Olympic View Grounds February 2022 - Superintendent Introduction / Blog Revival

 

Well it has been just over a year now since I started my new role as Superintendent at Olympic View Golf Club. The Olympic View Grounds Team would like to start this second season off right by reviving the Olympic View Grounds blog that has been dormant since the summer of 2019. As it has been in the past, once again it will be an excellent avenue to provide information directly to members and guests from the Olympic View Grounds Department. 

Our goal is to provide a monthly post, but there will be a couple extras in the next few months as we have some items to catch up on. In order to have content to consistently produce, you should expect a wide range of topics in this blog that will include, but not necessarily limited to the following:

• New Information

• Timely updates on new course features and upcoming / on-going projects

• Course Playability & Etiquette related to Grounds

• fixing ball marks / pin placements

• Grounds Agronomic Decisions & Explanations

• course closures / frost delays

• Grounds Agronomic Practices

• Why we aerate, top dress, roll etc

• Irrigation & Drainage Systems

• Operation, maintenance & installations

• The Grounds Team

• Introductions to key members of our team

• Information on various procedures, and challenges we face in preparing the course each day

#13 Green July 2021

Before we get too deep into all the fun stuff above though, I would like to provide some background information on myself. 

Growing up as one of three sons of a Golf Course Superintendent, my two younger brothers and I were essentially raised on the golf course. My father, Dave Creamer, was most notably the Superintendent at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay from its construction in 1991 through 2005. I held many roles here, the first being a rock picker prior to fairway seeding in 1991 and the last being Assistant Superintendent 2001-2003. My passion for the industry was born here and I completed a Diploma in Turf Management from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2000 fresh out of high school.

The other main stop in my career was 15 years at Victoria Golf Club. Again I worked my way through the ranks here and was most recently the Assistant Superintendent for 9 seasons. I was fortunate to be intricately involved with numerous construction projects during my time at VGC. These projects provided continuous experience for me in project planning, budgeting and execution as well as the opportunity to work alongside world class architects, irrigation consultants and drainage engineers. I look forward to applying this skill set to future projects here at Olympic View Golf Club. 

Alongside my construction experience, I also have a track record of providing exceptional playing conditions. As an Assistant Superintendent I have hosted numerous national events including the 2016 PGA Championship of Canada and the 2018 Canadian Mid Amateur, both at Victoria Golf Club. I was also fortunate to be selected as a member of the volunteer agronomy team for the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay. Preparing a course alongside 150 other team members for a major golf championship will always be a highlight in my career.

Chambers Bay - 2015 US Open

I am very involved in numerous turfgrass associations across the country. I was the first Assistant Superintendent to be President of the Vancouver Island Golf Course Superintendents Association in 2019 and have been a conference speaker on multiple occasions for the provincial and national Superintendent associations. I am well regarded by my peers in the industry and enjoy the benefits of an extensive network of professionals for which to consult.

In 2017 I was selected as the inaugural Assistant Superintendent of the Year, by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and in 2018 was nominated to the Turf & Rec magazine Top 10 Under 40 list. Also on this list was past Olympic View Superintendent and current Director of Grounds for Golf BC, Brett Finlayson.

To cap off my professional accomplishments, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass from Penn State University in the spring of 2021. I currently maintain my Accredited Golf Course Superintendent status through the CGSA and constantly seek to increase knowledge in my chosen profession.

On the personal side, my wife Tina is a retired internationally accomplished kick boxer who is now a personal trainer and co-owns a gym in downtown Victoria. Our son Hunter will be 8 this summer and you will no doubt see him alongside me working the occasional morning and or playing alongside me on the course. Away from the course I enjoy the outdoors through hunting, fishing, hiking and camping and generally enjoy any opportunity to be outside of cell phone coverage.

So I know now what you are probably thinking, “Well this guy can certainly write a lot about himself, but why wasn’t ‘X’ better last season!!” Well heat domes, droughts, atmospheric rivers and pandemic challenges aside, a golf course is a living, breathing entity and it takes time to learn and understand the course. Myself and new Assistant Superintendent Josh Edgar had a lot to take in last season and have spent the winter re-grouping and building new plans for 2022. We can assure you that the best is yet to come for our tenure here and we look forward to communicating those steps as we progress through the year in this blog. Josh, myself and the entire Olympic View Grounds Team have nothing but eager anticipation and excitement for the 2022 season and look forward to enjoying Olympic View Golf Club with you this year!

T-Jay Creamer BSc, AGS

Golf Course Superintendent

Olympic View Golf Club