In this month’s Superintendent Spotlight we feature Eric Feldhusen who’s worked at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club for the last five years.

Describe your facility in 10 words or less:
Two championship courses. Fun to play, challenge to maintain.

What is a little-known fact / fun fact about your facility?
Currently host the Nike College Invitational with Colonial Country Club on bi-annual basis. Fun to watch the future tour players

What’s the biggest challenge your facility presents to you as superintendent?
Balancing the expectations of members, public and a PGA Tour event.

Excluding your current facility, what is the top golf course you’ve played?
Toss up between the Cal Golf Club and The Valley Club of Montecito.

What is your go-to club in the bag?
What ever club I am hitting good at the time.

Favorite all-time professional golfer?
Fred Couples

On your last day, what is your meal of choice?
Anything from a pintxo bar in San Sebastián, Spain

What’s your all-time favorite movie?
Sandlot

Who joins you in a dream foursome?
Alister Mackenzie, a swing coach and Charles Barkley so I don’t have the worse swing in the group.

What’s your favorite sports team and why?
Go Beavs! Also a San Francisco 49er and Giants fan.

Country, Rock or other?
Other, Alternative Nation

What led you down the path of becoming a superintendent?
Parents turned part of the family farm to a golf course/housing development. Either go back to the farm or go down this path

What’s the biggest change that has occurred while you’ve been in the industry?
Technology. From moisture meters/sensors and irrigation systems to GPS sprayer and labor/equipment management trackers

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve witnessed or done as a superintendent?
Manage a golf course in LA on a landfill that provided UCLA with 8-10% of it energy needs

Who is your mentor?
Been fortunate to learn a lot from some great people in this industry. Since being at Pumpkin it’s been Thomas Bastis.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to become a superintendent?
Two things. Be proactive, not reactive and remember it is just grass at the end of the day!