TULSA, Okla. — A lot of work goes into getting the Southern Hills golf course ready for the Senior PGA Championship.
It’s been a long couple of months for Southern Hills Golf Course Superintendent Russ Myers. He and his crew continue to battle wet weather to get the course ready for the Senior PGA Championship. He won't be getting much sleep this week.
“I’m up around 4:00, 3:50," Myers said. "I’m here by 4:30. And we’re having our meeting at 5 a.m. We’re pretty much done with our morning maintenance on everything by 8:30. 9:00.”
His day could end anywhere from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Myers’ journey to Southern Hills began when he was young. He tagged along with his dad from golf course to golf course in New York. He even grew up following one of the players in the tournament this week, Joey Sindelar.
“Probably where it all started, watching Joey’s career, my own golf," he said. "And, not that I knew I was going to be in golf course maintenance because that’s what got me going in golf. And I tell people it was really the start of why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
After college, Myers got a job at Augusta National in Georgia. From there he went to a club in Florida. He landed at Southern Hills in 2006. After three years, he left to work at the Los Angeles Country Club, but eventually found his way back to Tulsa in 2016.
“I’ve been exposed to a lot of great things because of the game of golf," Myers said. "The game of golf brought me to Tulsa. Brought me to my wife. Brought me to my kids.”
While there are long days ahead this week, Myers finds time to take a break with his family. He's grateful for the chance to be a part of a game he’s always loved.
“There are days when you wonder why you do it when it struggles to cut into that time with the kids," Myers said. "The good thing about this job, there’s full support from the membership. You know, we’re in a community that supports being with our families. And I have a great staff that can get me time away.”
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