19th Hole: Tim Davis

Photo: Lou Ferraro, South Park Photography

Tim Davis

Superintendent // Legacy Ridge GC, Westminster, Colo.

What are you having? I’ve never met a beer I wouldn’t drink. I’ll have whatever you’re having — get two.

Tell me about your family. I’ve been married 10 years to my beautiful wife, Liz, from Kansas City. We have two kids: Nathan is 7 and Sam is 4.

Speaking of Kansas City, how about those Chiefs? How about those Chiefs! I’m a big-time fan from way back. I grew up knowing them as the Griefs. I still can’t believe it.

What should I know about your course? It’s a municipal golf course owned by the City of Westminster. It’s 18 holes, an Arthur Hills design. Some would say it’s the crown jewel of Westminster.

I forgot to mention … sorry my Jayhawks brawled with your Wildcats. That was crazy. Your dirty birds, they kicked our butts on and off the court. Don’t throw your chair at me if this interview goes south! But Kansas State University versus Kansas University is an underrated rivalry — it goes back forever.

Are you still collecting vinyl records? Yeah, I just got two for my birthday — Bartender’s Blues, George Jones, and Presto, Rush. I only get the classics. We usually play records on Sunday mornings, typically soul, like Otis Redding or the Commodores.

What qualities do you look for when hiring? I look for potential. Past experience is great, but when a person shows me potential, that’s huge. Also, I look for a positive person. As much negativity that comes our way — Mother Nature, the workload — you have to be a positive person to fit in at Legacy Ridge. I don’t have patience for negative people.

Fill in the blank: _____ is something Golfdom should be reporting on. Preemption repeal. We’re facing it here in Colorado. Environmental groups are trying to repeal preemptive laws, which would give municipalities and cities the right to regulate chemicals as they see fit, as opposed to the Colorado Department of Agriculture or the EPA. It’s a way to circumvent those laws, and it’s also a way for the city to get its foot in the door to put an outright ban on pesticides. It’s about to get ugly here in Colorado — I have to go testify on this at the state Capitol later this week.

Good advice, and good luck! Tell me about your finest moment on the golf course … and by ‘finest,’ I really mean ‘most embarrassing.’ It was my third day here at Legacy Ridge. Some branches fell overnight, and I thought I’d be a hero and clean them up. And I put the chainsaw in my foot, I needed seven stitches, a worker’s comp claim and everything. My third day on the job! I was getting eye rolls from everyone.

As interviewed by Seth Jones, March 3, 2020.