My career in the golf course industry started when I was 14 years old.  I worked for a small, 9-hole private club in Colby, Kansas where I grew up.  As I got older, I kept the passion for working on golf courses as I worked at Firethorn Country Club in Lincoln, Nebraska while working on my bachelor's degree at the University of Nebraska.  During that time, I also performed an internship at Queen's Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida.  It was between my junior and senior years of college that I came to work for Landscapes Unlimited.  While with Landscapes Unlimited, I was sent to Drumm Farm Golf Club in Independence, Missouri to perform the construction of Drumm Farm Golf Club.  When the construction was complete, I was asked to stay on with Landscapes to become an assistant construction superintendent. I was also asked to stay by the golf course superintendent to be his assistant and complete the grow-in. I ultimately decided to go the maintenance route rather than continue with golf course construction.  I was able to gain a ton of experience and earned a lot of respect as I quickly was promoted to golf course superintendent in June of 2004.

MY CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE

My experience constructing Drumm Farm Golf Club was one of the most formative and hands-on chapters of my career. I was in charge of building all 29 greens, carefully shaping and fine-grading each surface to meet precise specifications for playability, drainage, and long-term turf performance. From subgrade preparation to gravel placement, drainage installation and final rootzone finishing, I ensured every green was constructed to promote firm, consistent conditions. In addition to the greens, I also played a key role in installing drainage throughout the property, building drain pipe networks not only in bunkers but also the subsurface drainage throughout the property.  Being involved in all these different phases of construction allowed me to understand the course from the ground up and take pride in delivering a solid foundation for its long-term success.

MY GROW-IN EXPERIENCE

As the assistant superintendent during the grow-in of Drumm Farm Golf Club, I gained a wealth of knowledge that has been unbelievably valuable throughout my career. After construction was completed, I played a hands-on role with the establishment of all playing surfaces, including seeding the greens with A4 bentgrass. The fairways and tees were established with zoysiagrass. Managing a crew of 20 during the grow-in demanded organization, leadership, and constant attention to detail.  We overcame challenge after challenge as Mother Nature threw all sorts of crazy weather at us throughout the entire process. The intensity and responsibility of guiding a brand-new golf course from bare soil to playable conditions taught me more about agronomy, leadership, and problem-solving than any other period in my career and it remains the single greatest learning experience of my professional journey.

MY FIRST SUPERINTENDENT POSITION  

Serving as a first-time superintendent at Drumm Farm Golf Club was both humbling and defining for my career. Stepping into full leadership responsibility required me to quickly develop even better skills in staff management, budgeting, long-range planning, and daily operational decision-making. I learned how to build and better motivate a team, delegate responsibilities effectively and create a culture of accountability and pride in our work. Managing a small budget taught me the importance of prioritizing resources, forecasting expenses, and balancing course conditions with financial realities. I also made my share of mistakes—some small, some significant—but each one became a lesson in communication, preparation, and adaptability. Those early challenges forced me to reflect, adjust and grow, ultimately shaping my leadership style and strengthening my agronomic expertise. Looking back, the mistakes were just as valuable as the successes and they played a critical role in developing the confident, resilient superintendent I am today.

REFINING MY SKILLS AT CREEKMOOR

Serving as the golf course superintendent at The Golf Club at Creekmoor has been one of great interpersonal growth. Building on the hard-earned lessons from earlier in my career—particularly the challenges and growth I experienced during construction, grow-in and my first superintendent role—my interpersonal skills have grown to a new level. Creekmoor is a much different golf facility than Drumm Farm.  Here, I have learned a lot about collaborating with committees and a board of directors.  

Overall, my focus has centered on consistency. Using the proven agronomic plan I have developed over my time as a superintendent, our team has achieved consistently firm, fast greens and immaculate playing surfaces that haven't gone unnoticed. Just as importantly, I have built and mentored a highly accountable maintenance team, fostering pride, communication, and shared standards of excellence.  I've been very fortunate to have retained many of the same great people I hired many years ago and have learned as much from them as they have from me.  

As a result of my comprehensive and consistent approach, Creekmoor has earned a reputation as one of the most finely manicured golf courses in the Midwest. Golfers throughout the Midwest have come to recognize the course for its championship-level conditions, consistent green speeds and immaculate overall presentation. My time at Creekmoor represents the culmination of years of growth, learning, and refinement—proof that experience, resilience, and a commitment to excellence can transform both a golf course and a career.

MY FUTURE