Some memories stay with you for life — the kind of stories you’ll tell your grandchildren or laugh about at a reunion of retired greenkeepers.
This one takes me back to 2021, when I was on a FEGGA scholarship for future golf course managers at Kristianstads GK in Åhus, Sweden. That week, the club was hosting the Ladies European Tour – Creekhouse Ladies Open, one of the biggest events I had ever worked on.
Because of Covid restrictions, the tournament had been postponed several times, but finally, it was happening — early September, live on Swedish Golf channel
4:15 a.m. in the Dark
For reasons still unknown to me, the first tee time was set for 8:00 a.m. — which meant we had to finish all course preparations before that.
If you’ve ever been part of a big golf event, you know the morning routine:
- Greens mowed and rolled
- Pin positions set by the tournament director
- Fairways and tees perfectly cut
- Bunkers raked smooth
- Foregreens trimmed in diamond patterns
And all of it before sunrise.
Our manager wanted to avoid chaos, so he set the start time for 4:15 a.m.. One small issue: Swedish golf courses don’t have floodlights. At that hour, it’s pitch-black.
My job was mowing the foregreens — the short approach areas between fairway and green — on my John Deere 2700 triplex mower. I knew the course well, but never had I done this in complete darkness.
Into the Fog
We all had radios, and soon the chatter started:
“I can’t see a thing!”
“Close your eyes for a second — it helps you adjust!”
“These headlights are useless!”
Not exactly comforting words at four in the morning.
At the first hole, I nearly drove straight onto the green. The LED lights barely helped, and to make things worse, a thick fog rolled in — followed by cold, steady rain. Typical Swedish morning.
I decided to skip that hole and return when it was lighter. On the third hole, I finally got into rhythm. One clean stripe, then another. The first hint of dawn appeared, and I started to believe I might actually finish on time.
The Broadcast Disaster
Then came the radio call:
“What happened here? There’s a cable lying across the green!”
Apparently, while driving between holes, I had snagged a broadcast cable — the one connecting all the TV cameras to the TV production truck.
At first, no one realized what had happened. But soon after, I noticed the TV crew across from our maintenance shed struggling with their equipment — their transmission antenna kept going up and down.
A few hours later, I found out the full story:
I had ripped out the main signal cable that carried the live feed from every camera on the course. The entire broadcast went dark.
They eventually had to bring a replacement transmitter all the way from Germany, which delayed coverage by two days. Thankfully, it was only the practice and Pro-Am rounds — not the main event.
“Cable Guy” is Born
Surprisingly, the TV production crew took it in stride. I wasn’t proud of what happened, but today, it makes me laugh. They even gave me a new nickname: “Cable Guy”, or sometimes “TV Guy” — like Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy.
The tournament went on perfectly afterward, and everyone moved past the mishap. But a few days later, as I walked toward our maintenance shed, I noticed a brand-new sign mounted beside the door:
“WELCOME TO THE SCCA The Swedish Cutting Cables Association.”
It was professionally made and installed by the TV crew while we were out on the course. Their way of saying no hard feelings — and creating a running joke that lives on to this day.
Looking Back
Every greenkeeper has stories — early mornings, long days, unexpected chaos. But this one tops them all.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s this: even when things go wrong, laughter and teamwork carry you through. And sometimes, the best stories come from the biggest mistakes.
Location: Kristianstads GK, Åhus, Sweden
Event: Ladies European Tour – Creekhouse Ladies Open 2021
Head greenkeeper in Gothenburg, Sweden, working in the turf industry since 2018. Passionate about sustainable maintenance and new technologies, he focuses on innovative ways to improve turf quality while reducing environmental impact.
The founder of this independent platform, created to connect turf professionals and enthusiasts, share knowledge, and highlight the evolving role of greenkeepers worldwide.
When not on the course, he enjoys exploring golf destinations, writing about turf management, and engaging with the international greenkeeping community. A big fan of Swedish football — especially the Allsvenskan — and an enthusiastic Football Manager player. Beyond turf and football, a happy father and husband.
