September 18, 2024 • 47 mins
Welcome to Episode 127 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today, we’re chatting with John Michael Clark, Equipment Manager at Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, FL—though, at the time of recording, he was at McLemore Golf Club in Georgia.
Join Trent and John Michael as they dive into everything but college football! John Michael shares how he stumbled into turf management, earning a degree from Mississippi State and transitioning from checking reels to running the shop full-time. They explore the challenges of training a crew from scratch, the year-round demands of Florida’s golf industry, the power of intentional communication, and the precision of a granite plate. Plus, they touch on the unique trials of managing a mountain course, like fog and rocks. Don’t miss this insightful episode as we anticipate John Michael’s next exciting chapter.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Trent Manning (00:05):
welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the
technician that wants to getreel follow along.
As we talk to industryprofessionals and address hot
topics that we all face alongthe way we'll learn tips and
tricks.
I'm your host, Trent.
Manning let's have some thisepisode are real turf techs on
(00:27):
golf course industriesSuperintendent radio network is
presented by Foley county astrong supporter of equipment
technicians and golf coursemaintenance departments
everywhere Foley county offers aproven solution for above and
below the turf for turfprofessionals To learn more
(00:47):
about Foley company's line ofreal grinders bed knife grinders
and the air to G2 family ofproducts or to find a
distributor visit www dot FoleyC o.com Foley Ready for play
Welcome to the real turf textpodcast episode 1 27.
(01:09):
Today we're talking to JohnMichael Clark equivalent manager
at French munch Creek beach andcountry club and Palm beach
gardens, Florida.
Frenchmans Creek is a private 36hole club with two championship
golf courses, the north and thesouth.
When we recorded this episode,John Michael was a Michael Moore
(01:29):
golf club and rising bond,Georgia.
Let's talk to John Michael.
Welcome John Michael to the realturf text podcast.
Thanks for coming on.
John Michael Clark (01:38):
Thanks for having me, Trent.
I
Trent Manning (01:40):
Looking forward to it.
yeah, I, you know, I'll tell thelisteners.
So I first met you at sawgrasslast year, for the very, very
first time.
And y'all had a, an equipmentmanager there, but you were kind
of running the show.
and seemed like you had a goodhead on your shoulders and I
don't know why but I just kindof hit it off with you like I've
(02:04):
known you my whole life and I'veonly probably stopped and talked
to you what four or five timesmaybe
John Michael Clark (02:11):
just a handful of times.
Trent Manning (02:13):
yeah just a handful yeah that's what it is
that's yeah it just makes mefeel right at home um because I
remember went out in Phoenix Isaid something off the wall Um,
to you and Kelly, my girlfriend,who's like, who is that guy?
I was like, I saw Michael, youknow, I met him like two times.
(02:33):
She's like, I can't believe yousaid that, but that's kind of my
personality too.
Well, tell us how you got intothe turf industry.
John Michael Clark (02:41):
High school just was driving by a course one
day and happened to see an oldguy struggling wheat eating and
I pulled in and he said, well,you got a job.
I was like, well, I didn't askfor a job.
He goes, well, you got one.
And after a couple of summersand Working with him, he finally
taught me into going to schooland went to, signed up, went to
(03:03):
Mississippi state, got a turfdegree.
And from then it was justeverywhere.
After that he kicked me outafter two years with him and
told me I needed to go findsomething better to do.
And joined a TPC, went toSouthwind for almost four, four
(03:23):
summers.
And then they forced me tofinish school.
They were like, you know, wecan't just keep having you
around.
Finally graduated and went toBirmingham for about a year and
ended up at Sawgrass aftermonths in Birmingham, spent
three years there.
And now a year ago, two weeksago, I've been in North Georgia,
(03:46):
Macklemore club,
Trent Manning (03:47):
Okay, awesome.
So where was this first course?
John Michael Clark (03:51):
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Trent Manning (03:53):
Oh man.
Roll tide.
Sorry.
I gotta say it.
John Michael Clark (03:57):
words.
Trent Manning (03:58):
Yes.
Yeah.
No.
Roll tide.
Um, yeah.
So funny.
I don't, have you met CoreyPhillips?
John Michael Clark (04:04):
I'm not sure.
Trent Manning (04:05):
Um, maybe not.
He's another Georgia guy.
I met him when I was working forJerry Pate and he grew up in
Berry, Alabama, just outside ofTuscaloosa.
And he's got four siblings andthey're the whole family's
Alabama.
John Michael Clark (04:21):
I did meet him.
was at the show, wasn't he?
Yeah, I met him.
Trent Manning (04:25):
Um, but yeah, his whole family's Alabama except
him.
He's Auburn fan just to bedifferent.
Yeah.
I don't know, man.
I don't know.
Let's let's not talk collegefootball, I guess.
Um, all right.
So you worked there at thatclub.
What club did you work at inBirmingham?
John Michael Clark (04:42):
it was Highland Club or yeah, Highland
Golf Club in downtown.
Trent Manning (04:47):
Okay.
Yep, there's a lot of good clubsthere in Birmingham.
Yeah,
John Michael Clark (04:54):
very low budget, but high demand.
I mean, we were 150 rounds a dayand a small 88 acre golf course.
Trent Manning (05:03):
that's crazy.
So how did you get into theshop?
John Michael Clark (05:07):
When I was at North River I think it was
like week three, our mechanicjust didn't show up.
Trent Manning (05:12):
Wait.
Hang on.
North River?
That's the one in Tuscaloosa?
That's where Cory startedworking.
John Michael Clark (05:20):
I think me and Corey just missed each other
Trent Manning (05:22):
Okay, well, and I think Cory's dad, when he worked
at the coal mine as anelectrician, And whenever they
would go on strike, he wouldwork at North river and he got
Corey in there.
Yeah.
Anyway, that's crazy, man.
Such a small world.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (05:45):
if I send you to Birmingham, can you learn
how to check reels?
I was like, I mean, I guess Ihave nothing better to do.
So I went up to his previousboss was Jim Simmons at Shoal
Creek and he sent me up thereand I worked with their mechanic
for a few days and I've learnedenough how to check a reel and,
you know, check cut and checkthe height.
(06:07):
And he said, Oh, you got it now.
Trent Manning (06:09):
That's all there is to it.
John Michael Clark (06:11):
And I helped out a little bit there.
And then when I went up to TPCSouthwind in Memphis.
Our mechanic there, he liked toleave, you know, at 1 30 and
day's not over yet.
So I had to learn how to, youknow, piddle with the old those
couplings and the old John Deereverticutting reels.
Trent Manning (06:29):
Oh yeah.
John Michael Clark (06:30):
learn all that.
And it just kept going andgoing.
And when I moved down toSawgrass Cash, the old equipment
manager there, he, me and himhit it off really good.
And yeah, He pulled me in theshop and he's like, I think you
just need to stay in here withme
Trent Manning (06:48):
Okay.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (06:49):
and pretty much did.
So I
Trent Manning (06:53):
Well, I mean, what little, you know, I've seen
you work down there.
I mean, it seems like you got areally good handle on things.
John Michael Clark (07:00):
I had a great teacher, that's for sure.
Trent Manning (07:03):
Yeah, where did he end up going?
John Michael Clark (07:05):
Cash is now at the Loxahatchee Club in I
think that's West Palm.
Trent Manning (07:10):
Okay, I've heard of it.
Yeah.
Um, yeah.
So what brought you toMacklemore from Sawgrass?
John Michael Clark (07:18):
The opportunity to, um, one, we're
building a brand new course.
Two, I got to be in theplannings for the design of the,
we'll have two shops eventually.
and just the opportunity to sortof, you know, come in a place
that didn't really have anythingset in stone and sort of, I
(07:40):
guess, write my own book.
Trent Manning (07:41):
Yeah, that's awesome, man.
John Michael Clark (07:44):
it's been a lot of headaches.
I know you've gotten severalcalls from me and Cash, his
phone rings off the hook andseveral other, you know, guys
that I look up to they've helpedout a lot, but we've, we're
making strides,
Trent Manning (07:58):
That's good, man.
John Michael Clark (07:59):
finally got a grinder that's, that actually
grinds and.
We've got a lot of new stuffcoming in and been hard for the
past year, but we're starting tosee the light at the end of the
tunnel.
Trent Manning (08:11):
That's good.
That's good.
And yeah, I mean, we can, yeah,I guess talk about it a little
bit more, the whole grow in andall the extra things that you
end up doing during thatprocess.
But before we get into that,tell us what's your least
favorite part of the job.
Yeah, and
John Michael Clark (08:31):
Just trying to get crews trained up.
We're having lots of accidentsavoidable mistakes, and it's
just, you getting what you'repaying for right now.
We've got a lot of younger guysthat they just, they don't know.
And I don't want to say theydon't care, but they just don't
know.
And we're just having a lot of.
A lot of mistakes that arestarting to get really costly.
(08:54):
That
Trent Manning (08:55):
I mean.
John Michael Clark (08:55):
budget starts to shrink
Trent Manning (08:57):
yes yeah, real quick.
Like.
And it is a shame.
I don't, you know, I won't speakfor myself, but when I was
growing up and where I grew uphere in North Georgia, I mean,
you know, me and all my friends,you know, we knew a lot of
practical stuff that you neededto know at a golf course, you
(09:18):
know, like how to hook a trailerup or how to work a ratchet
strap.
I mean, you know, just what Iwould think would be basic
stuff, but a lot of the peoplethese days, they do not have any
of those skills.
John Michael Clark (09:31):
and it's honestly scary.
We had a guy the other day.
I mean, all diesel caps on JohnDeere equipment are green.
it says diesel on it, and theyrun a gator with, that was a
diesel gator full of gas, and I,right now I don't know if we're
pulling the motor or not yet.
Come on man just slow down.
(09:51):
There's no, no reason to speed.
Trent Manning (09:54):
yeah, no, I'm with you.
And yeah, I mean, literallypeople speeding through the
parking lot and you get paid bythe hour, like, man, just chill
out.
It's okay.
We're not in a rush here.
We'll get it done when we get itdone.
Well, what's your favorite tool?
John Michael Clark (10:12):
Oof.
Right now it's been asledgehammer.
We've had to use a lot ofhammers here lately.
No, I,
Trent Manning (10:21):
I believe you are the first one guy did say
hammer, but he didn't saysledgehammer.
You took it to the next levelthere.
John Michael Clark (10:29):
Well, I ended up, I found a four pound
ball peen hammer the other dayat a garage sale, solid metal
handle, everything.
And that, I guess you've caughta mini sledge.
Trent Manning (10:40):
Okay.
That's awesome, man.
So yeah, what are you doing withthis mini sledge?
John Michael Clark (10:46):
Oh man.
We're right now.
We've got a true turf in theshop.
I've got the drive roller out ofit right now, trying to
straighten the frame out curbs,gotta love curbs.
What else have we got?
Bent frames on gators.
We got a guy hit a bridge theother day putting it in neutral
in the rain, going down a hillis never fun.
(11:08):
It's just, it's the fun.
You just have to smile somedays.
Trent Manning (11:13):
Yeah, I mean, what else do you do?
You know, I mean, you gottasmile, laugh it off, you know.
Well, that leads us right intowhat do you do to relax and find
your balance after you see allthese knuckleheads doing crazy
things.
John Michael Clark (11:28):
biggest thing right now for me now being
up in the mountains, um, we gohiking quite a bit.
I enjoy a nice, refreshing adultdrink in the afternoons.
Fishing's another big thing nowthat I'm back in freshwater
areas.
Saltwater got too expensive.
Trent Manning (11:46):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I was up there not toofar, I guess, away from your
course on Memorial Day weekendand me and Kelly went to
Cloudland Canyon
John Michael Clark (11:56):
You're right across the street.
Trent Manning (11:57):
yeah, and checked some of that out.
I didn't know how close I was,but, um,
John Michael Clark (12:02):
that's, I think it's three miles away.
Trent Manning (12:05):
no way.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
Um, yeah, I definitely got toget up there and check it out
and I will definitely make thattrip this fall.
If not before then.
John Michael Clark (12:16):
come on.
Trent Manning (12:16):
What's been one of your biggest challenges?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (12:25):
I came from a well established course with a
very large crew and, you know,having, I don't want to say an
unlimited budget, but brand newequipment every three, four
years.
You know, I had a lot of help inthe shop and a lot of help from
(12:46):
others to, you know, ifsomething went wrong, we could
get it quick.
You know, the biggest problemfor me right now is just besides
trying to get people told it's,you know, I don't have 16
triplexes, I have three.
one goes down, I'm sweatingbullets trying to figure out how
to get it going again.
You know, I think we placed anorder Wednesday.
(13:08):
I've got eight reels coming.
Hopefully be here this week.
Cause we got a lot of reels toreplace.
Trent Manning (13:14):
Wow.
That's yeah.
All from damage stuff.
John Michael Clark (13:17):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (13:18):
Oh, wow.
That's yeah.
I don't had you just ground thereal when I got damaged.
I mean, I don't, is thatMurphy's law or
John Michael Clark (13:27):
I don't know.
We had just ground all of ourteam mowers, all of our 2, 500s.
And we sent two out one.
I mean, it wasn't an hour afterhe got out.
I get a text message dinging.
I was like, all right, we'llbring it to the shop.
He gets on the third one goesout.
(13:47):
Hey, the reels won't spin.
They just worked because I justchecked him before they left.
comes back and the, you know,reels hanging down below the bed
and I thought, Oh gosh, I guesssomething had to break today.
So we got two down, so we'removing reels around, trying to
get another triplex going,finally got a second one up and
going, you know, that's when Iwalk in my office and just sat
(14:10):
my head down for a minute, I waslike, we're going to survive.
It's only 7.
30.
Trent Manning (14:16):
I know, man that's terrible though.
It's so frustrating when thathappens and I don't know why it
always has to be right after youground the reel and
John Michael Clark (14:24):
Well, and that's, you know, we had just
gotten our granite in and.
I'd finally gotten to startreally dialing in these reels.
I was like, all right, this isperfect.
These are the first time thesego out.
We have spent a lot of time onthem.
And then I mean, bang rightthere.
Trent Manning (14:40):
Yeah, that's terrible.
Well, maybe this is one of thestrangest things you've had
happen to two mowers in one day,I don't, yeah.
Do you got any strange storiesyou've seen?
Over the years
John Michael Clark (14:53):
Being up on the mountain, we, so the name
Macklemore comes from a longstory about an Indian and a guy
named Macklemore getting marriedand stuff.
So I tell people we've got we'reon an ancient Indian burial
ground.
So we're haunted.
We had a brand new Gator comeoff the trailer.
It's a loaner for the grow inpackage.
(15:16):
He drives it off the trailer.
And I mean, it hadn't been offthe trailer five seconds, but
both tires just fall off of it.
And I was just, I look, I waslike, you gotta be kidding me.
And there was one lug nut foreach side.
I was just like, that's it.
Here's our side.
Trent Manning (15:33):
Wow.
Yeah.
That's incredible.
Yeah.
And I, before we startedrecording, you said you had some
John Deere stuff show up withoutthe centric for the bed knife.
I don't, I mean, I don't knowhow you miss that stuff.
John Michael Clark (15:47):
I just, you got to smile.
Trent Manning (15:49):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (15:50):
That's my biggest thing I've had to learn
is, you know, let the littlethings go.
That's, I guess people are, theytell me I have a pretty small
one, so I'm going to startsmiling more.
Trent Manning (16:01):
There you go.
Well, do you have a mentor inthe industry other than cash?
John Michael Clark (16:07):
Haas is another big one.
He's down at the.
I think it's Bears Club.
Trent Manning (16:12):
Yep.
John Michael Clark (16:12):
Um, you know, he's, he used to invite us
all the time to come down.
They I that's the Treasure Coastarea.
They have a lot of the EMmeetings and he was always the,
you know, second they found outI'd get a text message, whatever
you gotta do, you need to getdown here.
Trent Manning (16:29):
Okay.
John Michael Clark (16:30):
had never gotten to work with him, but
talking with him and, you know,I don't know how he, Been at
that club for a long time.
And I mean, he's a walkingnotebook for Toro.
Trent Manning (16:42):
I'll bet.
John Michael Clark (16:43):
sort of jealous cause he actually has
Toro sometimes, but Help me.
But he's getting to talk withhim.
He, I've been, I've enjoyed ourlong conversations and, you
know, it's not always aboutwork.
Some, we'll talk fishing andhunting everything else.
Another one.
I pick his brain a lot.
Chris Langley's been another bighelp for me.
Trent Manning (17:04):
Yep.
Yep.
Oh,
John Michael Clark (17:08):
and out.
Anytime he actually texts methis morning, they hit the call
button on the grinder.
So he's sitting, what's wrong?
It's like, I'm not even in theshop yet.
Trent Manning (17:21):
Yeah.
Yeah, so that's pretty cool.
So they have a call button.
John Michael Clark (17:25):
Yeah.
The new the 5, 500 dual express.
If you, it's got a.
And our guys, they get thebutton sometimes mixed up, but
there's a button on the top ofthe screen.
If you hit it, it sends yourtech a message saying, you know,
so and so's machines having anissue or they're having an issue
with, and he'll send me a textmessage right then.
Trent Manning (17:47):
Oh, wow.
That's really cool.
That's pretty neat stuff.
Yeah, I've known Chris for quitea while.
I guess I first met him at EastLake like probably whatever 1012
years ago and ever since then, Ialways look forward to seeing
him anytime I can whether it bea show or down there.
(18:08):
Um real good down there.
Yeah.
And he was a equipment tech tooone day.
John Michael Clark (18:15):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (18:16):
You know, in
John Michael Clark (18:17):
did several years in it.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (18:19):
What would be your dream job or opportunity?
John Michael Clark (18:22):
You know, I've actually talked about
trying the international game,maybe, and, you know, go down to
Mexico or something like thatfor a while.
Being young in the industry andalso not married and don't have
any kids.
And I've lived in a camper forfour or three years when I was
in Florida.
So it was nice being able tojust bounce around and stuff.
(18:43):
I finally bought a house, soit's a little harder to move
now, but, um, I'm wanting toeither, you know, head
international or something, orhead back to Florida, you know,
several years,
Trent Manning (18:56):
I don't, do you like the Florida golf atmosphere
where it's go?
John Michael Clark (19:00):
Constant go.
I guess it.
It kept me on my toes and, youknow, I told somebody the other
day, now that I have weekendsoff, I was like, I feel lazy.
Trent Manning (19:09):
Yeah, I don't know.
Not a lot.
And I've thought about it, butI'm like, I don't know.
I don't want to work, you know,13 months out of the year
John Michael Clark (19:17):
No kidding.
Trent Manning (19:18):
like they do down there.
I mean, it's nuts.
Oh
John Michael Clark (19:22):
hour weeks add up really quickly.
Trent Manning (19:26):
yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
How many guys did y'all have inthe shop
John Michael Clark (19:30):
The most that was ever there while I was
there was four.
Trent Manning (19:33):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (19:33):
Um, three techs and one equipment manager.
And it fluctuated, you know,during the time I was there.
I think we had five at one time.
We had a part time one of thecolleges there had a student
that came in sort of like aninternship and work two or three
days a week, and, but she only,I think she worked 15 hours a
(19:55):
week.
So I don't consider that a job.
Trent Manning (19:58):
Yeah.
The other cool thing is y'allhad the wash bay attendant
John Michael Clark (20:04):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (20:04):
that was cool, I thought Yeah,
John Michael Clark (20:11):
that if they didn't wash it right, he had to
go wash it.
So he sat out there and,
Trent Manning (20:17):
make sure it got done, right Yeah, that's awesome
You got a technician you'd liketo work with for a day
John Michael Clark (20:24):
that's, I'd love to work with Haas or Chris
Johnson would not be anothergood one.
Um, got to talk with him alittle bit a while back about
grinders.
And I know he runs SIPs, but Igot in, I talked to Mike Rollins
at the show and, you know, he, Iguess, hit the right nerve.
So I got curious about him andjust wanted to learn about him
(20:45):
and, Went and saw oh shoot.
I can't remember his name.
He's at Eastlake now.
Went and saw him when we wentdown to y'all's place.
I got to check out his grindersfor a day.
So.
Trent Manning (20:56):
Chris Lewis.
John Michael Clark (20:58):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (20:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Okay
John Michael Clark (21:00):
I know there's so many.
Trent Manning (21:02):
Yeah, now there's there's a bunch of good techs
out there.
And there's a few of us inGeorgia, not too far
John Michael Clark (21:08):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (21:09):
Yeah, Corey and John Patterson and, um, Josh
Brown.
He's at Indian Hills.
He's another good guy.
Yeah.
I can't think of all of them offthe top.
Charlie Carr.
He's at Hawks Ridge.
I mean, yeah, you met him.
Yeah.
My shop.
Um, yeah.
John Michael Clark (21:27):
that's, I need to make it down to the
Atlanta area more.
That's I'm so green for thatarea.
That's, I mean, I know how toget to your course and I know
how to get to East Lake andthat's it.
Trent Manning (21:36):
I don't and hopefully, you know, we slow
down this fall.
We'll start getting together.
I mean, we had that one gettogether at my shop and you came
and Charlie came and.
That was about it.
And it was funny, you know, Itexted everybody and they're
like, oh yeah, that day's good.
That day's good.
And then, you know, it comes upand it's like, okay, can you
make it?
(21:57):
Um, so hopefully this fall we'llwe'll get together again.
Bye.
Because, I don't, I mean it'sfun to me to get a bunch of
people, like minded individualstogether in the same room and
see how other people do stuff,you know.
Well, what do you know now youwish you'd known on day one?
John Michael Clark (22:16):
That's
Trent Manning (22:16):
can think, yeah, you can think Miles Kemp, Birdie
Bar for coming up.
That's his question.
John Michael Clark (22:22):
Probably how to you know, I guess how to talk
to others, you know?
We get, I get in the momentsometimes and I, it comes out, I
don't mean it bad, but it doescome out that way that, and
sometimes, you know, it waslike, what was I thinking, but I
made it this far, you
Trent Manning (22:42):
I mean, it's hard.
It's challenging not to takesome of this stuff personal.
And I know, you know, people arenot doing it necessarily
intentionally, but I mean, it'shard.
It's really hard.
And it's hard not to react likeyou want to react.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (23:04):
shot because.
At the end of the day, it isyours and you know, somebody
mistreating something of yours,it doesn't usually go over well.
Trent Manning (23:13):
No, not at all.
What leads us into, how do youdeal with that person?
John Michael Clark (23:17):
Well, right now we with our new HR
department, I don't handleanything.
I pass it on to the assistantsand superintendents.
I'm blessed with a greatsuperintendent that he listens
and usually he can combat stuffbefore I even get a chance.
He's done a great job ofwrangling in people.
(23:37):
Told him from day one that I waslike, you know, we, there's
gotta be the nice guy.
And I was like, I prefer it tobe you.
You have to work with him everyday.
So he's the nice guy.
Trent Manning (23:48):
Yeah.
No that's alright.
That works.
You know, it's a team effort.
John Michael Clark (23:52):
Absolutely.
Trent Manning (23:53):
Yeah.
Do they have, at your club, anykind of, so what happens to an
employee if they damagesomething and it's, you know,
John Michael Clark (24:03):
So we just implemented a couple of weeks
ago.
I actually stole it off of oneof our Facebook groups.
The point system.
So there's, you know, one pointfor being late to work, two
points for no show, no call.
I think it's 10 points perquarter and, you know, I think
it's at six points you getwritten up or have a verbal
(24:25):
warning or something like that.
And then 10 points, you know,We're looking towards
termination.
And the guys have, they havestepped up since we did this.
Um, it took some finagling, butwe got it.
Um, you know, they, I got apoint the other day cause I
parked my truck and not myassigned spot.
(24:47):
So they got to get me back forthat.
Trent Manning (24:51):
Yeah, that's good.
Yeah.
I mean, that's fair.
You know, everybody.
John Michael Clark (24:54):
Oh yeah.
It's fair game.
You know, I got mysuperintendent for leaving.
He's got a camper shell.
He's left it in the shop for, Ithink, a month now.
I was like, dude, you got threepoints.
Like, making up space.
Trent Manning (25:11):
Yeah, that's good stuff.
Gotta get the boss in there too.
Um, one thing that we did and itwas mainly just for people being
late.
And I think it comes from Athenscountry club.
So out, you know, close to UGAwhen our superintendent at the
time, he worked at Athenscountry club when he was going
(25:33):
to UGA and they had threestrikes.
If you were late three times, Iwas it.
No questions asked three, threelights gone.
I mean, they didn't play, youknow, and I think about that
now.
If we had that policy, wewouldn't have anybody working
with us.
John Michael Clark (25:53):
I wouldn't be working.
Trent Manning (25:55):
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know.
It's crazy.
John Michael Clark (25:59):
Well, that's, we have to have a little
bit of leeway, so we'll getthese fogs up on the mountain.
It's insane.
You can't see a hundred feet infront of you.
And, you know, I actually calledthe other day.
I was like, I can see work, butI can't see the road good enough
to get there.
I was like, I'm just gonna, I'mgonna park on the side of the
road and wait.
Trent Manning (26:19):
That's crazy.
It's that thick.
Get ready for tips and tricks.
Well, what kind of tips and tricks you want to
share with us?
Some of your favorites.
John Michael Clark (26:29):
you know, the biggest thing that I've
learned with John Deere, we,when I was at Sawgrass, they
were big into the granites andfinally got one.
And, you know, I live by it.
I've got a technician that he'sbeen around the Chattanooga area
for 20 years and We finallystarted playing with it the
other day and he's, you know, hecalls it the magic because if
(26:53):
you do it right, it all worksout just right.
That's probably, you know, mybest thing in the shop right
now.
Cause we're still going throughmowers.
We've had it set up for twoweeks now and just the amount of
equipment, me being pulled toboth courses right now.
We hadn't had a chance to getthrough everything.
(27:14):
That's I guess my trick or
Trent Manning (27:16):
Yeah, well, yeah, walk us through that process.
How do you do it on the granite?
How do you square one up?
John Michael Clark (27:25):
so we, we follow, um, Stephen Tucker's way
of doing it.
We'll roll the, you know, getthe height set and everything.
Roll it back, lock it down, andtake a surface gauge and measure
it out.
Divide by four, move theeccentrics as well as the height
adjustment on it.
And if you do it right, you rollit back forward and same height
(27:47):
on both sides and, you know,ready to go.
And it took me a while andtalking with others that were
doing it because that brainwasn't, I guess, as complex
enough to understand what I wasactually doing.
Finally, you know, when I was atSawgrass seeing that, you know,
some of the heights we weremowing at, it was, we were
(28:09):
getting pretty low and Finally,one of them took Cash took me
out there one day and he pointedand he goes, now you see it, he
goes, and that's less than 10thousandths from, you know,
corner to corner.
And I was like, and that's whyyou're such a stiffler on if it
ain't two thousandths, it ain'tright.
Trent Manning (28:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, when you're doing that,do you try to, do you adjust on
the same side?
Yeah.
If you move the eccentric on oneside, you're moving the back row
on that same side.
Okay.
Yeah.
I played around with it too.
And I don't know, I just thinkthere's gotta be an easier way.
John Michael Clark (28:49):
I, and that's, we played.
Or I've played around with ittrying to, cause I was like,
this is the most time consumingthing.
And, you know, I've talked toother guys that, and I'm not
saying one's right or the other,but they'll do the old one on
the surface plate and roll thereel up to the bed knife touches
(29:10):
and just adjust the frontroller.
And I tried it and I was like, Ican still see a line and, you
know, learning more and talkingmore, you know, some of that
could have been the shadowingfrom the roller getting a double
roll.
You know, I just, I go back toit every time, and it's been
(29:32):
faithful to me, so I just, I'vestuck with it.
Trent Manning (29:35):
Well, yeah, I mean, you know, it's like the
old saying goes, if it ain'tbroke, don't fix it.
Um, I just, and not that it's sohard to do.
I mean, it's not hard.
It's just really time consuming
John Michael Clark (29:48):
Yes.
Trent Manning (29:49):
and
John Michael Clark (29:50):
we'll just say 10 minutes or five to 10
minutes a real shoot.
Once you do a triplex, you'rehalf an hour in
Trent Manning (29:56):
Yeah, easily.
And then what about a fixed headmower?
How big a pain is that?
John Michael Clark (30:02):
So we have the two 20 SLs.
That's it's a nightmare justcause you have to take the side
plate off.
And you know, the eccentric onit is so finicky.
Cause if you don't tighten thebolts back in the correct order,
a certain order, It'll pop rightback out.
But you know, we went and gotall those done on a surface
(30:22):
plate.
I guess it was in October oflast year.
And honestly, you know, we putthem on the granite and they
haven't moved.
Trent Manning (30:31):
Okay, nice.
John Michael Clark (30:32):
I don't know if these are just special ones,
cause I know the ones thatsawgrass love to move every time
they touch the grinder, butwe've been very lucky with
these.
Trent Manning (30:43):
Wow,
John Michael Clark (30:43):
Hopefully it's a one and done deal.
Trent Manning (30:45):
Yeah, do you think it's the way they're
transported or anything likethat?
John Michael Clark (30:49):
I don't think it's, because I mean,
these guys are just as rough asthey were down there on
transporting that.
I really think it's just theamount of use we're, we swap in
and out with fixed heads.
We'll, mainly we're using thoseearly in the year and in the,
you know, wait till the fall.
We've got our flex heads rightnow going.
(31:11):
That's, I really think it's justthe amount of use.
Um, we're actually using ourfixed heads right now on the new
course just because.
trying to get a littleaggressive.
We've got, I think our oldestgreen's three and a half months
old right now over there.
So we're about to start settingsome groomers down, getting
those to start thinning a littlebit.
Trent Manning (31:34):
Do you think the fixed head cuts more aggressive?
Yeah, and
John Michael Clark (31:41):
in my personal opinion you and that's
I know you can adjust the quickthe flex head You can do so much
more adjustments with it, butjust something about a fixed
head mower
Trent Manning (31:51):
I want to say, is it Toro now on their newest,
latest Fixed head, the rearroller is adjustable, I think.
The drum, you can move it.
There's like two positionsdepending on your height.
Yeah, which is, yeah, prettypretty slick.
And I mean, you know, I run aknife deer, but I do think
(32:13):
Toro's ahead of the curve on alot of that stuff.
On cutting unit geometry and alot of those things from
John Michael Clark (32:22):
just the hardened reels and hardened
bedknives are a game changer
Trent Manning (32:27):
Oh yeah, hands down and Tony out at Trinity's
Forest, he done a test to getJohn Deere and Toro on the
Zoysia Fairways and the Toroblew it out of the water and he
was counting, you know, thenumber of clicks he was doing,
you know, to adjust each time itcame in and um, I mean, it's
(32:47):
some hardcore data he's gotgoing on but
John Michael Clark (32:52):
think it was last year.
We went down me and another techthat worked at Sawgrass together
We went down to see Cash and,you know, have to give him grief
sometimes, you know, he'sgetting old, so we have to keep
him going and we went andwatched him, you know, check his
mowers in and I was like, youjust gave him a click.
I was like, well, you must'veground last week.
(33:13):
He goes, Oh, we ain't groundthree weeks on greens.
I'm like, you're kidding.
He goes, I ain't gonna grind foranother two or three more weeks.
So I was sitting out therethinking, I'm about to go take
the top dresser out and throwsome gravel on these greens so
he has to grind some more.
Trent Manning (33:28):
Um, But he's running Toro.
John Michael Clark (33:31):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (33:32):
Yeah.
That's something when
John Michael Clark (33:37):
is going to be all, it's wall to wall
zoysia, except for greens.
And I was like, we're going tobe grinding every, you know,
every two or three cuts.
Trent Manning (33:46):
I don't know what they're doing now at East Lake,
but like when I first startedhelping out down there for the
tour championship, Davidflowers, he was the equipment
manager down there and he wasgetting three months and ground.
I mean, every third month orafter the third month, throw it
on the grinder.
John Michael Clark (34:07):
I talked
Trent Manning (34:07):
that's crazy.
John Michael Clark (34:09):
I was talking to a guy out in Texas
the other day, and I think theyhave Cavalier.
I'm not exactly sure.
And He's like, we'll send amower out.
He goes, they'll mow nine holesor nine, the front nine
fairways.
They'll bring that mower in,drop it off, grab the other one
and go back out.
And he goes, you know, to extendthe life that I can, he goes,
(34:31):
it's not that I like it, but hegoes, I have to backlap, you
know, after they get done withthe front nine and he goes, Then
when they go out to mow the nexttime and he goes when they
finish the front now with thatmower He goes the reels come off
and they go straight in thegrinder And he's like, you know,
they were doing the whole I meanthey were relief and everything
and he's like I can get two mowsand he goes then we're going
(34:52):
grinding.
Trent Manning (34:53):
Man, that is, yeah, that's crazy.
Um, so I got Georgia at ourmidtown course and I mean, Joel,
he runs a show down there, buthe's getting seven or eight
cuts.
He does lap, you know, everyother Mo he'll lap.
Yeah.
Um, but that is one thing, youknow, I came from, you know,
(35:16):
bent grass and I was technicallyover that shop and Joel was
doing all the work and causeeverybody knows I don't work.
But, um, anyway, I was, youknow, and we lapped a bunch and
what we found out is you get toa certain point where you lap
and the mowers cutting good, yousend it out and.
(35:40):
You know, it's only a nine holecourse down there.
So, but after three holes is,you know, yellow and pulling the
strings out of the Zoysia, youknow, it's just, it don't look
good.
John Michael Clark (35:53):
On that we did a test We had a 2653 we sent
out the other day to mow some ofthis stuff and he mowed a few
holes And I stretched the moatthe reels out as far as I could
And, you know, we brought itback ground, sent it back out
(36:14):
and then I lapped it once and Iwas like, you know, as bad as
this sounds, I was like, I'drather not lapped it and just
let it suffer, you know, acouple more holes.
This didn't look right.
Trent Manning (36:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't, and that's, I guesswhat I was getting at when I
started laughing or I learnedhow to laugh.
I wouldn't doing it the rightway.
We would wait till the reelswouldn't cut paper and then we
would lap and that is not theway you should do it.
Um, you know, you know what theysay about opinions.
(36:48):
This is just my opinion, but Ithink you should lap, you know,
before you lose that cut becauseonce you lose that cut, yeah,
you can lap and get it to cut,but it ain't going to cut very
well.
So, it's really there formaintaining the edge and I know
other clubs.
I mean, they'll lap every singletime they mop.
John Michael Clark (37:07):
Yeah, it's a guy were the E.
M.
And Memphis.
It didn't matter if you mode onehole or 10 holes.
You brought your mower in, youwash it off, you pulled it over
to the laughing station and he'dlaugh.
It was just that was his thing.
Trent Manning (37:22):
Yeah, I don't.
What kind of lapping compound?
I mean, like what grit?
John Michael Clark (37:26):
Well, that was eight years ago.
Trent Manning (37:29):
That was too many adult beverages ago.
Okay.
John Michael Clark (37:32):
many concussions ago.
Trent Manning (37:34):
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Well, let's talk about grow inand yeah.
How hard is that?
How much stuff is breakingbecause they're doing
construction?
How much construction equipmentare you working on?
Wow.
John Michael Clark (37:51):
Guys have gotten to know each other very
well over the last year.
I mean, it's a daily thing.
If we send a mower out, it'sgoing out for one day and then
we're taking it to the shop togrind.
And I think we've been mowingfairways for three weeks over
there and.
We only have two fairway mowersover there, and I think we've
went through 20 bed knivesbetween the 2 25 bed knives.
(38:16):
And it's just, I mean, we're onthe mountain, so we have rocks
everywhere.
We, I, um, I think there's only10 to 18 inches of soil at the
most in our deepest areas.
I mean, I've never seen so muchdynamite go off in my life as we
had to up there just to put inirrigation.
Trent Manning (38:38):
Wow.
That's crazy.
John Michael Clark (38:39):
That's I don't want to be the irrigation
tech up there, that's for sure.
Unless we get an excavator witha rock what do they call it?
A rock hammer or something likethat.
Trent Manning (38:50):
That's crazy.
John Michael Clark (38:51):
But it's been a, it's been fun, it's been
exhausting, but just getting tosee, I mean, when I stepped foot
on property in April of lastyear, they had not finished
clear cutting everything.
And to get to see it from thenuntil now, and look back at
pictures It's incredible theamount of work that's went into
(39:12):
it.
Um, you know, our greens upthere they're finally filling
in.
They're actually looking reallygood.
The winter was pretty rough onus.
We lost a lot of short grass,but the stuff that we've been
getting the last month that it'scoming along quick, we're it's
going to be a one height or twoheight course.
(39:33):
Everything T to approach will beone height and then the greens
will be their own height.
But,
Trent Manning (39:39):
Okay, that's cool.
John Michael Clark (39:40):
mowing everything right now, it's.
It's starting to look good.
You know, we're pushing stuff alittle bit longer than we
should, but with the amount of,you know, hitting everything and
I mean, we, where we're havingto park equipment over there and
the roads that we'retransporting on it's
understandable.
Trent Manning (39:59):
When is that core supposed to open?
John Michael Clark (40:01):
Um, September 1 is the last.
If I remember right, it's thelast day that any equipment will
be on the court.
Trent Manning (40:10):
Okay.
John Michael Clark (40:10):
So, they'll have, you know, a member's
opening or an investor's openingprobably the next weekend.
Um, I think they're going tostart selling some teatimes for
mid to late October, But it'sIt's coming along.
They still have a lot of work togo, but it's been a good
learning experience.
Trent Manning (40:30):
Oh, I bet.
I bet.
So it's Zorja wall to wallexcept greens?
John Michael Clark (40:34):
Yes.
It's Stadium Zoysia.
I'm not exactly sure.
It's a, I know it's a crossbetween Xeon and I think it's
got the color of a Meyer.
I'm not exactly sure, but it'sa, you know, for a Zoids, it's
very thin blade.
I don't think it's as coarse assome of the older varieties.
(40:54):
I mean, it's mowing really nice.
Thankfully we're not mowing thisweek.
We just finished top dressingall wall to wall.
So they're going to let me havea break for a couple of days.
Trent Manning (41:04):
Yeah, how often, you know, when you are mowing,
how often are you mowing theZorja?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (41:13):
And they've got every, we're down to half an
inch on all the sod that waslaid last year and earlier this
year.
The stuff that was laid in thepast 2 weeks, I think we're, we
have some at an inch, some atlike 750.
So, they're keeping me busy withweekly height changes and greens
(41:33):
right now are at daily heightchange.
So, as quick as I can get therein the morning and go from shop
1 to the lay down yard, we don'teven have a shop, it's the lay
down yard.
You know, we're changingheights, so
Trent Manning (41:49):
How come so many greenshot?
Just trying to work it down?
John Michael Clark (41:53):
working it down and then, we did it in
sections.
So they seeded two or threegreens and then they seeded two
or three more greens and thenthey.
And they're all at differentstages of maturity now, so we're
getting them all dialed incloser, um, and that's, I think
we're at the height on our moremature greens that we're going
(42:13):
to stay at until we get closerto opening, but we're just
trying to play catch up rightnow with everything that's new,
we're,
Trent Manning (42:21):
Gotcha.
Makes sense.
are you ready to do some rapidfire questions?
John Michael Clark (42:29):
whew, it's late in the day for that,
Trent Manning (42:32):
no.
That's good, man.
That's good.
What's your favorite movie?
John Michael Clark (42:37):
ooh old yeller.
Trent Manning (42:39):
Oh, man.
Going way back.
Way back.
Man.
Yeah, I cried.
John Michael Clark (42:45):
I did.
Trent Manning (42:46):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (42:46):
I got to get emotional every once in a
Trent Manning (42:48):
Yeah.
No, that's yeah.
What would be your last meal?
John Michael Clark (42:51):
Ooh probably a tomahawk ribeye homemade mac
and cheese and some fried okra.
Trent Manning (42:58):
Oh, man.
Proud okra.
Yes.
I mean, I don't know.
My mom, she made the best friedokra and ever said, you know, I
hadn't had any since she passedaway four years ago because I
mean, it just ain't, it ain'tthe same.
And one thing, and I think otherpeople do this, I guess, but she
(43:18):
didn't, she used flour and cornmeal to bread her okra.
And it was the best thing ever.
John Michael Clark (43:26):
I'm gonna write that down.
Whatever I'm doing ain't right,and granny won't tell me the
secret.
Trent Manning (43:33):
Yeah, that might be the secret.
Throw a little cornmeal inthere.
What are you most proud of?
John Michael Clark (43:38):
Probably, you know, finally buying a
house.
That's probably the biggestthing here lately that I can
think of.
Trent Manning (43:45):
No, that's good, man.
That's good.
And yeah, I think you should beproud of your career too.
And how far you came.
And who knows how far you'regoing to go.
You might end up in Mexico.
Or somewhere else.
And I mean, that is one of thecool things I think about this
industry.
You know, you can go anywhere inthe world.
I mean, there's golf everywhere.
(44:07):
You know, you pick where youwant to be and you can go there.
You find a job at a golf course.
And I mean, for us, you know,the technicians mechanics and
all that, you know, I think wecan write our own ticket
John Michael Clark (44:19):
Well,
Trent Manning (44:19):
we want to go.
John Michael Clark (44:20):
that's one of our biggest things of
finding, you know, I'm lookingfor three more guys right now.
Trent Manning (44:26):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (44:26):
And I haven't, you know, it's hard to
get anybody to even answer anemail.
Trent Manning (44:31):
Yeah, that's the economy I guess we live in.
Yeah, how far is the closesttown?
John Michael Clark (44:38):
The closest town, probably 25 minutes.
Um, I mean, I'm living inAlabama working in Georgia
Trent Manning (44:47):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (44:47):
and it's 30, 35 minutes of back roads.
Yeah.
The area where we are at themountain.
I mean, there's no grocerystore.
There's nothing for 25, 30minutes.
Trent Manning (44:58):
Yep.
John Michael Clark (44:59):
So it's definitely a difficult area for
hiring and.
Our pool is not very big.
Trent Manning (45:05):
Yeah, because how far are you from Chattanooga?
John Michael Clark (45:09):
About 45 minutes.
Trent Manning (45:10):
Yeah.
So, but, you know, who wants todrive 45 minutes up the mountain
every day?
So, yeah that's a tough sell.
Well, I wish you the best ofluck for sure.
Tell the listeners how they canget a hold of you.
You're on
John Michael Clark (45:26):
on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram I think it's
Clark.
I don't get on Twitter much.
They y'all taught me intogetting back on it, but it's a
Clark, John, Mike on Twitter,and then I think it's JM Clark
13 on Instagram, and you know,those are the two easiest ways
(45:47):
to get ahold of me.
I'd usually check thosethroughout the day.
Cause I'm one of those.
I like to post done things, youknow?
So.
Trent Manning (45:56):
nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, I love posting.
Like look at this.
Can you believe this happenedtoday?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (46:04):
And I'll get a call.
Did you mean to post that?
Trent Manning (46:07):
I guess I shouldn't have.
Yeah, it sure did.
John Michael Clark (46:11):
Fat bum.
Trent Manning (46:13):
Yep.
Blame it on the thumbs.
John Michael Clark (46:14):
Yes.
Trent Manning (46:15):
Well, thank you, John Michael.
I really appreciate you being aguest.
Um, thank all the listeners forfor listening.
And if you got any ideas forthis podcast or you want to be a
guest, reach out to me.
Um, we're always looking forguests and always looking for
ideas too.
John Michael Clark (46:33):
Well, thanks for having me, Trent.
I appreciate it very much.
Hopefully we'll get to catch upsoon.
Trent Manning (46:38):
Yes, sir.
No, we definitely going to,we're going to get together
sooner rather than later.
thank you so much for listeningto the Reel turf techs podcast.
I hope you learned somethingtoday.
Don't forget to subscribe.
If you have any topics you'dlike to discuss, or you'd like
to be a guest, find us onTwitter at Reel turf techs.
welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the
technician that wants to getreel follow along.
As we talk to industryprofessionals and address hot
topics that we all face alongthe way we'll learn tips and
tricks.
I'm your host, Trent.
Manning let's have some thisepisode are real turf techs on
(00:27):
golf course industriesSuperintendent radio network is
presented by Foley county astrong supporter of equipment
technicians and golf coursemaintenance departments
everywhere Foley county offers aproven solution for above and
below the turf for turfprofessionals To learn more
(00:47):
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Welcome to the real turf textpodcast episode 1 27.
(01:09):
Today we're talking to JohnMichael Clark equivalent manager
at French munch Creek beach andcountry club and Palm beach
gardens, Florida.
Frenchmans Creek is a private 36hole club with two championship
golf courses, the north and thesouth.
When we recorded this episode,John Michael was a Michael Moore
(01:29):
golf club and rising bond,Georgia.
Let's talk to John Michael.
Welcome John Michael to the realturf text podcast.
Thanks for coming on.
John Michael Clark (01:38):
Thanks for having me, Trent.
I
Trent Manning (01:40):
Looking forward to it.
yeah, I, you know, I'll tell thelisteners.
So I first met you at sawgrasslast year, for the very, very
first time.
And y'all had a, an equipmentmanager there, but you were kind
of running the show.
and seemed like you had a goodhead on your shoulders and I
don't know why but I just kindof hit it off with you like I've
(02:04):
known you my whole life and I'veonly probably stopped and talked
to you what four or five timesmaybe
John Michael Clark (02:11):
just a handful of times.
Trent Manning (02:13):
yeah just a handful yeah that's what it is
that's yeah it just makes mefeel right at home um because I
remember went out in Phoenix Isaid something off the wall Um,
to you and Kelly, my girlfriend,who's like, who is that guy?
I was like, I saw Michael, youknow, I met him like two times.
(02:33):
She's like, I can't believe yousaid that, but that's kind of my
personality too.
Well, tell us how you got intothe turf industry.
John Michael Clark (02:41):
High school just was driving by a course one
day and happened to see an oldguy struggling wheat eating and
I pulled in and he said, well,you got a job.
I was like, well, I didn't askfor a job.
He goes, well, you got one.
And after a couple of summersand Working with him, he finally
taught me into going to schooland went to, signed up, went to
(03:03):
Mississippi state, got a turfdegree.
And from then it was justeverywhere.
After that he kicked me outafter two years with him and
told me I needed to go findsomething better to do.
And joined a TPC, went toSouthwind for almost four, four
(03:23):
summers.
And then they forced me tofinish school.
They were like, you know, wecan't just keep having you
around.
Finally graduated and went toBirmingham for about a year and
ended up at Sawgrass aftermonths in Birmingham, spent
three years there.
And now a year ago, two weeksago, I've been in North Georgia,
(03:46):
Macklemore club,
Trent Manning (03:47):
Okay, awesome.
So where was this first course?
John Michael Clark (03:51):
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Trent Manning (03:53):
Oh man.
Roll tide.
Sorry.
I gotta say it.
John Michael Clark (03:57):
words.
Trent Manning (03:58):
Yes.
Yeah.
No.
Roll tide.
Um, yeah.
So funny.
I don't, have you met CoreyPhillips?
John Michael Clark (04:04):
I'm not sure.
Trent Manning (04:05):
Um, maybe not.
He's another Georgia guy.
I met him when I was working forJerry Pate and he grew up in
Berry, Alabama, just outside ofTuscaloosa.
And he's got four siblings andthey're the whole family's
Alabama.
John Michael Clark (04:21):
I did meet him.
was at the show, wasn't he?
Yeah, I met him.
Trent Manning (04:25):
Um, but yeah, his whole family's Alabama except
him.
He's Auburn fan just to bedifferent.
Yeah.
I don't know, man.
I don't know.
Let's let's not talk collegefootball, I guess.
Um, all right.
So you worked there at thatclub.
What club did you work at inBirmingham?
John Michael Clark (04:42):
it was Highland Club or yeah, Highland
Golf Club in downtown.
Trent Manning (04:47):
Okay.
Yep, there's a lot of good clubsthere in Birmingham.
Yeah,
John Michael Clark (04:54):
very low budget, but high demand.
I mean, we were 150 rounds a dayand a small 88 acre golf course.
Trent Manning (05:03):
that's crazy.
So how did you get into theshop?
John Michael Clark (05:07):
When I was at North River I think it was
like week three, our mechanicjust didn't show up.
Trent Manning (05:12):
Wait.
Hang on.
North River?
That's the one in Tuscaloosa?
That's where Cory startedworking.
John Michael Clark (05:20):
I think me and Corey just missed each other
Trent Manning (05:22):
Okay, well, and I think Cory's dad, when he worked
at the coal mine as anelectrician, And whenever they
would go on strike, he wouldwork at North river and he got
Corey in there.
Yeah.
Anyway, that's crazy, man.
Such a small world.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (05:45):
if I send you to Birmingham, can you learn
how to check reels?
I was like, I mean, I guess Ihave nothing better to do.
So I went up to his previousboss was Jim Simmons at Shoal
Creek and he sent me up thereand I worked with their mechanic
for a few days and I've learnedenough how to check a reel and,
you know, check cut and checkthe height.
(06:07):
And he said, Oh, you got it now.
Trent Manning (06:09):
That's all there is to it.
John Michael Clark (06:11):
And I helped out a little bit there.
And then when I went up to TPCSouthwind in Memphis.
Our mechanic there, he liked toleave, you know, at 1 30 and
day's not over yet.
So I had to learn how to, youknow, piddle with the old those
couplings and the old John Deereverticutting reels.
Trent Manning (06:29):
Oh yeah.
John Michael Clark (06:30):
learn all that.
And it just kept going andgoing.
And when I moved down toSawgrass Cash, the old equipment
manager there, he, me and himhit it off really good.
And yeah, He pulled me in theshop and he's like, I think you
just need to stay in here withme
Trent Manning (06:48):
Okay.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (06:49):
and pretty much did.
So I
Trent Manning (06:53):
Well, I mean, what little, you know, I've seen
you work down there.
I mean, it seems like you got areally good handle on things.
John Michael Clark (07:00):
I had a great teacher, that's for sure.
Trent Manning (07:03):
Yeah, where did he end up going?
John Michael Clark (07:05):
Cash is now at the Loxahatchee Club in I
think that's West Palm.
Trent Manning (07:10):
Okay, I've heard of it.
Yeah.
Um, yeah.
So what brought you toMacklemore from Sawgrass?
John Michael Clark (07:18):
The opportunity to, um, one, we're
building a brand new course.
Two, I got to be in theplannings for the design of the,
we'll have two shops eventually.
and just the opportunity to sortof, you know, come in a place
that didn't really have anythingset in stone and sort of, I
(07:40):
guess, write my own book.
Trent Manning (07:41):
Yeah, that's awesome, man.
John Michael Clark (07:44):
it's been a lot of headaches.
I know you've gotten severalcalls from me and Cash, his
phone rings off the hook andseveral other, you know, guys
that I look up to they've helpedout a lot, but we've, we're
making strides,
Trent Manning (07:58):
That's good, man.
John Michael Clark (07:59):
finally got a grinder that's, that actually
grinds and.
We've got a lot of new stuffcoming in and been hard for the
past year, but we're starting tosee the light at the end of the
tunnel.
Trent Manning (08:11):
That's good.
That's good.
And yeah, I mean, we can, yeah,I guess talk about it a little
bit more, the whole grow in andall the extra things that you
end up doing during thatprocess.
But before we get into that,tell us what's your least
favorite part of the job.
Yeah, and
John Michael Clark (08:31):
Just trying to get crews trained up.
We're having lots of accidentsavoidable mistakes, and it's
just, you getting what you'repaying for right now.
We've got a lot of younger guysthat they just, they don't know.
And I don't want to say theydon't care, but they just don't
know.
And we're just having a lot of.
A lot of mistakes that arestarting to get really costly.
(08:54):
That
Trent Manning (08:55):
I mean.
John Michael Clark (08:55):
budget starts to shrink
Trent Manning (08:57):
yes yeah, real quick.
Like.
And it is a shame.
I don't, you know, I won't speakfor myself, but when I was
growing up and where I grew uphere in North Georgia, I mean,
you know, me and all my friends,you know, we knew a lot of
practical stuff that you neededto know at a golf course, you
(09:18):
know, like how to hook a trailerup or how to work a ratchet
strap.
I mean, you know, just what Iwould think would be basic
stuff, but a lot of the peoplethese days, they do not have any
of those skills.
John Michael Clark (09:31):
and it's honestly scary.
We had a guy the other day.
I mean, all diesel caps on JohnDeere equipment are green.
it says diesel on it, and theyrun a gator with, that was a
diesel gator full of gas, and I,right now I don't know if we're
pulling the motor or not yet.
Come on man just slow down.
(09:51):
There's no, no reason to speed.
Trent Manning (09:54):
yeah, no, I'm with you.
And yeah, I mean, literallypeople speeding through the
parking lot and you get paid bythe hour, like, man, just chill
out.
It's okay.
We're not in a rush here.
We'll get it done when we get itdone.
Well, what's your favorite tool?
John Michael Clark (10:12):
Oof.
Right now it's been asledgehammer.
We've had to use a lot ofhammers here lately.
No, I,
Trent Manning (10:21):
I believe you are the first one guy did say
hammer, but he didn't saysledgehammer.
You took it to the next levelthere.
John Michael Clark (10:29):
Well, I ended up, I found a four pound
ball peen hammer the other dayat a garage sale, solid metal
handle, everything.
And that, I guess you've caughta mini sledge.
Trent Manning (10:40):
Okay.
That's awesome, man.
So yeah, what are you doing withthis mini sledge?
John Michael Clark (10:46):
Oh man.
We're right now.
We've got a true turf in theshop.
I've got the drive roller out ofit right now, trying to
straighten the frame out curbs,gotta love curbs.
What else have we got?
Bent frames on gators.
We got a guy hit a bridge theother day putting it in neutral
in the rain, going down a hillis never fun.
(11:08):
It's just, it's the fun.
You just have to smile somedays.
Trent Manning (11:13):
Yeah, I mean, what else do you do?
You know, I mean, you gottasmile, laugh it off, you know.
Well, that leads us right intowhat do you do to relax and find
your balance after you see allthese knuckleheads doing crazy
things.
John Michael Clark (11:28):
biggest thing right now for me now being
up in the mountains, um, we gohiking quite a bit.
I enjoy a nice, refreshing adultdrink in the afternoons.
Fishing's another big thing nowthat I'm back in freshwater
areas.
Saltwater got too expensive.
Trent Manning (11:46):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I was up there not toofar, I guess, away from your
course on Memorial Day weekendand me and Kelly went to
Cloudland Canyon
John Michael Clark (11:56):
You're right across the street.
Trent Manning (11:57):
yeah, and checked some of that out.
I didn't know how close I was,but, um,
John Michael Clark (12:02):
that's, I think it's three miles away.
Trent Manning (12:05):
no way.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
Um, yeah, I definitely got toget up there and check it out
and I will definitely make thattrip this fall.
If not before then.
John Michael Clark (12:16):
come on.
Trent Manning (12:16):
What's been one of your biggest challenges?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (12:25):
I came from a well established course with a
very large crew and, you know,having, I don't want to say an
unlimited budget, but brand newequipment every three, four
years.
You know, I had a lot of help inthe shop and a lot of help from
(12:46):
others to, you know, ifsomething went wrong, we could
get it quick.
You know, the biggest problemfor me right now is just besides
trying to get people told it's,you know, I don't have 16
triplexes, I have three.
one goes down, I'm sweatingbullets trying to figure out how
to get it going again.
You know, I think we placed anorder Wednesday.
(13:08):
I've got eight reels coming.
Hopefully be here this week.
Cause we got a lot of reels toreplace.
Trent Manning (13:14):
Wow.
That's yeah.
All from damage stuff.
John Michael Clark (13:17):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (13:18):
Oh, wow.
That's yeah.
I don't had you just ground thereal when I got damaged.
I mean, I don't, is thatMurphy's law or
John Michael Clark (13:27):
I don't know.
We had just ground all of ourteam mowers, all of our 2, 500s.
And we sent two out one.
I mean, it wasn't an hour afterhe got out.
I get a text message dinging.
I was like, all right, we'llbring it to the shop.
He gets on the third one goesout.
(13:47):
Hey, the reels won't spin.
They just worked because I justchecked him before they left.
comes back and the, you know,reels hanging down below the bed
and I thought, Oh gosh, I guesssomething had to break today.
So we got two down, so we'removing reels around, trying to
get another triplex going,finally got a second one up and
going, you know, that's when Iwalk in my office and just sat
(14:10):
my head down for a minute, I waslike, we're going to survive.
It's only 7.
30.
Trent Manning (14:16):
I know, man that's terrible though.
It's so frustrating when thathappens and I don't know why it
always has to be right after youground the reel and
John Michael Clark (14:24):
Well, and that's, you know, we had just
gotten our granite in and.
I'd finally gotten to startreally dialing in these reels.
I was like, all right, this isperfect.
These are the first time thesego out.
We have spent a lot of time onthem.
And then I mean, bang rightthere.
Trent Manning (14:40):
Yeah, that's terrible.
Well, maybe this is one of thestrangest things you've had
happen to two mowers in one day,I don't, yeah.
Do you got any strange storiesyou've seen?
Over the years
John Michael Clark (14:53):
Being up on the mountain, we, so the name
Macklemore comes from a longstory about an Indian and a guy
named Macklemore getting marriedand stuff.
So I tell people we've got we'reon an ancient Indian burial
ground.
So we're haunted.
We had a brand new Gator comeoff the trailer.
It's a loaner for the grow inpackage.
(15:16):
He drives it off the trailer.
And I mean, it hadn't been offthe trailer five seconds, but
both tires just fall off of it.
And I was just, I look, I waslike, you gotta be kidding me.
And there was one lug nut foreach side.
I was just like, that's it.
Here's our side.
Trent Manning (15:33):
Wow.
Yeah.
That's incredible.
Yeah.
And I, before we startedrecording, you said you had some
John Deere stuff show up withoutthe centric for the bed knife.
I don't, I mean, I don't knowhow you miss that stuff.
John Michael Clark (15:47):
I just, you got to smile.
Trent Manning (15:49):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (15:50):
That's my biggest thing I've had to learn
is, you know, let the littlethings go.
That's, I guess people are, theytell me I have a pretty small
one, so I'm going to startsmiling more.
Trent Manning (16:01):
There you go.
Well, do you have a mentor inthe industry other than cash?
John Michael Clark (16:07):
Haas is another big one.
He's down at the.
I think it's Bears Club.
Trent Manning (16:12):
Yep.
John Michael Clark (16:12):
Um, you know, he's, he used to invite us
all the time to come down.
They I that's the Treasure Coastarea.
They have a lot of the EMmeetings and he was always the,
you know, second they found outI'd get a text message, whatever
you gotta do, you need to getdown here.
Trent Manning (16:29):
Okay.
John Michael Clark (16:30):
had never gotten to work with him, but
talking with him and, you know,I don't know how he, Been at
that club for a long time.
And I mean, he's a walkingnotebook for Toro.
Trent Manning (16:42):
I'll bet.
John Michael Clark (16:43):
sort of jealous cause he actually has
Toro sometimes, but Help me.
But he's getting to talk withhim.
He, I've been, I've enjoyed ourlong conversations and, you
know, it's not always aboutwork.
Some, we'll talk fishing andhunting everything else.
Another one.
I pick his brain a lot.
Chris Langley's been another bighelp for me.
Trent Manning (17:04):
Yep.
Yep.
Oh,
John Michael Clark (17:08):
and out.
Anytime he actually texts methis morning, they hit the call
button on the grinder.
So he's sitting, what's wrong?
It's like, I'm not even in theshop yet.
Trent Manning (17:21):
Yeah.
Yeah, so that's pretty cool.
So they have a call button.
John Michael Clark (17:25):
Yeah.
The new the 5, 500 dual express.
If you, it's got a.
And our guys, they get thebutton sometimes mixed up, but
there's a button on the top ofthe screen.
If you hit it, it sends yourtech a message saying, you know,
so and so's machines having anissue or they're having an issue
with, and he'll send me a textmessage right then.
Trent Manning (17:47):
Oh, wow.
That's really cool.
That's pretty neat stuff.
Yeah, I've known Chris for quitea while.
I guess I first met him at EastLake like probably whatever 1012
years ago and ever since then, Ialways look forward to seeing
him anytime I can whether it bea show or down there.
(18:08):
Um real good down there.
Yeah.
And he was a equipment tech tooone day.
John Michael Clark (18:15):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (18:16):
You know, in
John Michael Clark (18:17):
did several years in it.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (18:19):
What would be your dream job or opportunity?
John Michael Clark (18:22):
You know, I've actually talked about
trying the international game,maybe, and, you know, go down to
Mexico or something like thatfor a while.
Being young in the industry andalso not married and don't have
any kids.
And I've lived in a camper forfour or three years when I was
in Florida.
So it was nice being able tojust bounce around and stuff.
(18:43):
I finally bought a house, soit's a little harder to move
now, but, um, I'm wanting toeither, you know, head
international or something, orhead back to Florida, you know,
several years,
Trent Manning (18:56):
I don't, do you like the Florida golf atmosphere
where it's go?
John Michael Clark (19:00):
Constant go.
I guess it.
It kept me on my toes and, youknow, I told somebody the other
day, now that I have weekendsoff, I was like, I feel lazy.
Trent Manning (19:09):
Yeah, I don't know.
Not a lot.
And I've thought about it, butI'm like, I don't know.
I don't want to work, you know,13 months out of the year
John Michael Clark (19:17):
No kidding.
Trent Manning (19:18):
like they do down there.
I mean, it's nuts.
Oh
John Michael Clark (19:22):
hour weeks add up really quickly.
Trent Manning (19:26):
yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
How many guys did y'all have inthe shop
John Michael Clark (19:30):
The most that was ever there while I was
there was four.
Trent Manning (19:33):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (19:33):
Um, three techs and one equipment manager.
And it fluctuated, you know,during the time I was there.
I think we had five at one time.
We had a part time one of thecolleges there had a student
that came in sort of like aninternship and work two or three
days a week, and, but she only,I think she worked 15 hours a
(19:55):
week.
So I don't consider that a job.
Trent Manning (19:58):
Yeah.
The other cool thing is y'allhad the wash bay attendant
John Michael Clark (20:04):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (20:04):
that was cool, I thought Yeah,
John Michael Clark (20:11):
that if they didn't wash it right, he had to
go wash it.
So he sat out there and,
Trent Manning (20:17):
make sure it got done, right Yeah, that's awesome
You got a technician you'd liketo work with for a day
John Michael Clark (20:24):
that's, I'd love to work with Haas or Chris
Johnson would not be anothergood one.
Um, got to talk with him alittle bit a while back about
grinders.
And I know he runs SIPs, but Igot in, I talked to Mike Rollins
at the show and, you know, he, Iguess, hit the right nerve.
So I got curious about him andjust wanted to learn about him
(20:45):
and, Went and saw oh shoot.
I can't remember his name.
He's at Eastlake now.
Went and saw him when we wentdown to y'all's place.
I got to check out his grindersfor a day.
So.
Trent Manning (20:56):
Chris Lewis.
John Michael Clark (20:58):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (20:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Okay
John Michael Clark (21:00):
I know there's so many.
Trent Manning (21:02):
Yeah, now there's there's a bunch of good techs
out there.
And there's a few of us inGeorgia, not too far
John Michael Clark (21:08):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (21:09):
Yeah, Corey and John Patterson and, um, Josh
Brown.
He's at Indian Hills.
He's another good guy.
Yeah.
I can't think of all of them offthe top.
Charlie Carr.
He's at Hawks Ridge.
I mean, yeah, you met him.
Yeah.
My shop.
Um, yeah.
John Michael Clark (21:27):
that's, I need to make it down to the
Atlanta area more.
That's I'm so green for thatarea.
That's, I mean, I know how toget to your course and I know
how to get to East Lake andthat's it.
Trent Manning (21:36):
I don't and hopefully, you know, we slow
down this fall.
We'll start getting together.
I mean, we had that one gettogether at my shop and you came
and Charlie came and.
That was about it.
And it was funny, you know, Itexted everybody and they're
like, oh yeah, that day's good.
That day's good.
And then, you know, it comes upand it's like, okay, can you
make it?
(21:57):
Um, so hopefully this fall we'llwe'll get together again.
Bye.
Because, I don't, I mean it'sfun to me to get a bunch of
people, like minded individualstogether in the same room and
see how other people do stuff,you know.
Well, what do you know now youwish you'd known on day one?
John Michael Clark (22:16):
That's
Trent Manning (22:16):
can think, yeah, you can think Miles Kemp, Birdie
Bar for coming up.
That's his question.
John Michael Clark (22:22):
Probably how to you know, I guess how to talk
to others, you know?
We get, I get in the momentsometimes and I, it comes out, I
don't mean it bad, but it doescome out that way that, and
sometimes, you know, it waslike, what was I thinking, but I
made it this far, you
Trent Manning (22:42):
I mean, it's hard.
It's challenging not to takesome of this stuff personal.
And I know, you know, people arenot doing it necessarily
intentionally, but I mean, it'shard.
It's really hard.
And it's hard not to react likeyou want to react.
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (23:04):
shot because.
At the end of the day, it isyours and you know, somebody
mistreating something of yours,it doesn't usually go over well.
Trent Manning (23:13):
No, not at all.
What leads us into, how do youdeal with that person?
John Michael Clark (23:17):
Well, right now we with our new HR
department, I don't handleanything.
I pass it on to the assistantsand superintendents.
I'm blessed with a greatsuperintendent that he listens
and usually he can combat stuffbefore I even get a chance.
He's done a great job ofwrangling in people.
(23:37):
Told him from day one that I waslike, you know, we, there's
gotta be the nice guy.
And I was like, I prefer it tobe you.
You have to work with him everyday.
So he's the nice guy.
Trent Manning (23:48):
Yeah.
No that's alright.
That works.
You know, it's a team effort.
John Michael Clark (23:52):
Absolutely.
Trent Manning (23:53):
Yeah.
Do they have, at your club, anykind of, so what happens to an
employee if they damagesomething and it's, you know,
John Michael Clark (24:03):
So we just implemented a couple of weeks
ago.
I actually stole it off of oneof our Facebook groups.
The point system.
So there's, you know, one pointfor being late to work, two
points for no show, no call.
I think it's 10 points perquarter and, you know, I think
it's at six points you getwritten up or have a verbal
(24:25):
warning or something like that.
And then 10 points, you know,We're looking towards
termination.
And the guys have, they havestepped up since we did this.
Um, it took some finagling, butwe got it.
Um, you know, they, I got apoint the other day cause I
parked my truck and not myassigned spot.
(24:47):
So they got to get me back forthat.
Trent Manning (24:51):
Yeah, that's good.
Yeah.
I mean, that's fair.
You know, everybody.
John Michael Clark (24:54):
Oh yeah.
It's fair game.
You know, I got mysuperintendent for leaving.
He's got a camper shell.
He's left it in the shop for, Ithink, a month now.
I was like, dude, you got threepoints.
Like, making up space.
Trent Manning (25:11):
Yeah, that's good stuff.
Gotta get the boss in there too.
Um, one thing that we did and itwas mainly just for people being
late.
And I think it comes from Athenscountry club.
So out, you know, close to UGAwhen our superintendent at the
time, he worked at Athenscountry club when he was going
(25:33):
to UGA and they had threestrikes.
If you were late three times, Iwas it.
No questions asked three, threelights gone.
I mean, they didn't play, youknow, and I think about that
now.
If we had that policy, wewouldn't have anybody working
with us.
John Michael Clark (25:53):
I wouldn't be working.
Trent Manning (25:55):
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know.
It's crazy.
John Michael Clark (25:59):
Well, that's, we have to have a little
bit of leeway, so we'll getthese fogs up on the mountain.
It's insane.
You can't see a hundred feet infront of you.
And, you know, I actually calledthe other day.
I was like, I can see work, butI can't see the road good enough
to get there.
I was like, I'm just gonna, I'mgonna park on the side of the
road and wait.
Trent Manning (26:19):
That's crazy.
It's that thick.
Get ready for tips and tricks.
Well, what kind of tips and tricks you want to
share with us?
Some of your favorites.
John Michael Clark (26:29):
you know, the biggest thing that I've
learned with John Deere, we,when I was at Sawgrass, they
were big into the granites andfinally got one.
And, you know, I live by it.
I've got a technician that he'sbeen around the Chattanooga area
for 20 years and We finallystarted playing with it the
other day and he's, you know, hecalls it the magic because if
(26:53):
you do it right, it all worksout just right.
That's probably, you know, mybest thing in the shop right
now.
Cause we're still going throughmowers.
We've had it set up for twoweeks now and just the amount of
equipment, me being pulled toboth courses right now.
We hadn't had a chance to getthrough everything.
(27:14):
That's I guess my trick or
Trent Manning (27:16):
Yeah, well, yeah, walk us through that process.
How do you do it on the granite?
How do you square one up?
John Michael Clark (27:25):
so we, we follow, um, Stephen Tucker's way
of doing it.
We'll roll the, you know, getthe height set and everything.
Roll it back, lock it down, andtake a surface gauge and measure
it out.
Divide by four, move theeccentrics as well as the height
adjustment on it.
And if you do it right, you rollit back forward and same height
(27:47):
on both sides and, you know,ready to go.
And it took me a while andtalking with others that were
doing it because that brainwasn't, I guess, as complex
enough to understand what I wasactually doing.
Finally, you know, when I was atSawgrass seeing that, you know,
some of the heights we weremowing at, it was, we were
(28:09):
getting pretty low and Finally,one of them took Cash took me
out there one day and he pointedand he goes, now you see it, he
goes, and that's less than 10thousandths from, you know,
corner to corner.
And I was like, and that's whyyou're such a stiffler on if it
ain't two thousandths, it ain'tright.
Trent Manning (28:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, when you're doing that,do you try to, do you adjust on
the same side?
Yeah.
If you move the eccentric on oneside, you're moving the back row
on that same side.
Okay.
Yeah.
I played around with it too.
And I don't know, I just thinkthere's gotta be an easier way.
John Michael Clark (28:49):
I, and that's, we played.
Or I've played around with ittrying to, cause I was like,
this is the most time consumingthing.
And, you know, I've talked toother guys that, and I'm not
saying one's right or the other,but they'll do the old one on
the surface plate and roll thereel up to the bed knife touches
(29:10):
and just adjust the frontroller.
And I tried it and I was like, Ican still see a line and, you
know, learning more and talkingmore, you know, some of that
could have been the shadowingfrom the roller getting a double
roll.
You know, I just, I go back toit every time, and it's been
(29:32):
faithful to me, so I just, I'vestuck with it.
Trent Manning (29:35):
Well, yeah, I mean, you know, it's like the
old saying goes, if it ain'tbroke, don't fix it.
Um, I just, and not that it's sohard to do.
I mean, it's not hard.
It's just really time consuming
John Michael Clark (29:48):
Yes.
Trent Manning (29:49):
and
John Michael Clark (29:50):
we'll just say 10 minutes or five to 10
minutes a real shoot.
Once you do a triplex, you'rehalf an hour in
Trent Manning (29:56):
Yeah, easily.
And then what about a fixed headmower?
How big a pain is that?
John Michael Clark (30:02):
So we have the two 20 SLs.
That's it's a nightmare justcause you have to take the side
plate off.
And you know, the eccentric onit is so finicky.
Cause if you don't tighten thebolts back in the correct order,
a certain order, It'll pop rightback out.
But you know, we went and gotall those done on a surface
(30:22):
plate.
I guess it was in October oflast year.
And honestly, you know, we putthem on the granite and they
haven't moved.
Trent Manning (30:31):
Okay, nice.
John Michael Clark (30:32):
I don't know if these are just special ones,
cause I know the ones thatsawgrass love to move every time
they touch the grinder, butwe've been very lucky with
these.
Trent Manning (30:43):
Wow,
John Michael Clark (30:43):
Hopefully it's a one and done deal.
Trent Manning (30:45):
Yeah, do you think it's the way they're
transported or anything likethat?
John Michael Clark (30:49):
I don't think it's, because I mean,
these guys are just as rough asthey were down there on
transporting that.
I really think it's just theamount of use we're, we swap in
and out with fixed heads.
We'll, mainly we're using thoseearly in the year and in the,
you know, wait till the fall.
We've got our flex heads rightnow going.
(31:11):
That's, I really think it's justthe amount of use.
Um, we're actually using ourfixed heads right now on the new
course just because.
trying to get a littleaggressive.
We've got, I think our oldestgreen's three and a half months
old right now over there.
So we're about to start settingsome groomers down, getting
those to start thinning a littlebit.
Trent Manning (31:34):
Do you think the fixed head cuts more aggressive?
Yeah, and
John Michael Clark (31:41):
in my personal opinion you and that's
I know you can adjust the quickthe flex head You can do so much
more adjustments with it, butjust something about a fixed
head mower
Trent Manning (31:51):
I want to say, is it Toro now on their newest,
latest Fixed head, the rearroller is adjustable, I think.
The drum, you can move it.
There's like two positionsdepending on your height.
Yeah, which is, yeah, prettypretty slick.
And I mean, you know, I run aknife deer, but I do think
(32:13):
Toro's ahead of the curve on alot of that stuff.
On cutting unit geometry and alot of those things from
John Michael Clark (32:22):
just the hardened reels and hardened
bedknives are a game changer
Trent Manning (32:27):
Oh yeah, hands down and Tony out at Trinity's
Forest, he done a test to getJohn Deere and Toro on the
Zoysia Fairways and the Toroblew it out of the water and he
was counting, you know, thenumber of clicks he was doing,
you know, to adjust each time itcame in and um, I mean, it's
(32:47):
some hardcore data he's gotgoing on but
John Michael Clark (32:52):
think it was last year.
We went down me and another techthat worked at Sawgrass together
We went down to see Cash and,you know, have to give him grief
sometimes, you know, he'sgetting old, so we have to keep
him going and we went andwatched him, you know, check his
mowers in and I was like, youjust gave him a click.
I was like, well, you must'veground last week.
(33:13):
He goes, Oh, we ain't groundthree weeks on greens.
I'm like, you're kidding.
He goes, I ain't gonna grind foranother two or three more weeks.
So I was sitting out therethinking, I'm about to go take
the top dresser out and throwsome gravel on these greens so
he has to grind some more.
Trent Manning (33:28):
Um, But he's running Toro.
John Michael Clark (33:31):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (33:32):
Yeah.
That's something when
John Michael Clark (33:37):
is going to be all, it's wall to wall
zoysia, except for greens.
And I was like, we're going tobe grinding every, you know,
every two or three cuts.
Trent Manning (33:46):
I don't know what they're doing now at East Lake,
but like when I first startedhelping out down there for the
tour championship, Davidflowers, he was the equipment
manager down there and he wasgetting three months and ground.
I mean, every third month orafter the third month, throw it
on the grinder.
John Michael Clark (34:07):
I talked
Trent Manning (34:07):
that's crazy.
John Michael Clark (34:09):
I was talking to a guy out in Texas
the other day, and I think theyhave Cavalier.
I'm not exactly sure.
And He's like, we'll send amower out.
He goes, they'll mow nine holesor nine, the front nine
fairways.
They'll bring that mower in,drop it off, grab the other one
and go back out.
And he goes, you know, to extendthe life that I can, he goes,
(34:31):
it's not that I like it, but hegoes, I have to backlap, you
know, after they get done withthe front nine and he goes, Then
when they go out to mow the nexttime and he goes when they
finish the front now with thatmower He goes the reels come off
and they go straight in thegrinder And he's like, you know,
they were doing the whole I meanthey were relief and everything
and he's like I can get two mowsand he goes then we're going
(34:52):
grinding.
Trent Manning (34:53):
Man, that is, yeah, that's crazy.
Um, so I got Georgia at ourmidtown course and I mean, Joel,
he runs a show down there, buthe's getting seven or eight
cuts.
He does lap, you know, everyother Mo he'll lap.
Yeah.
Um, but that is one thing, youknow, I came from, you know,
(35:16):
bent grass and I was technicallyover that shop and Joel was
doing all the work and causeeverybody knows I don't work.
But, um, anyway, I was, youknow, and we lapped a bunch and
what we found out is you get toa certain point where you lap
and the mowers cutting good, yousend it out and.
(35:40):
You know, it's only a nine holecourse down there.
So, but after three holes is,you know, yellow and pulling the
strings out of the Zoysia, youknow, it's just, it don't look
good.
John Michael Clark (35:53):
On that we did a test We had a 2653 we sent
out the other day to mow some ofthis stuff and he mowed a few
holes And I stretched the moatthe reels out as far as I could
And, you know, we brought itback ground, sent it back out
(36:14):
and then I lapped it once and Iwas like, you know, as bad as
this sounds, I was like, I'drather not lapped it and just
let it suffer, you know, acouple more holes.
This didn't look right.
Trent Manning (36:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't, and that's, I guesswhat I was getting at when I
started laughing or I learnedhow to laugh.
I wouldn't doing it the rightway.
We would wait till the reelswouldn't cut paper and then we
would lap and that is not theway you should do it.
Um, you know, you know what theysay about opinions.
(36:48):
This is just my opinion, but Ithink you should lap, you know,
before you lose that cut becauseonce you lose that cut, yeah,
you can lap and get it to cut,but it ain't going to cut very
well.
So, it's really there formaintaining the edge and I know
other clubs.
I mean, they'll lap every singletime they mop.
John Michael Clark (37:07):
Yeah, it's a guy were the E.
M.
And Memphis.
It didn't matter if you mode onehole or 10 holes.
You brought your mower in, youwash it off, you pulled it over
to the laughing station and he'dlaugh.
It was just that was his thing.
Trent Manning (37:22):
Yeah, I don't.
What kind of lapping compound?
I mean, like what grit?
John Michael Clark (37:26):
Well, that was eight years ago.
Trent Manning (37:29):
That was too many adult beverages ago.
Okay.
John Michael Clark (37:32):
many concussions ago.
Trent Manning (37:34):
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Well, let's talk about grow inand yeah.
How hard is that?
How much stuff is breakingbecause they're doing
construction?
How much construction equipmentare you working on?
Wow.
John Michael Clark (37:51):
Guys have gotten to know each other very
well over the last year.
I mean, it's a daily thing.
If we send a mower out, it'sgoing out for one day and then
we're taking it to the shop togrind.
And I think we've been mowingfairways for three weeks over
there and.
We only have two fairway mowersover there, and I think we've
went through 20 bed knivesbetween the 2 25 bed knives.
(38:16):
And it's just, I mean, we're onthe mountain, so we have rocks
everywhere.
We, I, um, I think there's only10 to 18 inches of soil at the
most in our deepest areas.
I mean, I've never seen so muchdynamite go off in my life as we
had to up there just to put inirrigation.
Trent Manning (38:38):
Wow.
That's crazy.
John Michael Clark (38:39):
That's I don't want to be the irrigation
tech up there, that's for sure.
Unless we get an excavator witha rock what do they call it?
A rock hammer or something likethat.
Trent Manning (38:50):
That's crazy.
John Michael Clark (38:51):
But it's been a, it's been fun, it's been
exhausting, but just getting tosee, I mean, when I stepped foot
on property in April of lastyear, they had not finished
clear cutting everything.
And to get to see it from thenuntil now, and look back at
pictures It's incredible theamount of work that's went into
(39:12):
it.
Um, you know, our greens upthere they're finally filling
in.
They're actually looking reallygood.
The winter was pretty rough onus.
We lost a lot of short grass,but the stuff that we've been
getting the last month that it'scoming along quick, we're it's
going to be a one height or twoheight course.
(39:33):
Everything T to approach will beone height and then the greens
will be their own height.
But,
Trent Manning (39:39):
Okay, that's cool.
John Michael Clark (39:40):
mowing everything right now, it's.
It's starting to look good.
You know, we're pushing stuff alittle bit longer than we
should, but with the amount of,you know, hitting everything and
I mean, we, where we're havingto park equipment over there and
the roads that we'retransporting on it's
understandable.
Trent Manning (39:59):
When is that core supposed to open?
John Michael Clark (40:01):
Um, September 1 is the last.
If I remember right, it's thelast day that any equipment will
be on the court.
Trent Manning (40:10):
Okay.
John Michael Clark (40:10):
So, they'll have, you know, a member's
opening or an investor's openingprobably the next weekend.
Um, I think they're going tostart selling some teatimes for
mid to late October, But it'sIt's coming along.
They still have a lot of work togo, but it's been a good
learning experience.
Trent Manning (40:30):
Oh, I bet.
I bet.
So it's Zorja wall to wallexcept greens?
John Michael Clark (40:34):
Yes.
It's Stadium Zoysia.
I'm not exactly sure.
It's a, I know it's a crossbetween Xeon and I think it's
got the color of a Meyer.
I'm not exactly sure, but it'sa, you know, for a Zoids, it's
very thin blade.
I don't think it's as coarse assome of the older varieties.
(40:54):
I mean, it's mowing really nice.
Thankfully we're not mowing thisweek.
We just finished top dressingall wall to wall.
So they're going to let me havea break for a couple of days.
Trent Manning (41:04):
Yeah, how often, you know, when you are mowing,
how often are you mowing theZorja?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (41:13):
And they've got every, we're down to half an
inch on all the sod that waslaid last year and earlier this
year.
The stuff that was laid in thepast 2 weeks, I think we're, we
have some at an inch, some atlike 750.
So, they're keeping me busy withweekly height changes and greens
(41:33):
right now are at daily heightchange.
So, as quick as I can get therein the morning and go from shop
1 to the lay down yard, we don'teven have a shop, it's the lay
down yard.
You know, we're changingheights, so
Trent Manning (41:49):
How come so many greenshot?
Just trying to work it down?
John Michael Clark (41:53):
working it down and then, we did it in
sections.
So they seeded two or threegreens and then they seeded two
or three more greens and thenthey.
And they're all at differentstages of maturity now, so we're
getting them all dialed incloser, um, and that's, I think
we're at the height on our moremature greens that we're going
(42:13):
to stay at until we get closerto opening, but we're just
trying to play catch up rightnow with everything that's new,
we're,
Trent Manning (42:21):
Gotcha.
Makes sense.
are you ready to do some rapidfire questions?
John Michael Clark (42:29):
whew, it's late in the day for that,
Trent Manning (42:32):
no.
That's good, man.
That's good.
What's your favorite movie?
John Michael Clark (42:37):
ooh old yeller.
Trent Manning (42:39):
Oh, man.
Going way back.
Way back.
Man.
Yeah, I cried.
John Michael Clark (42:45):
I did.
Trent Manning (42:46):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (42:46):
I got to get emotional every once in a
Trent Manning (42:48):
Yeah.
No, that's yeah.
What would be your last meal?
John Michael Clark (42:51):
Ooh probably a tomahawk ribeye homemade mac
and cheese and some fried okra.
Trent Manning (42:58):
Oh, man.
Proud okra.
Yes.
I mean, I don't know.
My mom, she made the best friedokra and ever said, you know, I
hadn't had any since she passedaway four years ago because I
mean, it just ain't, it ain'tthe same.
And one thing, and I think otherpeople do this, I guess, but she
(43:18):
didn't, she used flour and cornmeal to bread her okra.
And it was the best thing ever.
John Michael Clark (43:26):
I'm gonna write that down.
Whatever I'm doing ain't right,and granny won't tell me the
secret.
Trent Manning (43:33):
Yeah, that might be the secret.
Throw a little cornmeal inthere.
What are you most proud of?
John Michael Clark (43:38):
Probably, you know, finally buying a
house.
That's probably the biggestthing here lately that I can
think of.
Trent Manning (43:45):
No, that's good, man.
That's good.
And yeah, I think you should beproud of your career too.
And how far you came.
And who knows how far you'regoing to go.
You might end up in Mexico.
Or somewhere else.
And I mean, that is one of thecool things I think about this
industry.
You know, you can go anywhere inthe world.
I mean, there's golf everywhere.
(44:07):
You know, you pick where youwant to be and you can go there.
You find a job at a golf course.
And I mean, for us, you know,the technicians mechanics and
all that, you know, I think wecan write our own ticket
John Michael Clark (44:19):
Well,
Trent Manning (44:19):
we want to go.
John Michael Clark (44:20):
that's one of our biggest things of
finding, you know, I'm lookingfor three more guys right now.
Trent Manning (44:26):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (44:26):
And I haven't, you know, it's hard to
get anybody to even answer anemail.
Trent Manning (44:31):
Yeah, that's the economy I guess we live in.
Yeah, how far is the closesttown?
John Michael Clark (44:38):
The closest town, probably 25 minutes.
Um, I mean, I'm living inAlabama working in Georgia
Trent Manning (44:47):
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (44:47):
and it's 30, 35 minutes of back roads.
Yeah.
The area where we are at themountain.
I mean, there's no grocerystore.
There's nothing for 25, 30minutes.
Trent Manning (44:58):
Yep.
John Michael Clark (44:59):
So it's definitely a difficult area for
hiring and.
Our pool is not very big.
Trent Manning (45:05):
Yeah, because how far are you from Chattanooga?
John Michael Clark (45:09):
About 45 minutes.
Trent Manning (45:10):
Yeah.
So, but, you know, who wants todrive 45 minutes up the mountain
every day?
So, yeah that's a tough sell.
Well, I wish you the best ofluck for sure.
Tell the listeners how they canget a hold of you.
You're on
John Michael Clark (45:26):
on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram I think it's
Clark.
I don't get on Twitter much.
They y'all taught me intogetting back on it, but it's a
Clark, John, Mike on Twitter,and then I think it's JM Clark
13 on Instagram, and you know,those are the two easiest ways
(45:47):
to get ahold of me.
I'd usually check thosethroughout the day.
Cause I'm one of those.
I like to post done things, youknow?
So.
Trent Manning (45:56):
nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, I love posting.
Like look at this.
Can you believe this happenedtoday?
Yeah.
John Michael Clark (46:04):
And I'll get a call.
Did you mean to post that?
Trent Manning (46:07):
I guess I shouldn't have.
Yeah, it sure did.
John Michael Clark (46:11):
Fat bum.
Trent Manning (46:13):
Yep.
Blame it on the thumbs.
John Michael Clark (46:14):
Yes.
Trent Manning (46:15):
Well, thank you, John Michael.
I really appreciate you being aguest.
Um, thank all the listeners forfor listening.
And if you got any ideas forthis podcast or you want to be a
guest, reach out to me.
Um, we're always looking forguests and always looking for
ideas too.
John Michael Clark (46:33):
Well, thanks for having me, Trent.
I appreciate it very much.
Hopefully we'll get to catch upsoon.
Trent Manning (46:38):
Yes, sir.
No, we definitely going to,we're going to get together
sooner rather than later.
thank you so much for listeningto the Reel turf techs podcast.
I hope you learned somethingtoday.
Don't forget to subscribe.
If you have any topics you'dlike to discuss, or you'd like
to be a guest, find us onTwitter at Reel turf techs.
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