I’m Eric Kulaas and I started in the golf industry in 1992 as Shop Foreman for the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. TurfTech was started on April 1, 1996 (that’s such a fitting date). It’s first incarnation was as a site for techs with a bulletin board. The initial mission statement was this:
“An online service for those involved with the equipment and technology used in the golf and turf industry.”
A lot of water has run under the bridge since then and I’ll be adding some of the milestones as this version developes.
In the early 2000′s, our local technicians association, Westech, was very much ahead of it’s time. The President at the time was Lucky Luchsinger, a retired Marine Officer with a penchant for golf. Due to his involvement the group became involved with the EETC, the Engine and Equipment Training Council. Through his efforts at certification a group of 5 of us were the first techs to achieve certification in all their areas. At the time they didn’t have a designation for that as it hadn’t been done before.
In 2002 I was nominated and selected by Superintendent News at the first Technician of the Year. That publication has since evolved to “SuperNEWS” and now “TurfNet”. We’re very happy that they had that award. There’s very little recognition for techs in the golf industry and this was the first.
In 2008 I was selected to receive “The Edwin Budding Award”. This award was created by the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association and is sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen in the United Kingdom. There’s several links on the front page under the “Harrogate ’09″ heading telling about the trip. That was certainly the high point of my career.
Prior to golf, I worked at a John Deere dealer, a Toro dealer, and in between, a Jacobsen dealer. So I’ve worked for each of the BIG three. I think that lends a different persective to my view on golf maintenance. And that is what this blog is about. The “other” side of golf maintenance..
