The new Warrnambool Golf Club superintendent, who started in the role on Monday, said another sport sparked his interest.

"It was a bit strange. I came from a cricket background and was really interested in turf cricket pitches," he said.

"I went into TAFE and the opportunity came up with a golf course. I'd never even thought about it but I haven't looked back.

"I don't think I'd ever go back (and work) at a cricket ground or footy ground now, there's too many diverse jobs at a golf course.

"I am pretty happy where I landed but it was random."

Clarke, who was "born and bred in the hills" in South Australia, crossed to Victoria after a stint at Kooyonga where he was course foreman.

The chance to step up into a superintendent role encouraged Clarke, 31, to move across the border.

"I put it back into cricket (terms) - I have been a captain-coach of a cricket squad and it's sort of the same being a superintendent, you've got a team to lead and you've got to predict and forecast what is happening ahead of the play. That's what really interests me," he said.

"It is a 24-hour, seven-day a week job. You're working with a living organism.

"You're not nine-to-five and you don't switch off when you leave the site.

"We're about to come into the stressful time now when irrigation is at its peak coming into summer."

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Clarke, who has worked overseas at courses in Scotland and Prague, is getting "the lay of the land" at Warrnambool.

"It's greener than any other course I have worked at," he said.

"Pretty much the whole site is growing compared to other courses where the rough dries out.

"It is quite a big property. It's a nice course. I played on it Sunday as well but my golf game is not the greatest."

He wants to work with the golf committee to identify areas of improvement.

Bunkers which "need some renovation work" are atop Clarke's agenda.

"Coming into the job I don't want to change too much with green speeds and coming into a new environment I've got wind I need to understand a bit better," he said.

"It's not changing the world in one day, it's seeing what you can do day by day."