ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - JOHN CALIGUIRE
John
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John Caliguire, 48, has been the assistant superintendent at Grosse Ile for the last four years, but he started working there at age 16 when his brother, Tom, now a superintendent at Forest Glen, in Naples, Fla., recommended him. Caliguire chased the golf playing dream first, and after college at Lake Superior State, played mini-tours, did some apprentice teaching and became an assistant golf professional. He’s from Southgate, lives in Flat Rock and is the divorced father to two daughters, Ciana, 13, and Kaylah, 11.
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WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR FIRST JOB IN GOLF? It was at Grosse Ile, and the biggest thing I learned was how to be meticulous in any and all of the jobs that are on the golf course. That would be the key thing I learned especially for working at a high-end country club. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THAT FIRST JOB? The first job was driving the threewheeler on the bunker rake, and that was kind of cool. Driving a three-wheeler was fun, especially when you are 16. WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES? Assigning job duties daily, helping Todd (Probert, superintendent) come up with a plan. We are also pretty much hands-on with everything here, too. We have a short staff, so Todd and I are doing something every day, all of the jobs. We are do-it-all guys.
Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association
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| www.migcsa.org
ON THE JOB, WHAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE IN YOUR ARSENAL FOR GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT? I would have to say a material hauler would be great to help in being able to top dress fairways. It would help make the golf course better. Having a material hauler to help top dress greens would be great. WHAT IS THE OLDEST PIECE OF EQUIPMENTY STILL BEING UTILIZED IN YOUR FLEET? We have a 2653 John Deere that is probably one of oldest pieces. I don’t even know how old. We use it to do the intermediate cut around fairways and the walkways from tees to fairways. It is hanging in there. It struggles to climb hills sometimes. It has to be a model from the 90s. It has been around at least 20 years. WHO ON YOUR CREW MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST? We have a lot of characters, but one of the old timers here, Frank, always has