Even at an average golf course, keeping equipment in top shape is no small feat. With hundreds of feet in elevation change Pikewood National Golf Club is no run of the mill layout. Located in a forested plateau some 2000 feet above the valley floor beneath, Pikewood National in Morgantown, West Virginia, is situated on terrain that beats up equipment the way former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson beat on Marvis Frazier.
Very little dirt was moved when architects John Raese and J. Robert Gwynne built Pikewood National. The natural terrain presents a stern test of golf and a stern test for maintaining equipment. The fourth hole alone has more than 132 feet of elevation change from tee to green.
"Kris Bryan has a very difficult job as the head maintenance mechanic at Pikewood," said superintendent Brett Bentley. "He has a large fleet of equipment that has grown each year. The equipment has more than the usual maintenance issues due to the rugged terrain and elevation changes here at Pikewood. Kris does an excellent job of keeping equipment like new."
Bryan is one of three finalists for the 2016 TurfNet Technician of the Year Award, presented by Toro. The winner will receive the Golden Wrench Award and a slot in an upcoming Toro Service Training Academy session.
Even the best equipment manager can't prevent equipment and parts from breaking down under difficult conditions. However, Bryan excels in getting the equipment back together and back out on the golf course.
"Our equipment is a mixture where we continually replace older equipment with new equipment to maintain state of the art conditions," Bentley said. "Despite this process, some of our equipment will have a tendency to have maintenance issues.
"Because of Kris' efforts, the efficiency of the crew is maintained at a high level, which reduces our labor costs. He keeps me informed on our repairs and has one of the most efficient preventative maintenance programs in place. All of these programs keep us within budget."
Perhaps Bryan's greatest attribute is the peace of mind he affords to Bentley. The pair meet at least twice every day, first thing in the morning and again before they go home.
"We talk for 5 or 10 minutes in the morning and at the end of the day, so we're always on the same page," Bentley said. "He has a great work ethic. He's just a guy I can count on, and that is important. He can self-manage. That gives me the peace of mind I need so I can I do other things on the course, knowing he will make the right decisions."
Previous winners are (2015) Robert Smith, Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, PA; (2014) Lee Medeiros, Timber Creek and Sierra Pines Golf Courses, Roseville, CA; (2013) Brian Sjögren, Corral de Tierra Country Club, Corral de Tierra, CA; (2012) Kevin Bauer, Prairie Bluff Golf Club, Crest Hill, IL; (2011) Jim Kilgallon, The Connecticut Golf Club, Easton, CT; (2010) Herb Berg, Oakmont (PA) Country Club; (2009) Doug Johnson, TPC at Las Colinas, Irving, TX; (2007) Jim Stuart, Stone Mountain (GA) Golf Club; (2006) Fred Peck, Fox Hollow and The Homestead, Lakewood, CO; (2005) Jesus Olivas, Heritage Highlands at Dove Mountain, Marana, AZ; (2004) Henry Heinz, Kalamazoo (MI) Country Club; (2003) Eric Kulaas, Marriott Vinoy Renaissance Resort, Sarasota, FL. No award in 2008.