David Swift has been the golf course superintendent at Minnehaha County Club for more than a year. He’s been in the business for twenty years at eight different courses in five states and in two countries.
Swift realized at a young age the golf course is where he wanted to work.
David Swift says,”I grew up working for my dad in Southern Minnesota, he was a superintendent at a nine hole course. I didn’t want to sit in an office all day so way back at a young age I decided I wanted to become a golf course superintendent.”
Swift was the greens keeper at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin before moving west for the Country Club life in Sioux Falls. During his time in charge the course hosted three major golf tournaments, including the 2004 PGA Championship. If the course was set up just right it would’ve played just under 76 hundred yards providing a brutal test to the world’s best golfers.
Swift says, “My job was to make sure we could give them whatever they wanted,If they wanted the greens faster or slower and the grass cut a little longer here,I had to make sure we were able to do that.”
Although Swift enjoyed his time in Wisconsin but is very happy where he is.
Swift says, “You know the members and you see them everyday and you get to prepare the course for Mr. Smith or Mr. Johnson and to me that’s a bit more satisfaction because you build that personal relationship.”
The hardest part of the job for Swift is maintaining a constantly changing environment but when it comes down to it it’s best to keep it simple.
Swift says, “It doesn’t really matter to me if we’re hosting the PGA Championship or just having men’s day at Minnehaha Country Club it’s still grass. If it’s long we cut it, if it’s dry we water it.”
Max Jensen, KDLT Sports, Sioux Falls.
