Can golf courses successfully transition auto mechanics to turf technicians?

Many auto mechanics don’t realize golf courses have a need for people with their skills. Among other benefits, the pace is much slower and the scenery is a lot better. (Photo: kali9 / E+ / Getty Images)

Ask any superintendent which position on his staff is the most crucial to the daily operation of the golf course and the answer is the equipment technician. From preventative maintenance of equipment, reel adjustment and shop organization, our techs fill an extremely valuable role. Just like every position on our staff, equipment techs are hard to come by in this competitive job market.

I personally have had good success in filling my technician role by looking outside of our industry. Five out of my past six mechanics have come from the automotive industry. Two have come from dealerships, one from the trucking industry and one from a national garage chain. All have had a lot of experience in troubleshooting and had a particularly good skill set in fundamental mechanics. I do not feel there is much difference in auto versus turf machinery. All my techs have picked up the role well.

Dan Stahl

The survey says

For this article, I reached out to a few of them and asked them for their insights on working at a golf course compared to working in an auto mechanic’s shop. They all made similar points with their experience in the transition. Here’s what they said:

• My guys all enjoyed learning something new. Whether it was related to equipment repair or not, they all enjoyed learning about our industry and the “why’s” of course management.
• The pace is slower. The demands of making repairs can be the same, but the race to get a repair done, to get the vehicle back to the owner before the shop closes by the end of the day, is reduced. The stress of “book time” is not there.
• The physical demands of working in an automotive shop were “too much for me to bear anymore. I can do the work, but at my age, the daily grind became too much.”
• They all enjoyed the beauty of the course. They also enjoy operating equipment on the course. Mowing, or other jobs, gives them the operator’s perspective and they have a deeper understanding of why repairs need to be done. It also gives them a break from standing over a bench or a piece of equipment and breaks up their day.
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  Stahl’s mechanics said they enjoyed working on equipment owned by the course, over an endless line of cars that they’d never see again. This also allowed them to become familiar with the equipment. (Photo: Luke Cella, CGCS)

  All my techs found working on ‘their own equipment’ appealing, versus having to diagnose a noise or rattle in a ‘random’ car off the street. They get to know each piece of equipment and gain context for any problems or issues that can arise. It is easier for them to plan a schedule and anticipate the needs of the shop.

• Another pleasurable aspect in the role of turf tech is the change of seasons. Different seasons bring various aspects of course maintenance. There is not just one constant line of cars to work on. The variety of work keeps things fresh.
• My current tech made the comment to me that he did not envision that an equipment tech job existed. “I always golf in the afternoon, and I can’t say I have ever seen anyone doing maintenance on the course while I was playing.” This comment made me realize that it is just like everything else we as an industry struggle with — we need to continue educating the public in every aspect of course maintenance.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics is $46,970 per year. They estimate 782,200 people work in that industry. (Photo: Luke Cella, CGCS)

Reel ’em in

I can imagine some of you are wondering, “What about reels?” Yes, this is the biggest hurdle to bringing in a mechanic that is unfamiliar with the process. Honestly, it takes a little time, but most of my techs take right to adjusting. They have some anxiety in the beginning, as do I, but with a few hours of training they get comfortable with adjusting reels. You must expect that it will take them extra time for the first couple of weeks to complete reel set up.

For what it is worth, this has been my observation of techs making the move from the automotive field to the green industry. I asked the question about the drawbacks with the move to the golf course, but nobody had negative comments about making the switch.

I hope these points are of use to someone who is trying to lure a tech into our side of the business.