Seasonal to assistant superintendent

By |  August 10, 2017 0 Comments

(Left) Assistant Superintendent Shane Omann gives direction to two of Quail Hollow’s crew members — a group he was a part of not too long ago.

Promotion through hard work is something that Quail Hollow Assistant Superintendent Shane Omann has grown accustomed to.

The Iowa native graduated from Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a degree in turf management, and then started as a crew member at the Des Moines (Iowa) Golf and Country Club. The club’s Superintendent Rick Tegtmeier eventually promoted him to assistant superintendent, where Omann worked under his tutelage for two and a half years.

When Omann and his wife wanted to move away from Iowa to “try something new,” he came across some open seasonal positions at Quail Hollow and the couple moved to Charlotte, N.C. After six months as a seasonal employee, Omann was again promoted to the role of assistant superintendent, and now he has been with the club for four years.

In that time, he has helped host three Wells Fargo Championships and he says that while he doesn’t see that much of a difference in the maintenance of the course, the crew has an extra motivation for the PGA Championship.

“From a maintenance department perspective, it’s not that different for us. The level of tournament is the difference,” says Omann. “For our team our motivation is skyrocketed because it’s a major and the last major of the year and the sun will set at Quail Hollow for the 2017 golf year. We’re really looking forward to being the host.”

For Omann, the most stressful part of the last couple months leading up to the PGA Championship was not the golf course itself but getting everything organized for the action at Quail Hollow.

(Center) Omann talks with the cup-cutting team on the back 9 for the PGA Championship.

“The grass and the golf course are taking care of themselves but organization has probably been the most stressful thing for me. We’ve got that under control but it’s the organization, with everything that is coming to the course like the tents and other structures. So it’s just staying organized and focused on the end goal.”

With a superintendent like Keith Wood as a mentor and friend, Omann is confident in the maintenance staff and their ability to get the job done.

“Working for Keith is a blessing because he is very personable, and he gets in the trenches with you,” says Omann. “I’ve learned something every single day that I will take with me to where ever I go.”

Omann adds that he is grateful to Quail Hollow as well for the opportunity to learn while at the course.

“It definitely puts a smile on my face knowing I can put this in my back pocket and take it with me wherever I go,” says Omann. “The biggest thing I’ll take from my time at Quail Hollow and being able to host this PGA Championship in our business (is) I know what great is, and I know what I need to do to make my future great.”

Photos: Golfdom

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