In this month’s Superintendent Spotlight we feature Evan McFadden who is an Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at Broken Top Club.  

Describe your facility in 10 words or less:
High desert, big pines, play everyday course, fast greens, private.

What is a little-known fact / fun fact about your facility?
Signature hole No. 11 has an elevated green sitting above a pumice pit, which makes for interesting approach shots.

What’s your favorite hole at your facility?
Par four, Hole No. 17

What hole on your golf course is hardest to maintain (and why)?
The green on #18 is set in a bowl and has towering pines around causing shade and ice issues in the winter.

Outside of your own, what is your favorite golf course (and why)?
Old Mac, love the homage to classic-age design templates holes.

What best describes your golf game:  Long Driver, Short Game Master, Well-Rounded Player, Can’t Play a Lick?
Well-Rounded Player

Do you have a superintendent dog?
Yes – Sage. A two-year old German Shorthair Pointer.  

Who is your favorite all-time professional golfer?
Tom Watson

Which movie can you watch that never gets old?
Training Day

What’s your dream vacation?
Fly fishing trip in New Zealand

What’s your favorite musical artist or band?
Red Hot Chili Peppers  

What’s the biggest change that has occurred while you’ve been in the industry?
Seeing modern technology (spraying, irrigation, twitter, crew management, etc) change an “old school” industry.

What would you invent right now to make your professional life easier?
Cloning machine to replicate our best employees and eliminate labor issues.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve witnessed or done as a golf industry professional?
Participating in the Nufarm Excel Leadership Program (Currently year two of three).

Who is your mentor in the golf industry?
Brad Wunderlich from Edgewood Tahoe and Corey Beelke from Broken Top Club

What piece of advice would you give to someone pursuing this line of work?
Do as many internships as possible and experience different turf types, environments and clubs.