Reel Turf Techs Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 144. Today we’re talking to Moe Rateb, Equipment Manager at Crowfield Golf Club, an 18-hole municipal course owned by the city of Goose Creek, SC. Moe is the lone tech in the shop, maintaining a mostly Toro fleet and managing it all with skill, heart, and a sense of humor. We dive into Moe’s path into turf, from starting at a muni fo...

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re talking with Tyler Miget, Equipment Manager at Harmony Club in Fort Collins, Colorado. An alumni of the GCSAA Melrose Equipment Management Experience and the Bernhard Academy’s Links to Success program, Tyler brings a unique path and thoughtful perspective to the role. From turning wrenches with his grandfather to working in nonprofits and running his own handyman busi...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 142! Today we’re talking to Chris Snyder, Equipment Manager at Mt. Hawley Country Club in Peoria, Illinois. Mt. Hawley is a private 18-hole course spread across 110 scenic acres next to Peoria Lake. Chris has been at the course for over 30 years, surviving everything from a decade without a grinder to a full course renovation — and h...

Send us Fan Mail Meet David Gummo, CTEM, Equipment Manager at Sands Point Golf Club in Sands Point, New York. Sands Point is a private 18-hole golf and skeet club where David manages a mostly Toro fleet, with a few pieces of John Deere and a lone Jacobsen. David shares how his journey began at just 14 years old in a vocational high school outdoor power equipment program, eventually becoming part o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, we sit down with Jim Merritt, founder and CEO of JRM, Inc. Jim’s journey in the turf industry began as a teenager working on golf courses, eventually leading to a successful career as a superintendent in North Carolina. Frustrated with the quality of aerification tines in the early 1990s, he started crafting his own—building a produc...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 139 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, we sit down with Carl Michael, Equipment Manager at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, FL. Growing up in the turf industry, Carl's journey began when his family bought a golf course in foreclosure, teaching themselves the business from the ground up. After completing a two-year ag and mechanics program followed by a turfgrass deg...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 138 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast , we’re live from the trade show floor at the 2025 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego! This special episode features conversations with three industry pros sharing their experiences, insights, and takeaways from the event. Justin Wilkerson, a first-time attendee, braved a Wyoming blizzard to make it to sunny SoCal. He discuss...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 137 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast. Today, we’re talking to Anthony Donofrio, Equipment Manager at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, BC. Marine Drive is an 18-hole private club where Anthony leads a team consisting of one full-time technician and one part-time grind technician. The club primarily uses Toro mowers but is introducing new Baroness mowers this ye...

Send us Fan Mail On this special episode of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast , we welcome a true icon in the turf industry, Jim Nedin. With an incredible 62 years of experience, Jim’s journey began at the age of 9, working in a lawnmower shop, and has grown into an extraordinary career filled with innovation, education, and expertise. From his first golf course job at 12 maintaining golf carts and keep...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat with Ron McCall, Equipment Manager at The Highlands at Harbor Springs Resort, home to 81 holes of golf. With over 40 years in the industry, Ron shares his inspiring journey from owning a lawn care company to becoming a self-taught expert technician and advocate for veterans in golf. Ron recounts how a health setback led him to start walking greens as a gro...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 134! Today, we’re chatting with Zach Spence, Equipment Manager at The Landings Golf and Athletic Club in Savannah, GA. The Landings features six championship courses, and Zach oversees equipment for the Palmetto and Terrapin Point layouts. Zach shares his journey from tinkering in Florida to managing a fleet in Georgia, where he’s tr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat with Alex Tessman, Equipment Manager at Sheep Ranch Golf Course, part of the renowned Bandon Dunes Resort in Bandon, OR. Sheep Ranch is a public 18-hole championship course, and Alex is one of nine techs maintaining the resort’s seven courses. Alex’s journey started as a high schooler raking bunkers at Pacific Dunes before transitioning to the technician s...

Send us Fan Mail Join Chad Kintzer, Justin King, Jake Teeter, Bryan Epland, CTEM, Moe Rateb, and host Trent Manning as they recap the highlights of the 2024 Carolinas Conference and Tradeshow and TETAC annual education events. From the latest equipment advancements to top-notch education sessions, our guests share their takeaways, including insights on autonomous and remote-control mowing technolo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast , we chat with Ben Herberger, Equipment Manager at Shooting Star Golf Club in Teton Village, WY. Ben, the lone technician overseeing a fleet of Toro equipment, shares his journey and valuable insights from his career. Hailing from a family deeply connected to golf course maintenance—his great-grandfather was a superintendent—Ben grew...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 130 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today, we’re joined by Micah Woods from the Asian Turfgrass Center and PACE Turf. Since establishing the Asian Turfgrass Center in 2006, Micah has been a leading source of turfgrass research and insights for the golf and sports turf industry. In this episode, Trent and Micah discuss how technology—especially autonomous tech—co...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 129 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, we sit down with Ryan Deering to hear about his journey into the turf industry. Ryan shares his roots in small engine repair, learning the trade while working with his grandfather in their family-owned equipment shop, where no two days were ever the same—whether fixing hovercrafts or steamrollers. Ryan discusses his time at Home Depot...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Reel Turf Techs, we sit down with Kevin Kline, an equipment manager who has had quite the journey into the turf industry. Kevin shares how he started in the turf program at Ohio State University ATI, but his path took a detour as he ventured into electrical work and later became the director of facilities at a community college in Ohio. Years later, an unexpecte...

Send us Fan Mail 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 int...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 126 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! This week, we're honored to chat with Jerry Goman, Senior Principal Design Engineer at The Toro Company, who recently retired after an impressive 39-year career. Jerry's journey began on a dairy farm, leading to dual degrees in agricultural and mechanical engineering, and ultimately to a pivotal role at Toro. Over th...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 125! Today, we’re chatting with Robert Smith, Equipment Manager at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, PA. Merion is a private 36-hole facility with two shops and a rich history of hosting five U.S. Opens. Robert oversees a team of two full-time mechanics and one part-time assistant. Golf runs deep in Robert's family, with a father who...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 124! Today, we’re joined by Paul MacCormack, Golf Course Superintendent and General Manager at Fox Meadow Golf Course on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Fox Meadow, a public 18-hole course designed by Rob Heaslip, is where Paul, also known as the Mindful Superintendent, has been blogging for 12 years on TurfNet, promoting mindfulness i...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 123 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today we’re talking to Haas Mengloi, CTEM, Equipment Manager at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, FL. The Bear’s Club, a private 18-hole club, is Jack Nicklaus’s home club when he's in Jupiter. Young Haas initially planned on being a school teacher, attending the University of Guam before moving to Florida and earning certifica...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 120! Today, we’re talking to Sam Baldea, Equipment Manager at TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, TX. TPC San Antonio is a private 36-hole facility, hosting the Valero Texas Open on the Oaks course and supporting Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events on the Canyons course. Sam leads a team of two Equipment Technicians and a Preventative M...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 121 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today we’re chatting with Jody Farber, West Coast Regional Territory Manager for the Foley Company. Jody supports Foley grinders and Air2G2 aerifiers, bringing a wealth of real-world experience to the table. Jody's journey began with an enjoyment of golf in high school, leading him to Lake City Community College on a frie...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 120 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Join us for an episode of Frankly Speaking, as host Frank Rossi, Ph. D. sits down with our own Trent Manning, (CTEM), to discuss the intricacies and evolution of turf equipment management. The conversation spans the role of technology in turf management, effective communication, and professional development opportunities for y...