Australian Sports Turf Leaders Honored at 2026 National Turf Industry Awards

POSTED ON July 2, 2026 @ 11:00 am

ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award – Luke Helm acceptance speech

The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) announced the winners of the 2026 National Turf Industry Awards during a gala dinner held at the Crown Complex Palladium Ballroom in Melbourne. Sponsored by Syngenta, the event took place on the opening night of the 2026 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference, running from June 22 to 25, which was jointly organized by ASTMA and Golf Management Australia (GMA).

ASTMA, a member of the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC), presented eight awards celebrating achievements across the golf, sportsfields, and grounds sectors over the past 12 months.

Top Golf Management Honors

The ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award, sponsored by Envu, was awarded to Luke Helm of Meadowbrook Golf Club in Queensland. Established in 1990, the award pulls nominees from state superintendent association programs.

Helm manages a 27-hole public course located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Under his leadership, annual playing rounds grew from 48,000 in 2018 to more than 132,000 in 2026. Helm directs a maintenance team of six, including four apprentices. Over the past year, his team completed major construction and renovations entirely in-house. Helm also managed course recovery operations following two floods and Cyclone Alfred.

Environmental Stewardship Recognition

Adam Marchant, Director of Grounds at Royal Sydney Golf Club in New South Wales, received the ASTMA Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment Award, sponsored by Syngenta. Named after a former Royal Melbourne Golf Club superintendent, the award recognizes excellence in ecological management.

ASTMA Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment Award winner Adam Marchant (third from left) with Royal Sydney GC representatives

Marchant managed the integration of native vegetation zones into the club’s Championship Course redevelopment, which began in late 2023 and concluded in March 2025. The project aligned with Woollahra Municipal Council’s Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and the UN Sustainability Development Goals. Key outcomes from the project include:

The planting of 500,000 trees and plants.
Increased floral diversity and preservation of rare species.
The creation of wildlife corridors, animal sanctuaries, and rehabilitation habitats.
Reduced water and fertilizer usage.
Opportunities for seed banking and educational partnerships.

Emerging Talent and Apprentice Awards

Nathan Baker from Byron Bay Golf Club, representing the Queensland Sports Turf Managers Association, was named the ASTMA Graduate of the Year – Golf, an award sponsored by Toro Australia. Baker completed his Certificate III in Sports Turf Management through TAFE Queensland’s Grovely Campus, graduating in late 2024.

ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award – Golf – Nathan Baker (Byron Bay GC)

Baker won the title following a 15-minute presentation and technical Q&A session before a three-person judging panel, prevailing over six other state finalists:

Harrison Allardyce (Busselton GC, GCSAWA)
Max Clark (Kooyonga GC, TMSA)
Jag Clarke (Coffs Harbour GC, NSWGCSA)
Jess Maclaren (Devonport CC, TSTMA)
William Savickas (Barwon Heads GC, VGSCA)
Brody Schofield (Gold Creek CC, ACTSTMA)

Baker’s career training included placements at Kingston Heath Golf Club for the 2024 Australian Open and a six-month stint in 2025 assisting with the grow-in phase of the Crownwood Club in Sweden. He has returned to Kingston Heath to prepare the course for the 2026 Capital.com Australian Open.

Distinguished Service Acknowledgments

The ASTMA Board presented Distinguished Service Awards to Dr. Percy Wong and David Worrad for long-term contributions to research, education, and industry needs.

ASTMA Distinguished Service Award 2026 recipients – Dr Percy Wong (left) and David Worrad (right)

Dr. Wong, an Honorary Associate of the University of Sydney, is a plant pathologist and mycologist who served as a research scientist for the NSW Department of Agriculture from 1972 to 2006. Since the 1980s, his research has focused on identifying new turfgrass patch diseases across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers.

David Worrad’s 40-year career began in 1982 at the Australian Turfgrass Research Institute (ATRI), where his evaluations highlighted the cold tolerance of Santa Ana couch grass. After working as a grain sorghum plant breeder, he returned to ATRI, later transitioning to the commercial sector with Retec/Shirley’s Fertilisers, Chemturf (Nuturf), Turforce, and Living Turf.

Additional Sector and Tournament Winners

ASTMA also announced winners in three other major categories:

Excellence in Sportsfields and Grounds Management Award: Matthew Oliver (Suncorp Stadium)
Sports Turf Management Team of the Year Award: South Australian Cricket Association
Sportsfields and Grounds Graduate of the Year Award: Tobey Phillips (Brisbane Racing Club, QSTMA)

In sporting events preceding the awards, the 2026 ASTMA Golf Championship was held at Woodlands Golf Club. Shaun Page of Southern Golf Club (Victoria) won the stroke play competition with a score of 74, securing his second title on a countback against Josh Lacey.

Other tournament outcomes included:

Nett Winner: Josh Lacey (Sanctuary Lakes GC, Vic)
Stableford Winner: Steve Pellatt (Blackwood GC, SA) with 38 points
State Teams Trophy: Victoria (102 points – Shaun Page, Brett Balloch, Brendan Brown, and Mathew Campbell)
Nearest to the Pin: Brad Foster (Tura Beach CC)
Longest Drive: Tom North (Royal Hobart GC)