Member Spotlight on TTA Board Member Ryan Blair

What is your title/who do you work for?

I am the Golf Course Superintendent at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is owned and operated by McConnell Golf. We are one of 12 Private Clubs owned and operated by McConnell. By joining a McConnell golf property you are not only a member of the home course you join, but also all the McConnell properties. This gives you access to some amazing courses all throughout the Carolinas.

How many years have you been in this position?

I have been at Holston Hills for 20 years this summer, which at times is hard for me to believe. Everyone has always told me time goes by faster the older you get, and I am starting to be a believer in this theory.

How did you decide to pursue a career in turfgrass management?

I have always enjoyed being in an outside environment and working on things with my hands. At a young age I was introduced to golf by my father who was an avid golfer. I loved to tag along and play golf with my dad and enjoyed being out on the course. As I got older and started looking for my first job, I found myself working on the golf course crew at my hometown course. Every summer, starting in high school until now, I have been working on a golf course. There were times when I thought about other career paths, but I was always drawn back to my love for being out on the course. You always hear you should do what you love and after a few years at the University of Tennessee I switched to the Turf Program.

Chris on the course

What path led you to your current position?

I consider myself very fortunate to be in the position I am in today and meeting the right people along the way is always a big factor in someone’s career development. While in high school I never thought college was right for me. I was happy at the little nine-hole course I was working and really enjoyed the daily job. After a year or so I had a few members and my parents pushing me to think bigger if I really wanted to work on a golf course for a living. One summer I kept asking people, “What is the best golf course in our area?” and “Where can I learn the most?” Everyone told me the Honors Course, so without knowing anyone there or anything about the course, I just drove over one day. Meeting David Stone and working there for a few years was an eye opening experience and the people I got to meet along the way I am still friends with today. In year one the Management team was David Stone, Jeff Huber, Scott Wicker, and Chris Sykes. What a dream team. When I graduated from the University Tennessee I took a position with Chris Sykes who had just taken the Superintendent position at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville. I learned a lot those years at Cherokee and Sykes really let me be involved in everything going on at the Club. When the opportunity arose at Holston Hills I was fortunate that I was able to stay in Knoxville and get my first head Superintendent position.

What is the best part of your job?

To me the best part of the job is having the flexibility to do so many different jobs throughout the day. I did not want to become a Golf Course Superintendent due to my love of spreadsheets or committee meetings. I have always enjoyed being out mowing greens in the mornings and seeing the sunrise. Today I have the flexibility to do so many jobs that every day is a brand new day.

How many employees are part of your team?

In a normal year we budget for around 12 full time employees with another 6 or so people in the summer months. This year we have really reduced our team numbers as we continue to work through the COVID-19 situation. We have had to get very creative with staff scheduling as everyone is really working hard to maintain our normal standards through these difficult times. A strong team is the key to a well-maintained course and I am grateful for the guys here on staff and all they do on a daily basis. Working on a course is not easy and the team here really work well together and I am constantly surprised by all we can accomplish.

Sunrise over Hole 10 green at Holston Hills

What inspired you to serve on the TTA board?

Having enjoyed being a part of the TTA for years, I really wanted to get involved and see what I could do to make the association better. I really want the association to grow and I feel there is no better way to do that than being more involved on a personal level. I wanted to promote the people in our industry more, so I have become heavily involved in the TTA awards, some of our social media outlets, and working on new ways to promote the TTA. Each person on the Board has their passion and it is through these people we can make the TTA stronger.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the turfgrass industry right now?

My biggest challenge right now is the ever changing labor force. Trying to find people that are team oriented that want to be successful continues to be a challenge. Going forward we are really looking at non-traditional ways of hiring people and the schedules they work. I think gone are the days of everyone on the crew working the same 8-hour days. We are going to really have to change the way we think to bring in people in a very competitive labor market.

Do you have a mentor in the industry?

My two biggest mentors in the industry would have to be David Stone and Chris Sykes. David really gave me that first opportunity to see an industry I didn’t know even existed until I started working at the Honors. Chris has always been a mentor and close friend. From our early years working together at the Honors to building a staff from scratch at Cherokee, Chris was always pushing me to improve. It was his drive and passion to improve and be the best that still motivates me to this day.

What do you do in your free time?

Since I really enjoy what I do, I am at the course quite often, but to me it is not work. In my free time I do enjoy playing golf and visiting other golf courses. As a parent of two kids I am always on the move somewhere or moving them around from place to place. I do still enjoy hiking or being on a mountain bike, but I often just find myself doing stuff with the family

Tell us about your family.

My wife April and I have been married for 21 years, we met while both attending the University of Tennessee. We have two kids, Ella who just turned 16 and is about to get her driver’s license and Jack who is 13 and is the golfer in the family.

What would your advice be for people entering the turfgrass industry now?

My advice would be to get involved in all aspects of the industry. You will find out that everyone knows everyone else in some aspects and when you are looking for a job or a career change these connections are going to be an invaluable resource. Also the career path of a Golf Course Superintendent is not a 9 to 5 job. You have to love what you are doing and have a drive to make each day better than the last. It is so true you have to love what you do, then the time you spend at work doesn’t really feel like work, but rather just an enjoyable day at the office.