Powell Appointed Course Superintendent at Country Club Tasmania

(Keegan Powell courtesy of VGCSA)

Keegan Powell has been appointed as the new Course Superintendent at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston. The appointment comes after a 10-year tenure at The Sands Torquay on the Victorian Surf Coast, where Powell served as superintendent.

Powell will begin his new role on a part-time basis in June 2026, then transition to full-time status at the start of July 2026. Because of his move across the Bass Strait, Powell will also step down from his position as a Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association (VGCSA) Board member.

The $20 Million Course Redevelopment

Powell joins Country Club Tasmania during the final stages of a $20 million transformation of its championship golf course. The new 18-hole venue, designed by Robin Gibson, features a layout inspired by iconic golf courses in North America and the United Kingdom. It incorporates century-old trees, stone bridges, creeks, and lakes. Cricket legend and Launceston native Ricky Ponting serves as the official ambassador for the course, which is scheduled to open in December 2026.

Powell’s primary focus during his first six months will be overseeing the final stages of the turf grow-in and preparing the facility for its opening day.

“Being involved in completing the grow-in and opening a brand new golf course is a huge drawcard and something I’m incredibly excited about professionally,” Powell said. “But equally important for me is the opportunity to work with a large and relatively young team. I’m passionate about training and developing staff, helping build their skills and confidence, and, hopefully, guiding them to become future leaders within the turf industry. Creating a strong team culture and seeing people develop over time is something I find extremely rewarding.”

“It’s certainly an exciting and busy period for everyone involved. It will very much be full steam ahead, and I’m looking forward to playing a key role in the final stages of the grow-in and preparing the course for opening day.”

He added:

“Opportunities like this don’t come around very often; being able to help complete the grow-in and open a brand-new golf course is incredibly exciting. Without giving too much away, I believe the finished product will add a real point of difference to the Australian and especially Tasmanian golfing landscape.”

A Long-Term Family Move to Tasmania

The inspiration for the relocation stems from a family holiday to the state approximately three years ago, during which Powell played at Barnbougle and toured the region. During that trip, Powell noted that Country Club Tasmania had commenced its redevelopment works.

“My family, along with my mother and father-in-law, went on a holiday to Tasmania about three years ago,” Powell explained. “The trip centred around playing Barnbougle and travelling around the state, and from that moment my wife and I absolutely fell in love with Tasmania. We both agreed that if the opportunity ever presented itself, it would be an incredible place to raise our young family.”

“During that trip, we visited Launceston and noticed that Country Club Tasmania had just begun redevelopment works on the golf course. From then on, it stayed in the back of my mind that if the superintendent role ever became available, it would be something worth exploring further.

“The position eventually came up, and after several interviews, I was invited down to inspect the golf course and facilities first-hand. I was genuinely blown away by what Robin Gibson and the Country Club Tasmania team had already achieved with the redevelopment.”

Departure from The Sands Torquay

Powell’s departure concludes a decade-long career and personal milestone history at The Sands Torquay. He originally joined the club as Assistant Superintendent in January 2016 before being promoted to Superintendent in August 2017.

Reflecting on his departure, Powell noted his strong personal ties to the venue, including marrying his wife, Rachael, at the club.

“The Sands has been a huge part of my life over the last 10 years. It’s a place that means a lot to both my wife Rachael and myself – we actually got married there – so there’s a strong personal connection as well,” Powell said. “Leaving was certainly not an easy decision, but ultimately this move represents the right opportunity for both my career progression and personal development, while also giving our young family the lifestyle we’ve been looking for. Given the opportunity that has presented itself at Country Club Tasmania, we felt now was the perfect time to make the move and begin an exciting new chapter together.”

In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Powell expressed gratitude to the community at his former club:

“I’m proud to share that at the end of this week, my 10-year tenure at The Sands Torquay will come to an end. I have accepted the position as Superintendent at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston, commencing in June.

In my reflection, I am forever grateful to The Sands, who gave me the privileged opportunity to be Golf Course Superintendent for the last 9 years. In my time my team and I have completed various projects and I am very confident in saying the course is better than when I found it. There has been various challenges and highlights over the years, all of which have been a great learning curve and have shaped me into the leader I am today.

I would like to thank all the past and present owners, employees, members and residents at The Sands for the ongoing support they have given me over the years.

Looking forward to the next chapter at Country Club Tasmania, I am honoured and excited to continue to build on what already exists and open a brand new golf course. A course which is only going to make the Tasmanian golfing landscape even stronger.

Thank you to everyone who has been apart of my journey so far, I can’t wait for what’s ahead.”

Powell emphasized that staff development was his most rewarding achievement during his decade at Torquay.

“For me, the proudest moments have always centred around the people. Seeing staff members develop and progress in their careers is something I take enormous pride in, whether that’s an apprentice moving on to become an assistant superintendent, or an assistant stepping into a role at a larger club or securing a superintendent position themselves,” Powell said. “Watching people grow professionally and knowing you’ve played a small part in helping them achieve their goals is incredibly rewarding, and that’s probably what has given me the greatest satisfaction over the last decade.”

Career Background

Powell’s appointment at Country Club Tasmania follows an 18-year career in greenkeeping and golf course management across Australia and international venues:

SOURCE: Thank you to Brett Robinson, ASTMA and Writer Nick Creely for the use of source content on this story.