A QUICK NINE

Why did you join the GCSANJ Board?

Why did you become a superintendent? Tell us about your golf course.

What is something unique about your golf course?

I have always wanted to give back to this association since it has provided me with the knowledge and network for me to advance in my career.

Like most, I really enjoy working outdoors and the variety of problem solving this job offers.

Montammy Golf Club is an 18 hole golf course in the far northeast section of the state The property’s character comes from its extensive elevation changes and large rock outcroppings

The golf course’s routing The exterior of the property is the front nine and the back nine is in the center.

There was an opening in our district, and I wanted to see what being a part of a group of my peers was all about, while giving back to our association

The home I grew up in was located on a public golf course in South Jersey. The Superintendent at the time, was tired of throwing my group of friends off of the golf course at night, while he was trying to water (manual irrigation system). He ended up offering all of us jobs, so we could play free golf and not have to “sneak” on the course anymore

Tavistock is a private country club located in South Jersey, renovated to bentgrass playing surfaces in 2007-2008. We are currently in the initial stages of implementing a new master plan by architect Jaeger Kovich.

We are the smallest borough in the State of New Jersey, with 4 homes and approximately 12 residents

GCSANJ has supported me tremendously throughout my tenure here at Plainfield and I feel like it’s time for me to give back what will only be a small portion of the time and energy the membership and association have extended to me

I have always enjoyed being outside and fell in love with golf in high school The two made a fairly good fit in our industry

The golf course was designed by Donald Ross in 1916 that remains one of his best and still largely intact designs. We have hosted numerous national and regional events and hope to continue to do so in the future The golf course sits on an undulating piece of ground, which is a terminal moraine the glaciers left behind after the last ice age. Our original Ross push-up greens are pretty severely pitched and provide a fairly stern test.

The Battle of Short Hills, one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War where American troops flew the original Stars and Stripes flag likely occurred on the property. We fly the original Betsy Ross flag on our main flagpole to commemorate this.

What is the biggest challenge that you face at your property?

Poor soils with ledge rock close to the surface

What is something that you have continued to do non-stop since the start of your career?

If you could go back in time, what is one piece of advice you would tell your younger self?

Favorite on the course snack? Favorite golf course that you have not worked at? And why?

Golf! With almost 1400 members (a mix of full golfing members and social members) we are extremely busy!

Look

Manage the water as best as possible. That old adage of “You can put it down, but you can’t take it away” is one that is constantly in the back of my head!

Tavistock can be a notoriously wet golf course I’m sure my staff would like me to put more water down, but that fine balance between playability and turf health is very important!

Honestly, I can’t identify one big challenge that is unique to Plainfield that every superintendent doesn’t already face I am very lucky to lead one of the most talented teams in our business that ALWAYS rise to the many challenges thrown at us I am also grateful for an incredibly supportive membership and club management that gives my team the resources, tools and political support to rectify many of the addressable challenges our property presents, giving us the best chance at success. To make sure I wasn’t crazy or way off-base, I asked my assistant Mike this same question and he concurred with my assessment

I get less sleep than I would really like to at night

Your children will only be young for a very short time, spend as much time with them as you can!

30 lbs ago I would have said a chipwich!

Recently chicken salad in a cup

Fishers the

Pine Valley. As a kid growing up in South Jersey, Pine Valley and Tavistock were the two places we “looked over the fence” I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play Pine Valley a few times, and there is a reason it’s #1 in the world!

Be less of a hot head. I can be wound pretty tight, which is a blessing and curse at times, but calm down a little bit. It is just grass; almost no situation in my daily routine will be true life or death

I almost never have snacks on the course at work but while playing golf, it has to be the sausage sandwich at Sunningdale

Cypress Point From the drive in along 17 Mile Drive, the simple but aweinspiring locker room and of course the masterpiece of golf architecture weaving through the Monterey forest, sand dunes and cliffs above the Pacific, it’s as good of day of golf as anywhere in the world To paraphrase the plaque on the 17th tee, “count your blessings to be one of the very few to pass this way” Amen to that