Kevin Pryseski has been in the golf business since he was in high school and is now preparing for retirement. When you start your career in the transition zone of the mid-Atlantic states you can grow grass anywhere. After several years in the Baltimore Maryland market, Kevin picked up and moved 3000 miles away to northern California and has spent the past 20+ years at two courses north of San Francisco.
We talk as two old friends sharing stories of the days in Maryland, our interest in wine and food and what the future looks like after a long and successful career as a golf course superintendent. In 2006 his golf course, Marin Country Club, joined forces with Troon Golf and he talks about what the transition felt like moving from a private club to an upscale management company. We talked about the changing environment and the impact on the day to day operation.
When asked if he uses any fungicides in California like he did in Maryland, he said I hadn’t until recently but in the past few years nighttime temperatures are rising and disease issues are becoming problematic and he has had to have fungicides on his shelf again.
As he ends his career he is preparing for the next chapter in his life and hasn’t ruled out the idea of working part time on a golf course close to his new home! Retired superintendents may become a great new stream of qualified labor in an industry looking for good people!