Meet the team

Mark Ellis

Managing Director

The family bought Burghill Valley Golf Club 8 years ago. I was previously the co- founder of M and M Direct based in Leominster and I am also involved in several other companies as well as a house building company and I also have many community interests. During our tenure at BVGC we have invested heavily on new greenkeeping machinery, a refurbished clubhouse and kitchen and many improvements to the golf course.

We feel we have a very welcoming and friendly family run club and offer a great golf and leisure experience.

Office Team

Amy Ellis

General Manager/ Welfare Officer

After studying sports science at UWIC I did my teacher training in Hereford in PE. I moved to London and taught PE for 7 years and when moving back decided to change careers and join BVGC. I play a lot of sport in my spare time which now includes some golf in the summer months.

Lou Padian

HR Manager

I have worked for the Ellis family for over 34 years, working in many areas from working in a shop, a buyer at M&M Direct to now looking after the staff as the HR manager here at BVGC.  I really enjoy looking after everyone and organising training and the well-being of the staff.  In my personal life, I am a Samaritan and I have graduated as a counsellor.

Mark Thomas

Club Liason Manager

I have been a member at BVGC since the course opened in 1991 and joined the team in June 2022. Previously I worked in the Retail and Hospitality sector fin the HQ’s of Wyevale Garden Centres in Hereford and Dunelm in Leicester. Hereford has been my adopted home for 36 years, it’s a lovely place where I met my wife and had my daughter Sophie who also works at BVGC.

Karen Blythe

Office Administrator/ Marketing

Having graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA in Business Management and Leisure Recreation, I then headed to Bristol to study for my MA in Marketing at UWE, while also gaining my Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma in Bristol.  My career in marketing began at a large Gas and Electrical retailer, based in their head office in Birmingham. After three years, and a move to Surrey, I worked in Wimbledon at the Ski Club of Great Britain, again in the marketing department.  My family interest in golf then led me to American Golf UK where I was based at a golf club in West Byfleet as Marketing and Events Manager.  After three years of thoroughly enjoying my involvement in the golf industry, I stopped work to become a full time Mum to my two children. Two decades on, and now based in Hereford with both children at university, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get back into working in golf. Starting work at BVGC fitted perfectly with me taking up the sport again.  If I am not in the office, I am very often on the course – trying very hard to become a better golfer!

Dave Woodhouse

Site Services

Born in Kidderminster in January 1961 moved to Hereford when  4 years old , Ex-British Telecom manager with over 37 years service working at Madley Satellite Earth Station  this followed a four year apprenticeship at Henry Wiggin .

Currently using my knowledge and experience to support the team at Burghill having lived through the birth of computers and the expansion of communications we all take for granted today.

Greenkeeping Team

Lee Williams

Head Greenkeeper

Until I was 8 years old, I lived at the rolls of monmouth golf club where my dad was the head groundsman and whilst growing up I helped my dad in the summer holidays at puckrup hall golf club. From this point, I knew this is what I wanted to do as a career. When I left school I went to college and got an apprenticeship at Monmouth golf club and within 5 years, I moved up the ladder and became the head greenkeeper. I made vast improvements to the greens and drainage of the course. I was at Monmouth for another 12 years and in that time the club let me have 3 months off to go work in Australia where I worked at one of Sydneys prestigious, courses that later held the men’s and women’s Australian open. In 2017, I moved to Manchester where I became a senior greenkeeper at bramall park golf club before I found a head groundsman job at Avro golf club where I spent 2 years. My wife and I always wanted to move back closer to family and amazingly, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place for me here at Burghill.

George Simpson

Deputy Head Greenkeeper

Born and raised on the family farm many moons ago. My first proper job was at Luddington Research Station where I raised cropps for trials and met my wife to be Mary. Then spent 7 years at the Min of Agriculture as Horticultural Marketing inspector where I re-discovered my passion for golf. I decided then I wanted to work in an outdoor environment and trained to be a greenkeeper, so went to Canningbon College to get my HND in Golf Course Management. I spent brief periods at Mendip Spring GC, Gleneagles GC and High Bullen Hotel GC, before joining the Greenkeeping team at Burghill in 1996.

Dean Creighton

Greenkeeper

Dean trained as a motorsport technician, and at 19 this qualification took him to work in Brisbane, Australia for 3 years. On his return he worked for 7 years in motorsport around Europe. Dean started to play golf at the age of 5 and it has been his main passion since then. On moving back to Hereford he started at BVGC and has been an asset to the greenkeeping team with his wealth of knowledge of machinery and golf.

Rory James

Greenkeeper

25 years old  Attended Kingstone Academy Trust ,leaving school in July 2014 

A member of Belmont Golf Club as a Junior until it’s closure in February 2014  joining Burghill Valley Golf club , member of SHUGC county coaching (under Andy’s guidance ) ,represented the county at U16 level .

Joined  Burghill Valley Golf club initially  carrying  out waiter  and pro shop duties before becoming a full time member of the Greenkeeper team towards the end of 2014 .

Obtained  NVQ level 2 Sports Turf management in July 2019

Catering Team

Nick Isaac

Catering Manager

Went to Hereford catering college for two years

Then worked at the moat house before moving to the royal garden hotel in London where I worked for 2years working my way up to sous chef then moved to the inn on the park London for a few months then spent the next 18 years working in France and three summers in Corsica where I was head chef for bladon lines l also worked in some bars and clubs and some local bistros

I helped set a bar cafe with some friends ‘cafe fats” which I ran for three years

I then came back to the uk working as a private chef in the uk and France.after that

in a cider factory running the canteens then head chef at a retirement village in hereford

And now I am at BVGC.

Dave Moruzzi

Maintenance/ Chef

Dave Qualified as a Chef in 1982, then worked in the building industry for 10 years. He then joined the Family business ‘The Matabeau Café and ran the Café for 25 years until it closed in 2017. He has been a part of the BVGC team since 2017 as a Maintenance Manager and Chef.

Paul Austen

Chef

Following a career in pharmaceuticals, I have dedicated the last 23 years in hospitality as owner, chef and GM of several herefordshire country pubs and hotels. Ironically, I play all sports except golf. I now work in a golf club!! Who'd have thought!!

Sophie Thomas

Accounts manager/ Bar and Catering Team

My time at Burghill began when I was 16 as a Sunday Girl in the restaurant whilst studying at Hereford Sixth Form College. After completing my A Levels I then went to the University of Chester and achieved a degree in BSc Accounting and Finance. Having taken an 18 month break from BVGC after uni, I then returned and now work in the office as Accounts Manager whilst also working in the bar. If you cannot find me in either the office or bar, then you may find me on the golf course, having recently taken up ladies coaching with the Pro Shop!