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2007 Superintendent of the Year finalist... Fred Klauk, CGCS, TPC SawgrassThere is no such thing as time to yourself when you are the superintendent at the home course of the PGA Tour. During the past 23 years, even when Fred Klauk has been away from TPC Sawgrass he always has been a phone call, text message or e-mail away. Such is life when you are expected to provide championship conditions year-round for the best players in the world.According to general manager Bill Hughes, 31 Tour players live at Sawgrass year-round. "This job is 24/7/365. There's always something happening here," Klauk said. "We're open every day for play. There's never too much down time here." No doubt that pressure is compounded when that course is carved up and rebuilt from scratch. That is what happened after the 2006 Players Championship at Sawgrass. The Players Stadium Course, a 1981 Pete Dye design that is one of the most recognizable layouts in golf, was closed, gutted and completely rebuilt - to the extent that the lake surrounding the infamous No. 17 par 3 island green was drained during renovations, its bulkheads rebuilt and later refilled. The overall goal of the renovation, Hughes said, was "to provide firm and fast conditions for the greatest players in the world." The changes deemed necessary to achieve that goal included: fairway renovations that included removal of 24,000 tons of topsoil that was replaced with "16 football fields" worth of sand, rebuilding all greens to USGA specifications and adding SubAir drainage, reducing slope on four greens (4, 13, 15, 17), enlarging four greens (4, 9, 17, 18), leveling all tees, expanding teeing areas on six holes (1, 8, 11, 14, 16, 18), bunker renovations, restoration of lake banks, replacing all bulkheads and bridges, addition of several oak trees, and addition of extensive ornamentals and landscaping. Then there was the regrassing of the course, including converting the greens to MiniVerde. To call the Dye-led renovation at Sawgrass aggressive would be an understatement. All changes were accomplished within about eight months, which was just six months before the The Players Championship's new May slot on the PGA Tour schedule. To call the Dye-led renovation at Sawgrass aggressive would be an understatement. All changes were accomplished within about eight months, which was just six months before the The Players Championship's new May slot on the PGA Tour schedule."It is probably the largest undertaking in all of golf for what we accomplished in the period of time in which we did it," Klauk said. Naturally, a renovation of this scope required the input of many people, Hughes said, including Cal Roth and Collier Miller of the PGA Tour. "This was the result of the collective decisions of many people," Hughes said. And Klauk is the perfect superintendent to have on hand for a project of such a magnitude. A true golfing superintendent in every sense of the word, Klauk prides himself on his ability to look at golf course maintenance and set up through the eyes of a player. "I've always understood how to set up a course," Klauk said. "Sometimes that has played more of a role in my success as a superintendent than some of my agronomy skills." Hughes recalled watching Klauk play with the likes of Sam Snead and others when he and Klauk worked at Pine Tree Country Club in Boynton Beach, Klauk as superintendent and Hughes as assistant professional. "Fred has looked at his agronomy from a player's perspective, make that a Tour player, because in his prime he had that kind of ability," Hughes said. "He's always had the perspective of asking, 'What would players like? What would they think of this?' If the player is happy, then everyone is happy. "Fred doesn't say no to things. He just gets things done. It takes passion and persistence to be successful. (Former PGA Tour commissioner) Dean Beaman saw those characteristics in Fred a long time ago. That's why he was singled out here at Sawgrass. "He is a tremendous resource to this company." The agronomic work that went into renovating the course at Sawgrass, Hughes said, was exhibited last fall when 24 inches of rain fell on the course in 22 days. Mowers were on the course one day after a storm dumped 7 inches of rain on the course. The agronomic work that went into renovating the course at Sawgrass, Hughes said, was exhibited last fall when 24 inches of rain fell on the course in 22 days. Mowers were on the course one day after a storm dumped 7 inches of rain on the course."It was cart path only," Hughes recalled. "But there were no puddles anywhere." Klauk, who worked at TPC at Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla., former home of the Honda Classic, before coming aboard at Sawgrass 23 years ago, announced his retirement in October. He will remain on to help acquaint his yet-to-be-named successor in his new role before eventually transitioning into a consultant's position. During his time with the TPC network, Klauk has overseen preparation and course maintenance of 27 professional tournaments. But his most challenging year, including the extensive renovation of Sawgrass, was in 1994, when the course was home to the Players Championship in the spring and the U.S. Amateur that summer - on different stands of turf. "We had to overseed (for the Players), convert to Bermuda and hold another major championship in few months," Klauk recalled. "That was the most difficult year, the most challenging." Although he doubtlessly still will spend a great deal of time at Sawgrass after handing over the reins to his successor, Klauk hopes his reduced role will allow him more time to travel with wife Peggy, fish for wahoo and dolphin with son John and watch son Jeff compete on the Nationwide Tour. The couple's third son, Jason, lives in the Washington, D.C. area. For a PDF version of this profile, click here. |
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Fred Klauk, CGCS |
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