The greenkeeping staff under the guidance of Head Greenkeeper, John Beattie are undergoing a programme of upgrading and improving the golf course including the re-positioning of bunkers and the re-construction and enlarging of teeing grounds, allied to that old greenkeeping methods are used and treatments applied to help maintain the turf in a true links condition.
John Beattie is a local man, schooled at Warddykes primary and Arbroath Academy, left in December 1984 starting as a trainee at Carnoustie Golf Links in January 1985. On completion of training he was given the job of Burnside course foreman in 1990. In august 1992 he left Carnoustie to become the Deputy Head Greenkeeper at the West Lancashire golf club, On returning to Carnoustie in 1994 because his wife found it difficult to settle in England in December 1995 he became Championship course foreman which later became Head Greenkeeper on the Championship course during this time he prepared the course for the 1996 Scottish Open and the much awaited 1999 Open Championship also 5 Dunhill Links Championships. John left Carnoustie to join the staff at Arbroath in 2005 and has made several excellent alterations to the golf course in the very short time he has been head greenkeeper at Arbroath.
At the end of last season, Arbroath Golf Course opened a purpose built driving range with ten bays. The driving range is open to the public as well as members. A bucket of 50 balls can be purchased for £2.50 from the professionals shop. This is a welcome & well used facility and gives the average golfer amply opportunity to warm up properly before testing their abilities on this challenging links course.
Our PGA course Professional, Lindsay Ewart was brought up in Carnoustie and came to Arbroath Golf Course in 1979 from Dunblane Golf Course. Lindsay is a former Leslie Assistants Winner. He is married to Wilma who is a well renound singer. They have two sons Grant and Keith who are both good golfers in their own right and Keith is the current Junior Club Champion