Next generation of greenkeepers spotlighted at Greenmount’s Turf Matters 2025 in Antrim

Minister Muir met Joshua Busteed from Coleraine and Mya Nixon from Ballyclare, Level 2 Horticulture students during a visit to Greenkeeping and Golf Academy at Greenmount Campus. The students are completing a one-year cadetship programme generously supported by Golf Ireland.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has underlined the growing importance of sustainability and skills development within Northern Ireland’s sports turf sector during a visit to the 2025 Turf Matters event at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus in Antrim.

The biennial Turf Matters event brings together sports turf professionals, educators and industry stakeholders to explore the latest advances in turf management practices and technologies.

This year’s event was themed “Sustainability in Sports Turf”, reflecting a sector increasingly focused on environmental responsibility alongside performance.

Among those attending were representatives from Golf Ireland and the British and International Golf and Greenkeepers Association, highlighting the event’s significance across the island of Ireland and the wider UK.

A key moment of the event saw the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy at Greenmount Campus formally recognised for its commitment to sustainable practices.

Recognising sustainability at the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy at Greenmount Campus, Antrim. Dr Robbie Fitzpatrick (GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation) and Ann Courtney (Head of Sustainability, Golf Ireland) presented CAFRE with their GEO certified plaque. Receiving the Certification at the Turf Matters event are Minister Muir and Adam Ferguson (Senior Lecturer, CAFRE).  

Dr Robbie Fitzpatrick of the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation and Ann Courtney, Head of Sustainability at Golf Ireland, presented CAFRE with its GEO certified plaque, acknowledging the academy’s leadership in embedding sustainability into education and training.

The certification was received during the Turf Matters event by Minister Muir alongside Adam Ferguson, Senior Lecturer at CAFRE, marking an important milestone for the institution and its students.

Beyond policy and professional discussion, the visit also placed a spotlight on the next generation entering the industry. Minister Muir met Joshua Busteed from Coleraine and Mya Nixon from Ballyclare, both Level 2 Horticulture students currently enrolled at the Greenkeeping and Golf Academy.

The students are undertaking a one-year cadetship programme, supported by Golf Ireland, which offers practical experience and a clear pathway into employment within the sports turf and golf sectors.

Their participation provided a human face to the sustainability conversation, demonstrating how education, industry support and environmental awareness are being combined to future-proof the profession.

Minister Muir met Graeme Beatt, Course Manager at Royal Portrush when he attended the Turf Matters 2025 event at CAFRE Greenmount Campus, Antrim.

The Minister also met Graeme Beatt, Course Manager at Royal Portrush, during the event, reflecting the close relationship between elite golf venues and training providers in maintaining world-class playing surfaces.

With sustainability now a central concern for sports turf management, Turf Matters 2025 showcased how innovation, education and collaboration are shaping a greener future for pitches, courses and the people who care for them.