|
|
Published June 21, 2009 01:17 am - Ask Russell Hurtt what he likes most about working on a golf course and you’re likely to get a shrug, a smile and then the comment, “Everything.” Hurtt has been superintendent at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club, at Loma Linda Country Club (now Eagle Creek Golf Course), at Shangri-La Resort near Afton, Okla., at Miami (Okla.) Country Club and at Baxter Springs (Kan.) Country Club. He also was the top assistant at Joplin’s Schifferdecker Municipal Golf Course under Don Dickson, who was greenskeeper in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Hurtt loves 'everything' about golf course work
Ask Russell Hurtt what he likes most about working on a golf course and you’re likely to get a shrug, a smile and then the comment, “Everything.”
Hurtt has been superintendent at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club, at Loma Linda Country Club (now Eagle Creek Golf Course), at Shangri-La Resort near Afton, Okla., at Miami (Okla.) Country Club and at Baxter Springs (Kan.) Country Club. He also was the top assistant at Joplin’s Schifferdecker Municipal Golf Course under Don Dickson, who was greenskeeper in the 1950s and early 1960s.
“I learned to like to do everything around the course under Don,” said Hurtt, now 75 and in his 53rd year in the business of maintaining golf courses. “He made me learn it. He was good.”
Hurtt had joined the military after high school and upon leaving the service returned to Joplin. He worked in construction for a while and then took a job with Dickson at Schifferdecker. That was in 1956. He was there for four years before moving to Twin Hills, where he stayed for two decades.
From Twin Hills, he took the job at Shangri-La where architect Don Secrest was building what would become the popular and difficult Blue Course.
Russell and Secrest had a few words over the way some greens were built.
“He had two greens that I changed,” Hurtt said. “He built for the looks; he didn’t build them to maintain. The greens had big humps in them that were pretty severe. I took them down. ... It made him mad.”
Russell still considers his experience with Secrest, whom he considers a great golf course architect, as one of the highlights of his lengthy career.
Once he left Shangri-La, he returned to Twin Hills for another eight years.
Hurtt was in at the beginning of the Ozarks Turf Association. Russell, Dickson and nine or 10 other greenskeepers from this area and from Springfield formed the organization. It was dedicated to solving common problems and exchanging information. Hurtt also was a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association and the USGA turf group.
Although he has retired a couple of times in the last few years, Hurtt’s love for taking care of golf courses and working outdoors brought him back.
“There really isn’t much on a golf course that I don’t like doing,” he said. “I think that you have to like it. There is so much that has to be done. That’s why I’m still around. I don’t want to quit.”
Hurtt got interested in golf as a youngster. He was caddying at Oak Hill Country Club (now Twin Hills) at the age of 9 and moved to the caddy yard at Schifferdecker when he was 13. That’s how he learned to play golf.
A pretty good stick, he used to play in some high-stakes games with such players as Harry McDowell, Chips Collins, Pete Percy, Jimmy Walker and Roger Amos in the 1950s and 1960s.
“Roger was the best putter I ever saw,” he said.
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
|
|
Announcements



: Special Offer For New Subscribers
:


 |
|
TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED
for local construction project, must have CDL and experience on construction site belly dumps. 417-206-0930....>MORE
See all ads |
|
2002 FORD TAURUS SE
nice car, 3.0 liter V6, $2900. 417-850-0731....>MORE
2001 DODGE RAM 1500
SLT/shell, 71,000 miles, 5.9l V8, tow package +, super condition reduced $7690. 417-358-5395....>MORE
2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS
4 door, luxury leather trim, loaded, CD, sunroof, beautiful rig, extra nice, $4500. 1317 Schifferdecker...>MORE
2002 KIA OPTIMA EX
4 door, sharp, loaded, leather, CD, sunroof, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE
1999 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE
Delegance, Michelin tires, Northstar, vinyl top, loaded, $3900/or offer. (417)850-0731....>MORE
1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, sharp, loaded, automatic, air, CD, extra nice, $2600. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE
TOYOTA 2004 TACOMA PRERUNNER
Toyota, 2004 Tacoma Prerunner, TRD off road, double cab, V6, new tires, CD, bed liner, lid cover, 100,000 miles, excelle...>MORE
FORD, 1997 F150
V8, automatic, extended cab, high miles, $2600. (417)214-0145....>MORE
2005 FORD FOCUS
4 cylinder, 5 speed, 134,000 miles, $3495. 417-434-0925...>MORE
2003 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT
loaded, 1 owner, 94,000 miles, nice. (417)385-7755...>MORE
See all ads |
|
Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE
3 ACRES
3 ACRES more/less with pond. Nice park-like setting, just minutes from Range Line. Close to area of newer homes. $19,900...>MORE
525 E. 41ST, JOPLIN, MO
to be sold at auction December 5th or before. Lovely all red brick home on large corner. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, double...>MORE
NEWER 3 BR/2 BA
Lots of upgrades and great location. $149,000 but all offers considered. 903 Katlin, Carl Junction. Pictures www.fsboloc...>MORE
See all ads |
|
ANGUS HEIFERS
6 Augus heifers, good foundation stock. (417)358-7519...>MORE
DIAMOND SOLITAIRE
Pear-shaped, one carat, diamond solitaire in gold setting. $2,000. Please call 417-825-3238...>MORE
MALTESE PUPPIES ADORABLE!!
6 weeks old Thanksgiving. 2 boys and 2 girls. Shots, wormed, and vet checked. Healthy, active, and loved! Great Ch...>MORE
REWARD $50,000 REWARD
Offered for any information leading to conviction of any person or persons known to have been involved in alleged ...>MORE
POODLES
POODLES, standard pups, born 10/10, registered, shots, wormed, family raised. Adorable personalities! 417-673-3892....>MORE
I WANT TO BUY
6’ t-post, 5’ wire. Call for details. (417)396-1339...>MORE
GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!
1000 thread 100% Egyptian cotton bed sheets, all sizes, 10 colors, $35/set. (417)782-6639....>MORE
MALTESE PUPPIES
2 gorgeous AKC males, 8 weeks on 11/30, all shots/vaccines, $200 each. 417-325-4340 ...>MORE
(2) TEACUP CHIHUAHUA
APRI puppies. (417)673-1997....>MORE
ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPY
male, AKC, fawn/white, champion bloodlines, $900 or best offer. (417)396-3340...>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|