GC HIGHLIGHT | MEMBER PROFILE
The Oakville Golf Club
Hole #6
1154 Sixth Line, Oakville, Ontario (905) 845-8321 www.oakvillegolfclub.com
Member since 2021 ABOUT THE COURSE The Oakville Golf Club is a prestigious private nine-hole golf facility established in 1921. Located on 56 acres of land at the South end of Sixth Line, running West to the banks of Sixteen Mile Creek. The original course architect was George Cumming with other architects laying out their vision over the years with Jeff Mingay as our current consulting architect on record. Private, semi-private, public, municipal, resort? Private Architect Original: George Cumming Architect Current: Jeff Mingay Number of holes: 9 Number of rounds annually: 26,000 Practice Facility: Yes Number of staff year-round/seasonal: 6 year-round / 19 seasonal Number of mechanics & assistants: One mechanic, John Lopes.
John Lopes Equipment Manager, The Oakville Golf Club
John Lopes.
By Al Schwemler, Past President and Director, OGSA.
During my career as a golf course superintendent, I always believed that golf course equipment managers/equipment technicians/mechanics (whatever their title may be) were the unsung heroes in golf course turfgrass maintenance departments. Their expertise, dedication, craft, and attention to detail are the foundations of a great turfgrass maintenance team. John Lopes has been practising his trade at The Oakville Golf Club since 2019. He
has been an equipment manager for over ten years and graduated college with a certificate in small engine repairs. He is a member of the club’s joint health and safety committee and has acquired certificates in chainsaw operation, safety, and CPR. John participates in GCSAA seminars, as well as seminars provided by equipment distributors to keep current with ever-changing technologies and equipment trends. He also believes the OGSA can help equipment managers by providing more networking and educational opportunities, in addition to spreading the word that one can have a very satisfying career as an EM on a golf course. JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 11