International Women's Day | Rhian Barton - Carden Park Hotel

How long have you been working in this industry?

I started greenkeeping in June 2019, so 9 months, at Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire. I am currently an apprentice greenkeeper

What does the average day look like for you?

At Carden Park Hotel, every day can be different for me. It can range from golf course set-up, to raking bunkers or cutting greens in a morning and a wide variety of jobs in an afternoon, for example this week we have been planting trees. Each day is weather dependent also, so I could be allocated a task which is best suited for the conditions for the day. The best bit, is that we have the opportunity to work across a variety of different tasks over two great golf courses

What would you say is the biggest challenge working in this industry/Have you faced any challenges being a female in a male dominated environment?

The biggest challenge I have faced so far is the change in the physical workload from my previous job and maybe the weather! It’s a physically demanding job but it’s rewarding, I love seeing the impact made on the golf courses I haven’t faced any challenges yet being a female in this environment, I am treated the same as everyone else in the team, it’s been great!

Why did you choose to work in this industry?

I’ve played golf since I was 10, I am now a professional golfer and I have grown up on the golf course. I have always loved being out there and I really wanted to see the other side of how the golf course is like it is. I’ve always been interested in the science behind turf as well, so it seemed like a good industry to go into.

What advice would you give to women wanting to join the industry?

Don’t be afraid to go into this industry, if you think you want to do it, go for it, you will be perfectly capable of doing the job

Finally, what is the best part about working in this industry?

The teamwork is my favourite part. I love working with the team at Carden Park, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people, I laugh everyday and we all work towards the same goals for the golf course. It’s very rewarding when you get to see the golf course looking so good and I’m proud to have contributed to the presentations of two beautiful golf courses Follow Rhian on Twitter @rhianbarton99