19th Hole: Meet Superintendent Alex Lincoln of Lakelands G&CC

Alex Lincoln
Superintendent
Lakelands G&CC, Brighton, Mich.

Alex, after 18 holes, what can I get you?

I’ve been sober for the last four years, so I’ll take any NA or an ice-cold Diet Coke.

Tell me about your club.

I’m at Lakelands G&CC in Hamburg Township, Mich. It’s a small lakeside community. I started there in 2022. I’m super thankful to get the opportunity to be there. We’ve done major projects almost every year I’ve been there, and I’ve been fortunate to have a great team helping make that happen.

How did you find your way into the industry?

I started at Michigan State in 2009. I thought about being an engineer. Then I realized I don’t want a desk job. I worked at the golf course in my hometown during the summers, a little 9-hole Donald Ross. There’s a superintendent there who said you should check it out — his name is Doug Boyle, he’s retired now. I checked it out and loved it. 

What’s the best thing about your job?

Being outdoors. I don’t think I have the attention span to sit at a desk all day. And the variability of your day. Especially in our 30-week season, I can do something different every day and never get tired of it.

Do you have a favorite moment or memory from being in the industry?

I have quite a few really cool memories. But I go back to my internship … I worked at the CC of North Carolina with Ron Kelly, who I think is notorious, but he’s an icon. We did a full greens renovation. It was great to learn from someone who has been in the industry for so long.

Who are your teams?

All Detroit. I’m a Spartan at heart, I bleed green. Detroit Lions, Tigers, Pistons and Wings. Anything with the Old English D, I’m all about it.

Any highlights of what you’ve seen at the Golfdom Summit?

The autonomous side and what is coming down the pipeline is really intriguing. Meeting with Kress, AOS and Husqvarna and getting those relationships built is nice; I think that’s the future. Meeting everyone at the Summit and being able to rub elbows with these guys who are all really good at their jobs is better than anything I’ve ever been to.

If I’m ever in your area, what’s one thing I’ve got to do?

It’s not my favorite part of the woods, but to eat, I’d send you to Ann Arbor and go to Zingerman’s Deli … just don’t breathe the air down there!

Tell me about your family, and what do you all do for fun?

My wife, Andrea, also works in the golf industry, and we have two boys, Jackson (age 5) and Grant (age 3). As much as I love this profession, family comes first. We enjoy being on the lake and taking the boys on adventures, especially during Michigan summers.