AFTER spending much of his early life in Canada, Ben Matthews moved to Scotland where he initially worked in Health and Social Care. But approaching his 40th birthday, he decided he needed a change of career.

One day, passing SRUC Elmwood campus he spotted a banner advertising a career in greenkeeping. It was to be his eureka moment.

He enrolled on the golf course management course and was subsequently named as winner of the HNC Golf Course Management Student of the Year sponsored by John Deere and Scottish dealer, Double A.

Then an opportunity cropped to become a seasonal member of the course management team on the Old Course at St Andrews for the 150th Open Championship this year.

Always sports mad, Ben said he was ‘living the dream’ – and as you will hear, seasonal been converted to a permanent post at St Andrews

This is really an uplifting story and a real live endorsement for a career in turfcare.

SRUC Elmwood, Scotland's Rural College