The 19th Hole: Lupe Moreno

Superintendent // Shary Municipal GC, Mission, Texas

After a long day out on the golf course, what’s your drink of choice?

It’ll probably be a Dos Equis in a margarita. That’ll give you a good brain freeze, man.

So who is your sports team?

Any Texas team, but I prefer the Spurs of all of them. I watched all their games this year. They were the best team this season, they showed it all year long.

How hot has it been getting in south Texas?

Right now it’s been getting up in the 100s. Late August, early September is when it gets hot, yes sir.

What do you consider hot?

Anything over 105. People usually don’t golf.

What is course traffic like when it’s hot?

Probably 25 to 30, maybe 40 golfers on a really hot day. Our peak season is in the winter, when the Winter Texans are here. We get up to 350 to 400 rounds in a day.

How did you get into the business?

I started because I like to play golf. I quit my job and applied to work at a golf course, thinking I’d play more. I got really interested in the way the operation ran. Finally, my superintendent told me, ‘You know what, I’m going to teach you all I know… once you know how to run a golf course I’m going to let you loose and I’m going to go build some homes.’ That was back in 1988. I’ve worked repossessed courses, corporate golf, country clubs, to being at a municipal course now.

What’s the hardest thing about being a superintendent in your part of the country?

We’ve been in a drought situation for the last 15 years. It’s just not raining down here anymore. Last year I think we had a total of 4 inches of rain. It was tough, but we’re surviving. We’ve got the Rio Grande, which gives us the water for the course.

What’s your favorite piece of equipment?

My Toro computer for irrigation. I love it, that’d be the last thing I’d ever give up. The rest of my equipment is all old, but I keep it running, it does the job.

What do the local golfers look to Shary GC for?

It’s a golf course and it’s open to anybody who wants to play golf. They get treated well, and it’s not that expensive. And I’m working here — I try to make everybody happy!

Are you thinking about retirement?

I really haven’t thought about that, retiring… because what I’m going to do after I retire is golf. So I might as well just stay here and get paid for it, you know?

As interviewed by Seth Jones, July 1st, 2014.