My Turfgrass Career So Far

By Scott Menzies

My name is Scott Menzies and I am currently enrolled at Kwantlen Polytechnic University as a turf management student. 

L to R:  Scott Menzies, Stan Kazymerchyk, Jake McCullough and Brett MacNeil

Had you asked me 4 years ago if working at The Vancouver Golf Club as a second assistant was in the cards, I would never have dreamed it possible.  I thoroughly enjoy coming to work every day and it feels like I have found my passion.

Taking a look back to the spring of 2020, the year we all know as Covid-19 where the whole world turned upside down including mine, I was talking to a family friend about going back to school but had no idea where to focus.  KPU was suggested and in particular, that exploring their horticulture department general studies might reveal a program that would dovetail into my love of the outdoors. 

After taking a few classes at KPU, it became obvious that going to school for 4-5 years part-time to achieve a degree wasn’t for me, so I investigated other options within the program and found that turf management had some immediate appeal.  

I looked into what it entailed; the early mornings and working outside every day.  All of that piqued my interest especially since early starts are very familiar to me.  Having played hockey for many years and running ultra-marathons, getting up early in the morning is often required!

As a result, I started taking some turf classes and found them very interesting and enjoyable.  After getting to know lead turf instructor, Stan Kazymerchyk, and taking a few more of his classes, I decided to pursue a job on a golf course.  

When my second semester was nearing completion, it made sense to look for job opportunities close to where I was living in Pitt Meadows.  There are no shortages of courses near me, four in total including two 36 hole properties, so I dropped my resume off at all of them.

My hope was to land a position at Swan-e-Set and after writing my last exam for the spring semester, the call came in saying I got the job.  I was both ecstatic and excited, and then the reality hit me that this was really happening.

I had some idea of what was coming but quickly found out school doesn’t teach you everything.  It definitely provides students a solid understanding and builds the foundation on why things are done on a golf course but within my first three months, I realized there is much more to turf management than just growing grass. 

I found out that having the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once is crucial.  On a crew, there are multiple personalities involved in getting jobs done, you often get dirty in an irrigation/irritation hole and of course there are the long hours. I absolutely loved all of it!

After working at Swan-e-Set for two and a half years, I saw that I didn’t want to just be a maintenance worker, I wanted to be a turf manager.  Starting me on the path toward my goal of assistant superintendent, during the WCTA Conference in Victoria I saw a posting for second assistant at the Vancouver Golf Club so after the show ended, I made my application.

At it happens, I am happy to report that I’m now the new second assistant at VGC!  The first few months were quite tough, not only learning a new course but moving from a public golf course to a fully private club was challenging and I had to learn how to become a successful assistant along the way.  One thing is certain, every situation is different than the last and no two problems are ever exactly the same.

Admittedly, I did not think I was ready for the position but I’m happy to have taken the chance and am gaining confidence all the time.  There have been mistakes here and there and I know I’m not expected to be perfect but I’m learning and improving every day.  I often write things down, even if they might not seem important in the moment, but it helps me remember the topdresser setting or the application rate for sprayer calibration.

I constantly remind myself that I am still a student, am still learning and will make some mistakes.  I welcome the challenges, whether it be in irrigation, spraying or team management, and I look forward to going to work every day and learning new things at every opportunity.

Nice work Scott, the driver's seat is a great place to be!