OGCSA-OGA Superintendent Spotlight – December 2022

In this month’s Superintendent Spotlight we feature Scott Holt of Laurelwood Golf Course. He’s been an assistant superintendent at Laurelwood for the last 10 months and worked in the industry for the past nine years.

Holt, who is originally from Monterey, Calif., is a third-generation greenkeeper. His father was the first assistant superintendent at Pebble Beach Golf Links for more than three decades (of a 40-year career in turfgrass management). As soon as the youngest Holt turned 18 years old, he began working full time for the Pebble Beach Company as a section greenskeeper at Spanish Bay Golf Links.

In addition to his dad’s mentorship, Holt lists Jeff Steen (Big Cedar), Dan James (Stanford University) and William Benson (Laurelwood) as some of the many influential figures who have helped shape his experience in the industry.

GET TO KNOW SCOTT HOLT

Laurelwood’s superintendent dog is Sadie, a seven-year old McNab-Aussie mix. She serves alongside Holt as a part time “branch manager.”

His favorite athlete is Madison Bumgarner (pictured), who won three World Series titles (2010, 2012, 2014) while with the San Francisco Giants.

Excluding Laurelwood, Holt’s three favorite golf courses are:  1) Pebble Beach Golf Links (pictured), 2) Cypress Point Club, 3) Bandon Trails.

What tool does he use most on the job? It’s a toss up between the POGO (pictured) and the entire irrigation tool kit.

Holt worked at Old Baldy Club in Wyoming, where Moose damage on greens presented a challenge most courses don’t experience.

His favorite book is Sometimes a Great Notion, written by novelist, essayist and countercultural figure Ken Kesey who grew up in Springfield, Ore.