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Mike_Young

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The golf course mechanic
« on: July 04, 2017, 11:25:42 PM »
Is the most forgotten guy in the golf business....they are becoming more difficult to find and without a good one a supt is up the creek.  Not sure the average golfer understands the role they play in his everyday golf experience....

Anybody know of one looking for a job? ;D ;D ;D
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"just standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"

Mark Pavy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2017, 03:00:09 AM »
The guy I use is a genius, I was very lucky to find him when I did, he's saved me thousands over the years. Sorry, you can't have him. ;D
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archie_struthers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2017, 05:15:05 AM »
 ;)




Mike is so right.  They are so important , and without a good one everything slows down in the maintenance barn . It's often a solitary job in some ways , in that most of the guys are out works while he is toiling behind the scenes.


I'm going to go thank our guy again today , thanks Mike !
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James Bennett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2017, 05:31:47 AM »
It is over a decade since I was a course chairman.
Getting a good mechanic onto the course staff is one of my most valued achievements (my judgement, of course).
I am thankful for all he has been able to contribute, especially for the cost.

Nothing like being confident that a machine is less likely to drop oil on the course, or have sharp blades, or be in good condition for those rare times when it needs to be used.
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Bob; its impossible to explain some of the clutter that gets recalled from the attic between my ears. .  (SL Solow)

Ryan Coles

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2017, 06:10:04 AM »
A lot of run of the mill UK courses don't have a mechanic. They have experienced greenkeepers who "dabble". When the dabblers move on or retire, Clubs find that mechanics earn far more than greenkeepers and they can't afford one without paying him the same or more than the Head man.


Lots seem to be getting out of greenkeeping and moving into landscaping etc and earning more money from it. With lots of the colleges no longer offering Greenkeeping or Horticulture, I think there might actually be a shortage of good greenstaff in a few years, never mind mechanics.
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A.G._Crockett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2017, 08:16:49 AM »
Mike,
My son is an assistant super now, and I'll confess 100% that I didn't have any idea about the mechanic thing until he made me aware of it.  It's had a nice little spillover for us, because his mechanic has been a good resource for telling my son what's wrong with his truck!
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"Golf...is usually played with the outward appearance of great dignity.  It is, nevertheless, a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly and sears the soul."      Bobby Jones

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2017, 08:48:47 AM »
No other person involved with a golf course can make everyone look so good...or bad....as the equipment manager/ mechanic. Fortunately, the associations are doing a good job of involving them in continuing education and increased profiles...and increaing their payscale as well.


My hats' off to these guys.
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" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Blake Conant

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2017, 09:03:19 AM »
Quote from: Mike_Young on July 04, 2017, 11:25:42 PM
Is the most forgotten guy in the golf business....they are becoming more difficult to find and without a good one a supt is up the creek.  Not sure the average golfer understands the role they play in his everyday golf experience....

Anybody know of one looking for a job? ;D ;D ;D


Definitely harder and harder to find.  And he needs a good assistant, too.  More reason to emphasize trade schools.
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Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2017, 10:47:04 AM »

I hear the job market makes it even harder than usual to get a good mechanic at golf course wages.  Tough deal for golf, as some mechanics even resort to NBA free agent tactics to raise their salaries.




Mike, I figured you would post a thread on golf course dogs before any other personnel......
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Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

A.G._Crockett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2017, 11:38:41 AM »
Quote from: Jeff_Brauer on July 05, 2017, 10:47:04 AM

I hear the job market makes it even harder than usual to get a good mechanic at golf course wages.  Tough deal for golf, as some mechanics even resort to NBA free agent tactics to raise their salaries.




Mike, I figured you would post a thread on golf course dogs before any other personnel......

Dogs! One of the REALLY underrated parts of the maintenance crew!  One of the assistants at the course where I play has two black labs that he brings with him a lot of days; I haven't seen a Canadian goose or goose turd in a year and a half! 

Now if the dogs could just climb trees and get the blue herons to relocate and quit pooping RoundUp, all would be right with the world...
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"Golf...is usually played with the outward appearance of great dignity.  It is, nevertheless, a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly and sears the soul."      Bobby Jones

Tom Bacsanyi

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2017, 12:08:40 AM »
I'm not sure how ANY golf course mechanic jobs get filled.  The pay is about the same as any comparable mechanic job apart from the 1% clubs, the hours are way worse, the equipment gets beat to shit, etc. etc.  They are definitely a special breed.
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Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty.

--Harry Vardon

Adrian_Stiff

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2017, 02:47:18 AM »
Worth their weight in gold. I have been working with ours since 1977. We could do with 'two' of him.
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A combination of whats good for golf and good for turf.
The Players Club, Cumberwell Park, The Kendleshire, Oake Manor, Dainton Park, Forest Hills, Erlestoke, St Cleres.
www.theplayersgolfclub.com

Steve Okula

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The golf course mechanic
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2017, 08:06:17 AM »
Agreed that a great mechanic can be worth his weight in gold, perhaps even literally over a 40 year career, if he's not too large a person. 

Too often they tend to be tempermental, alomost like the caricature of a brilliant chef, but the guy I've had for the past 16 years is not only the most technically proficeint  golf course mechanicI have ever seen, but completely unperturbable come what may. He is so good, that he doesn't even play the same music on the shop radio everyday, he has eclectic tastes that run from pop to country to jazz to classical to blues to salsa to flamenco, so it never gets old.

If I were forced to start layig off staff, the mechanic and I would be the mast two men standing.
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The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.
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