Christmas 18—WORTHINGTON — For just over a year, the Worthington GreatLIFE golf course has had a new superintendent maintaining the grounds and greens around the course.
That superintendent is Kyle Martin, a native of Okoboji, Iowa, and alumni of the renowned turfgrass management program at Iowa State University.
Martin has worked on golf courses since high school. He likes to work outdoors, and keeps active hunting and fishing when away from the greens. Martin likes to play an occasional round of golf, but admits his true passion lies with the grass that makes up the course.
Martin chose to work in groundskeeping at a golf course rather than a stadium because of the impact he can have on a course. At an athletic complex, such as a baseball diamond or football field, groundskeepers work to maintain the grass and turf to be the same in perpetuity, whereas a golf course superintendent can leave their signature on the course and make changes from day to day and year to year.
Martin is in charge of placing the cups for Worthington’s 18 hole course. He said he likes to see golfers get a hole in one on his course. He’s also in charge of mowing greens, fairways and maintaining the hazards such as the ponds.
Martin isn’t alone in the groundskeeping department. He is in charge of a hodgepodge group of retired men, seasonal workers, off-season teachers, college kids and high schoolers who work in tandem to keep GreatLIFE pristine.
Martin is a young superintendent, but he has some lofty goals for the Worthington course — including winning some hardware. He hopes to have the work he does for the Worthington course someday earn him recognition as the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents’ Association superintendent of the year.
Martin said the job is pretty consistent in terms of scheduling — mowing and maintaining in the early mornings to beat the afternoon and evening golf rush — but that tournaments and big events can make things interesting.
When GreatLIFE hosts a big tournament such as the Labor Day Classic, or the Minnesota State High School League Section 3A Championship, they typically incorporate a staggered start. That means Martin and the groundskeepers need to get all of their work done a lot earlier — as every hole will have golfers competing.
It makes for an early day but Martin likes to see the course being played and finds it well worth the effort in the end. So whenever you find yourself on the course and your drive rolls exactly where you want it to, let Martin know. Above all else, he is a friendly face and hopefully his mark on the course is a Worthington staple for years to come.
To watch video of Kyle Martin, visit
dglobe.com
.