I began to pursue my new found passion by attending a 2 week Landscaping course when I was 15. It was there that I first learned the proper techniques in turf and plant care. I quickly began doing work for all of my parents friends and with that came the decision to start my own landscaping company.
After graduating from high school I attended a year long trade school and got certified in Property Care and Management. It was there that I got my first taste of golf course maintenance. Embassy Hills Golf Course was a 9 hole facility that had 2 sets of tees, in case you wanted to play 18, you would get a different look at the greens the second time around. I was in charge of the whole thing. spraying, mowing, maintaining the reels, irrigation repair, all of it was on my shoulders and I loved it. I learned every aspect of golf course maintenance and fell in love with it all. The irrigation system was antiquated and completely useless, half the holes were shut down because there were so many leaks. There was a combination of Rain Bird, Toro, and Hunter heads sprinkled throughout the course. Along with the pipe leaks there were numerous crossed wired and box issues, most of the time when you programmed water different heads would come on than the day before.
The Course was in bad shape but I didn't see that. I saw a blank slate with my name on it. I tackled the irrigation first asking my instructor as many questions as I could. The course had no money and was "busy" if we got 20 golfers, all of my repairs to the heads came from parts that had been stored in the shed for years. Unbeknown to me this would be a huge asset, I got to work on all 3 major heads at the same time and learn them inside and out, even down to replacing hydraulic lines and stators. By the time I left I had all the irrigation in good working order and we were even able to program run cycles over night and sleep easy.
I left Embassy Hills Golf Course and my trade school with a strong sense of what turf care required and looked like and despite the joy I had working at the Course I was still set on owning a Landscaping co. Flash forward almost 10 years and that passion for turf maintenance is still there. I have owned a Landscaping Company and I loved it. But even more than that I love seeing fog roll over a fairway as the sun peeks above the trees while I'm checking moisture on my greens. I love seeing the fruit of my hard work every day, the challenge of keeping a Bentgrass green alive in august, and the challenge of developing new strategies and plans to decrease disease pressure without blowing our budget. I'm enthusiastic about my job and my career, I never want to stop learning and I'm not afraid to ask questions of it means I can do my job better. I am the Guardian of my greens.
I am Peter Danaher, Superintendent Rock Creek Golf Course.
