
modest tree trimming, doing
the paths and just making the
layout more appealing and
presentable,” Shannon said.
“We’ve concentrated on
leaving a bit more rough,
there are a lot of trees on the
property and cut too short,
the grass will struggle to
DETAIL: Shannon (left) and John are living their working dream
at Avalon GC; John’s beautiful stripe-mowing of the 2nd fairway.
grow among the
root line.”
“It’s my dream
job, it’s in my backyard and
we see the results of the work
we put in.”
Avalon Ladies Golf Club
President Christine Gardner
says the difference has been
transformative for the Club
and the local community.
“Shannon and John’s commitment,
energy and experience
in being able to restore
the course in such a short
space of time has been phenomenal
– I cannot sing their
praises enough,” she said.
“Especially their critical remedial
work to some areas of
the course and grounds which
has better enabled our older
members to continue playing
the game.”
Christine added she had
noted a 25 per cent increase
in Ladies Club memberships
in the past three months.
“The word is out – we have
a course that is increasing
in its appeal and stature, is
very playable and is in great
condition.”
Shannon said modestly:
“Hopefully there’s more
interest, which flows through
to more members and players,
which can see further
improvement to the course in
years to come.” – Nigel Wall
24 APRIL 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991