Page 24 - GM summer French 2025

u MECHANICS CORNER u CHRIS WHITTAKER CTEM, THE WINSTON GOLF CLUB
The Unique
Turf Equipment
Golf courses are much more than
what meets the eye. They are
meticulously maintained ecosystems
that require expertise, dedication,
and an understanding of both art and
technology. Teams of golf course
employees complete numerous tasks
to keep the playing surfaces and
public grounds looking beautiful by
using multiple pieces of equipment,
such as mowers, blowers, tractors,
utility carts & brush cutters. From
larger diesel engines to small two-
stroke engines, a qualified person
needs to be able to maintain all this
equipment.
At the heart of all this main-
tenance lies the role of golf turf
Equipment Technicians. These
professionals ensure that the playing
surfaces are in pristine condition,
providing golfers with the best possible
experience. Equipment Technicians
are the unsung heroes behind the
well-maintained fairways, immaculate
greens, and luscious rough on a golf
course. They give the operators of
this specialised equipment the ability
to create an image of beauty that we
get to call ‘work’.
ROLES OF AN EQUIPMENT
TECHNICIAN
Depending on the size of the golf
course labour force, some Equipment
Technicians may wear multiple ‘hats’.
Sometimes they need to be an
electrician, a plumber, a welder and a
good listener for diagnosing issues.
They might be the irrigation
technician, turf nutrient applicator, or
soil moisture and turf health monitor,
all while doing their initial job of being
the ‘mechanic’.
24
• CGSA • GreenMaster
A gorgeous day overlooking The Winston Golf
Club with downtown Calgary in the background.
Chris decorates his shop with flags from Equipment
Technicians at different golf courses with whom he
has networked.
Equipment Technicians ensure that all mowing equipment, tractors,
aerators, and other machinery are in optimal working condition. This includes
daily checks (height of cut and reel to bed knife contact), regular maintenance
(fluid and filter changes as well as applying grease to zerk points),
troubleshooting after cut appearance, and repairs (unforeseen damage that
might occur). Not only do they have to keep all mechanical equipment
operational, but Equipment Technicians also have to perform daily checks and
make sure all the minor adjustments have to be completed in a timely fashion.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Good communication between the turf care team and their Equipment
Technician’s helps to diagnose equipment issues and to figure out solutions.
However, there are also major problems that sometimes can’t be figured out
onsite which calls for a special manufacture field technician to be consulted
to help.
Working with golf course Superintendents can help increase an Equipment
Technician’s knowledge just by asking a simple question like “what’s that?”
Most Equipment Technicians are curious, will notice something that isn’t normal,
and will want to know why. Superintendents are a wealth of knowledge mixed
with experience thus asking questions and learning from the source helps the
Equipment Technician work with the rest of the team to create the best golf
course conditions.