Staff profiles
Alasdair Macleod is the Assistant Golf Course Manager and has been with the Club for just under 14 years.
My alarm goes off…
My alarm goes off at 4.15am to give me enough time to get ready for a 5.30am start at work. Usually leave the house around 4.45am and it takes around 25 minutes to drive to work. The joys of hardly any traffic on the road!
I’m responsible for…
My responsibilities include; running a team of up to 26 members of the greens crew. The maintenance and improvements of the putting greens, tees, fairways, roughs, the practice facilities, irrigation and pumping systems whilst working under the direction of the Golf Course Manager and the Director of Golf Courses & Estates.
I got the job…
I worked at Buchanan Castle Golf Club for 14 years and applied for a seasonal job in April 2008 at Loch Lomond Golf Club. After being offered the job I unfortunately couldn’t take it due to personal circumstances. In September 2008 I was offered a full time position and jumped at the chance. I was part of the crew until April 2016 when I was promoted to Assistant Golf Course Manager.
My typical day…
In work 5.10am for a meeting with the management team to go over the days jobs which are usually set the night before, but this gives us enough time to change anything due to weather, absences or job changes and to discuss second jobs.
5.30am we have a team meeting with the crew to go over the jobs they have been set for the morning and if they have any questions.
Then its out on the golf course supervising the crew. Usually I will be on set up or bunkers so that I can work behind the crew and do a sweep of the golf course in case anything has been missed, tidied and also to change jobs around to make sure the team stay ahead of the first golf.
Then it’s onto instructing the crew on their second jobs for the day which vary dependent on how much golf we have out on the course that day and also the weather.
Last part of my day is catching up with my senior managers on the jobs for the next day.
My most memorable moment…
My first Scottish Open tournament in 2009. The buzz around the department from around 3 weeks before the tournament was fantastic. There were some very long days at work and early starts but when you see the course on the TV looking as spectacular as it does it was all worth it.
The best part of my job…
Working outside everyday no matter the weather.
Learning – every day is a school day at Loch Lomond and every day has its different challenges which helps keep the job interesting. To be involved in the sand capping project and see the major benefits the Club will gain from this.
After Work…
I play and teach the accordion. I have been playing since I was 7 and joined a Scottish dance band when I was 17 playing at dances around the UK. Now after 23 years I am involved in 7 Scottish dance bands and have managed to record 50+ broadcasts for the BBC, been involved in 24 CD recordings and also managed to travel the world playing for different functions – the highlight being for The Singapore St Andrews Society for St Andrews night in the Shangri La Hotel in Singapore for the last 7 years.
My Plan B:
Full time musician.