Skokie Country Club Glencoe, IL Assistant Superintendent: March 2006 - Present   Website: http://www.skokiecc.com Club Profile: Skokie Country Club (GolfClubAtlas)

Skokie Country Club is an 18-hole private club located on the north shore of Chicago. The club was founded in 1897, and the course was designed by Donald Ross with modifications by William Langford and Ted Moreau made in 1938. Through several decades thereafter, the course suffered many changes from lesser known architects which compromised its original architecture character. In 1999 the club membership developed a master restoration plan with architect Ron Prichard, a Donald Ross restoration specialist, to reestablish the original design intent. The course now possesses many Ross, Langford, and Moreau characteristics including cross bunkering, larger putting surfaces, strategic playing angles, squared tees, and fewer trees; which have all vastly improved the championship caliber of Skokie Country Club.

I work very closely with the Superintendent in all aspects of overseeing the grounds and greens operations. My primary role is to provide leadership and effective management throughout the department, which involves the coaching, training, reprimanding, scheduling, and organization of crew members and the jobs and projects they are responsible for. Furthermore, I work diligently to maximize time and utilize staff to achieve the best possible playing conditions, while providing excellent presentation throughout the golf course. I am also involved with extensive in-house projects, long range planning, purchasing equipment, managing operating and capital budget expenditures, preparing chemical application schedules, and member relations. Other daily jobs I am responsible for include greens hand watering and syringing, chemical and fertilizer applications, payroll, record keeping, and integrated pest management.


Golf Course Superintendent
Donald Cross, CGCS

• Certified Golf Course Superintendent
• 36 total years experience; 30 as a Superintendent
  • Skokie Country Club; Glencoe, IL - Superintendent 18 years
  • Bryn Mawr Country Club; Lincolnwood, IL - Superintendent 4 years
  • Supervisors Club; Hobart IN - Superintendent 8 years
• BS in Turfgrass Management and Horticulture - Purdue University
• Served on committees of the GCSAA and ITF, and chaired all positions of the MAGCS and Chicagoland Superintendents Association including President of both
• Completed Donald Ross restoration master plan at Skokie Country Club
• Audubon certified

Golf Course Accomplishments and Highlights

• Ranked 78th on Golf Week’s Top 100 Classic Course List and 11th in State by Golf Digest
• Host of 1922 U.S. Open, 1998 U.S. Senior Amateur, 1909 Western Open, 2006 NCAA Windon Cup, 2007 Illinois PGA Assistant's Championship, and 2010 Western Amateur
• Installation of $2.1 million Toro irrigation system
• Construction of 8 new tees (5 short course, 3 championship)
• Supervised removal and processing of over 300 trees
• Achieved Audubon recertification in July 2007
• Assisted in large clubhouse landscape renovations that included brick paver walkways, asphalt drives, and landscaping shrubs and grasses.
• Organized and carried out fairway and tee expansions to recapture lost playing surfaces and improve strategy of golf holes.
• Provide very high level of detail and firm and fast playing conditions.
• Involved with ongoing crushed-brick cart path installation to manage turf wear and prevent wash-outs of existing paths.
• Removed slate rock wall and installed sod bank on pond perimeters to enhance aesthetics and playing quality.
• Resodded bentgrass contaminated green banks and reinstalled drainage to improve ball lies and playability in greenside rough areas.
• Grew in a 10,000 square foot sod nursery green using aeration cores from existing greens to match existing bentgrass and Poa Annua grasses.
• In coordination with Glencoe Village authorities, excavated, brick paved, and grew in 150 yard drainage passage way to alleviate residential flooding.
• Involved with over 15 drainage projects including greens, fairways, and rough.
• Completely renovated employee housing building including new roof, interior plumbing, walls, tile flooring, and exterior siding.
• Personally provided course photos for Skokie Country Club’s course profile on GolfClubAtlas
• Use Microsoft Office applications to produce payroll spreadsheets, Power Point presentations, and numerous record keeping documents

Staff Organization

• Greens Chairman > Superintendent > Assistant & Shop Manager > Grounds Staff
• Full Time = 7; In Season = 16 (15 Hispanics)

Grass Species

• Greens (Push Up w/5 USGA Spec) - 50% Bentgrass, 50% Poa Perennial and Annual Biotypes
• Fairways (Loam) - 50% bentgrass, 50% Poa Perennial and Annual Biotypes
• Tees (Sandy Loam) - 80% Penncross Bentgrass, 20% Poa
• Primary Rough (Loamy Clay - Kentucky Bluegrass/Fine Fescue Mix
• Tall Rough (Loamy Clay) - Native Fescues, Little Bluestem, Other Native Species

Irrigation System

• Toro LTC Site Pro, Toro Heads, Flowtronics Pump Station

Budget

• Available upon request

Membership & Rounds

• 300 Golfing Members; 16,000 Rounds

Course Information

• 18 hole
• Parkland layout
• Yardage - 7020
• Par - 72
• Rating - 74.3
• Slope - 133

Golf Course Area

• Property - 143 Acres
• Greens - 4 Acres; Fairways - 36 Acres; Tees - 3 Acres; Primary Rough - Approx. 50 Acres
• Practice Facility - 250yd Driving Range, 6 Target Greens, Chipping Green, Approach, and Bunker