When Larry Pakkala, CGCS, resigned his last post as a golf course superintendent five years ago, he swore it would be his last . . . unless he could work for a single owner of a private club.Pakkala had pretty much given up hope of that ever happening. Then, when he wasn't looking, that dream job appeared just a few minutes down the road from his Connecticut home.
After trading the profession he'd known for 40 years for an industry sales position, the 60-year-old Pakkala in January was named superintendent of Silvermine Golf Club in Norwalk, Conn.
"I said I'd never get back in it again unless I found the right spot. This is the right spot," Pakkala said.
"This is not your regular country club."
Silvermine is a 27-hole layout built on 98 acres by John Warner. Opened in 1959, the course still is owned by Warner and his siblings, Billy and Kitty. It has no green committee and no chairman, just owners.
Pakkala, who still works as territory sales manager for New Jersey-based Plant Food Co., accepted the Silvermine post with the understanding that he would be on the job for just a few years while he trains longtime assistant Chris Vitali to take over and waits for his wife, Carole, a local school administrator, to retire. When the latter happens, the couple plans to relocate to their winter home in Longboat Key, Fla.
"Before I accepted the job, I met with the staff and told them my No. 1 goal was to give them the tools they need to succeed, then step down," Pakkala said.
"I'm going to be here three or four years training the staff to come into 21st century maintenance practices."
Pakkala has made his presence known immediately.
"The attention to detail and the playability of the golf course have improved dramatically," said assistant professional Matt Noel.
"The course was nice before, but Larry has taken it to another level."
Pakkala will continue to serve Silvermine as a consultant after he retires. So, the club will continue to benefit from his experience for years to come, whether it is long-distance advice given from a Florida beach, or in person during trips north in the summer.
"I'll be on call forever," he said. "My deal includes lifetime membership, so I'll be here playing golf in the summer and helping the club bring back members."
Noel said a key to Pakkala's success is that because he plays a lot of golf he can see the course from a player's perspective.
"He understands what it takes to make this place into a gem. And that is what it is," Noel said.
"The greens used to Stimp at about 8. Now, they're about 10. And that's as fast as we can get them with the slope we have. A 10 here is really like an 11 or 12 because of the slope. If they were any faster, you wouldn't be able to putt on them."
Despite the unique situation at Silvermine, Pakkala hardly has an open checkbook for course maintenance. In fact, it's anything but a sky's-the-limit operation.
Before Pakkala arrived, membership levels in recent years had fallen from 400 to 350, give or take, due to a combination of a lagging economy and faltering playing conditions. Membership levels, like course conditions, are on the rebound.
"We've gotten it to another level. But the next level from here is very expensive," Pakkala said. "The course is up to snuff. It's as good as I can get it on the budget I have. In fact, it's in damn good shape.
"We've already gained some new members. Our goal is to put this course on the map. The prognosis here is for a good future."