Senior turf leadership, at the level that fits your facility.
Gen1 Sportsturf gives golf clubs, bowling clubs, councils and sports facilities a championship turf consultant on a monthly retainer, at three levels from $500 to $2,200 a month. You lead the strategy, your existing team does the work, and David Mason stays accountable for the result. Most facilities start with a one-off irrigation audit.
All three tiers are led by David Mason: 32 years in turf, an R&A scholar who has prepared courses for Australian Opens and Presidents Cups. Advice that is not tied to one brand; the fee is for the plan.
A full-time Superintendent's expertise, for a fraction of the cost.
A senior Superintendent costs $100,000 or more a year, loaded. Gen1 gives you the same level of agronomic leadership on a retainer, the way a specialist supports your GP rather than replacing your nurse.
You keep control
Your committee or council stays in charge and your existing staff stay on. Gen1 is the expert in their corner, not an outside contractor taking over.
Your team does the work
David sets the strategy and the standards and directs the work. The daily mowing, spraying and renovation is carried out by your own people.
One person is accountable
Not a report that gathers dust. David owns the agronomic outcome month after month, and reports it to your board in plain language.
From regional clubs to councils, leadership that scales to your facility.
Pick the level of support your facility needs.
Every tier is month to month after a short minimum, and the value at each level is built to be worth at least double what you pay. Full details are below the cards.
For facilities with an experienced greenkeeper who needs a senior expert on call.
- Monthly 90-minute consultation
- Seasonal maintenance program
- Chemical compliance oversight
- Quarterly turf health dashboard
- On-call advice between calls
For facilities with junior or mid-level staff who need guidance, mentoring and board-level reporting.
- Everything in Tier 1, plus
- Quarterly on-site visits
- Full chemical and fertiliser program
- Soil and water test interpretation
- Staff mentoring and committee presentations
For facilities that have lost their Superintendent, or want championship expertise without the full-time cost.
- Everything in Tier 2, plus
- On-site visits, every 2 months
- Weekly planning calls
- Budget, CapEx and event preparation
- Staff recruitment and disaster planning
Not sure where to start? Most facilities begin with a one-off Irrigation Performance Audit. It proves the value, finds savings that help pay for a retainer, and there is no obligation to continue. If you take on a retainer within 30 days, the audit fee is credited to your onboarding.
See the irrigation auditExactly what each level includes.
For facilities that already have a Superintendent or experienced head greenkeeper, and need a senior sounding board and an independent expert on call.
Your onboarding covers
- An initial deep-dive session of two to three hours
- A baseline seasonal maintenance calendar
- A chemical compliance review (licensing, storage, records)
- Setting up how we communicate
Included every month
- Prescriptive seasonal program design and nutrition guidance
- Pest control advice and diagnosis by photo and message
- Remote irrigation programming advice
- Chemical and fertiliser oversight and subsidised sourcing
- A monthly 90-minute phone or video consult
- Advice between calls, answered within 48 business hours
- Emergency phone support for agronomic crises
- A quarterly one-page Turf Health Dashboard
Not included at this level
- Site visits (available at $1,500 per day plus travel)
- Soil and tissue sampling (you arrange it, David interprets it)
- Committee presentations
- Staff training
- Budget or procurement management
- Daily or weekly operational planning
Your commitment: a monthly photo update and data, about 15 minutes of your time. Three-month minimum, then month to month.
For facilities with junior or mid-level staff who need structured guidance, staff mentoring and committee-level reporting. Typically regional golf clubs, large bowling clubs, councils or sports facilities with $250,000 to $600,000 maintenance budgets and three to six staff.
Your onboarding covers
- A full-day site visit and turf assessment
- A baseline turf health audit with photos
- A staff capability assessment
- A chemical compliance review
- A customised 12-month maintenance program
- Your first quarterly committee presentation
Included every month
- Everything in Tier 1, plus the following
- Soil and water test interpretation
- Renovation advice and design, and sustainable practice advisory
- Expanded irrigation review and equipment sourcing advice
- A full annual chemical and fertiliser program
- Structured staff mentoring during visits
- Advocacy that translates your greenkeeper's needs into committee language
- A quarterly on-site visit (four a year)
- A monthly 60-minute consult, advice answered within 24 hours
- A monthly one-page dashboard and a quarterly committee presentation
Not included at this level
- Monthly or fortnightly visits (that is Tier 3)
- Direct budget control or signing off purchases
- Hiring, firing or HR
- Physical labour of any kind
- Daily or weekly operational scheduling
- Emergency on-site visits ($1,500 per day plus travel)
- Construction or major-works project management
Your commitment: your head greenkeeper available during visits, monthly data, and committee time for the quarterly presentation. Six-month minimum after onboarding, then month to month.
For facilities that have lost their Superintendent, or ambitious facilities that want championship expertise without the $140,000-plus full-time cost. David is the strategic leader; your on-site team executes. The cost is less than a quarter of a full-time hire.
Your onboarding covers
- A two-day intensive site assessment
- A full infrastructure audit (turf, irrigation, equipment, drainage)
- A staff assessment and capability map
- A complete chemical compliance audit
- A 12-month strategic program with CapEx recommendations
- Customised SOPs for your on-site staff
- A detailed board presentation with financial modelling
Included every month
- Everything in Tier 2, plus the following
- A complete soil, tissue and water testing program
- Full renovation design and environmental management
- Irrigation design oversight and project management (advisory)
- Full equipment fleet inspection and replacement planning (advisory)
- Complete chemical program ownership
- Maintenance budget creation, forecasting and variance tracking
- CapEx planning, procurement management and staff recruitment guidance
- Tournament and event preparation, and disaster resilience planning
- An on-site visit every 2 months (6 a year) and a weekly planning call
- Priority same-business-day advice and a monthly board-level report
- A quarterly strategic board presentation in person
Not included at this level
- Physical labour of any kind
- Acting as your primary licensed chemical applicator
- Daily machinery maintenance or operation
- More than 6 visits a year (additional at $1,500 a day plus travel)
- Construction management for major capital projects (quoted separately)
Your commitment: board-level access, head greenkeeper collaboration and weekly data, and committee availability for quarterly presentations. Six-month minimum after onboarding, then month to month.
Two guarantees, because we stand behind the work.
On the audit
If an Irrigation Performance Audit does not identify savings worth chasing, you do not pay for the report. You see the value before you commit to anything ongoing.
On the retainer
If you do not see measurable improvement in the first 90 days, the next month is on us. Fair conditions apply: our advice needs to be followed, and weather and staffing are outside anyone's control.
The details, stated plainly.
- Audit to retainer credit. Sign a retainer within 30 days of an audit and the audit fee is credited against your onboarding.
- Subsidised product pricing. Every retainer client gets subsidised pricing on fertilisers, chemicals, equipment and course hardware through our separate supply operation.
- Travel. Within two hours of Brisbane (one way) is included. Regional and interstate work adds flights and car hire; remote work adds accommodation, agreed upfront.
- Out-of-scope visits. Extra site visits beyond your tier are $1,500 per day plus travel.
- Independent advice. Recommendations are not tied to one brand. The fee is for the plan, and the plan stands on its own.
- No long lock-in. Every tier runs month to month after its short minimum term. You stay because it works, not because you are trapped.
Services and pricing, answered.
How much does an independent turf consultant cost?
Gen1 retainers run from $500 a month for senior advisory up to $2,200 a month for a full independent turf consultant service, with a one-time onboarding fee of $750 to $5,000 depending on the level. For comparison, a full-time Superintendent costs $100,000 or more a year once you load on-costs, so even the top tier is under a quarter of that.
What is the difference between the three tiers?
Tier 1 is remote senior advice for a facility that already has a capable greenkeeper. Tier 2 adds quarterly site visits, staff mentoring and committee reporting for facilities with junior staff. Tier 3 is a full independent turf consultant service with visits every 2 months, budget and CapEx ownership, and board reporting, for facilities that have lost their super or want championship-level leadership.
Do you do the physical turf work?
No. Gen1 is advisory. David sets the strategy and standards and directs the work, and your existing staff carry out the mowing, spraying and renovation. You keep your team and your control; you gain a senior turf consultant guiding them. No physical labour, no machinery operation, no chemical application by us.
Are we locked into a long contract?
No. Tier 1 has a three-month minimum and Tiers 2 and 3 have a six-month minimum after onboarding, then every tier is month to month. The minimum exists so there is time to show measurable improvement. After that you stay because it works.
We already have a greenkeeper. Why would we need this?
Gen1 is not there to replace your team, it is there to make them better, the way a specialist supports your GP. We give your greenkeeper the data, the program and an independent voice to get the resources they need from the committee, and we give the committee confidence the right work is being done.
How do we get started?
Most facilities start with a one-off Irrigation Performance Audit. It proves the value, finds savings that help pay for a retainer, and carries no obligation. If you take on a retainer within 30 days, the audit fee is credited to your onboarding. You can also book a consultation to talk through the right tier directly.
Let's find the right level for your facility.
Tell us about your site and your team and we will recommend the tier that fits, or suggest starting with an audit. No pressure, no jargon.
Prefer to talk? Call David on 0413 737 989