x
Breaking News
More () »

Science Behind LPGA Groundskeeper

Chase Turpin is the lead man when it comes to grooming the 18-hole golf course for the Walmart NW Championship Presented by P and G. He turns on the lights of t...
Chase Turpin is the lead man when it comes to grooming the 18-hole golf course for the Walmart NW Championship Presented by P and G. He turns on the lights of the driving range at 4:30 a.m. and sends out his crew of 25 with equipment.

Most golf course superintendents have a background in science. They need to be experts with the fertilizers and chemicals they use, Turpin said.

"It’s not just send out a bunch of mowers out and everything takes care of itself," he said. "There’s a lot of science that goes behind it."

Turpin has a four year degree on turf grass management from University of Arkansas.

"Not only with turf grass nutrition and fertilizers, but along with the mechanics of all the machines that we use in order to make it work,” Turpin said.

The golf course is inside the Pinnacle Country Club, which is a residential area where its members can take advantage of the course. The club features cutting edge turf to provide the firmest and fastest putting surface, according to its website. The club calls its turf modern and technologically-advanced.

"It gives us the ability to showcase our work, takes the monotony of the daily routine out of what we do," Turpin said.  "It’s a nice pace once a year for us to get involved and to get ready for this big event."

Turpin has been with the country club for eight years but has been in the business for 13.

"It gives us a sense of pride to be able to show everyone in the world what we do,” he said.

Turpin said they close the golf course two days before the tournament. However, he said, his crew started prepping the day after Memorial Day.

Before You Leave, Check This Out