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Category: Industry

Published: Friday, 11 May 2012 08:55

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Nick Groetsema is so engrossed in his work as a golf course equipment manager that he plies his trade at two facilities and teaches it at a third.

The head equipment manager at Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly, N.J., Groetsema also spends about 20 hours per week at a nearby course that doesn’t have the budget to hire its own mechanic. If that weren’t enough, he also teaches a course in small engine maintenance and repair at a local community college.

For his efforts, Groetsema has been named one of three finalists for the 2012 TurfNet Technician of the Year Award, presented by The Toro Co .

Also named as finalists were David Blowers of East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta and Kevin Bauer of Prairie Bluff Golf Course in Lockport, Ill. Click on the name of each finalist to learn more about his achievements.

The TurfNet Technician of the Year Award is given annually to one golf course equipment manager based on his or her skills in the following areas: crisis management; effective budgeting; environmental awareness; helping to further and promote the careers of colleagues and employees; interpersonal communications; inventory management and cost control; overall condition and dependability of rolling stock; shop safety; and work ethic.

The winner receives the Golden Wrench Award and a weeklong training session at Toro's Service Training University at the company's headquarters in Bloomington, Minn.

The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges from a list of 18 technicians who were nominated by superintendents, general managers, peers and colleagues, as well as industry professionals. Judges are Carl Osterhaus of Toro, Peter McCormick, Jon Kiger, John Reitman and Randy Wilson of TurfNet; Richard McGuinness of Horry-Georgetown University; John Piersol of Florida Gateway College.