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EQUIPMENT basics |
From hard time to lifetime
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That same kid who sold back lost golf balls more than 20 years ago is still on the golf course. But now, Eric von Hofen has a bigger job — director of golf course and grounds at Doral Golf Resort and Spa. |
Before his turf career was to even begin, he was sure he was headed to jail.
At 13, Eric von Hofen, entrepreneur, had a booming used golf ball business. Emerald Valley Golf Course, a nine-hole links course in Lorain, Ohio, was within walking distance for von Hofen, and ripe with lost golf balls hidden in the bushes. His number of clients was steadily on the rise, and before long he was making between $20 and $30 a day selling the used golf balls.
Until the owner caught him.
“He was mad — no one was buying golf balls in his pro shop,” reflects von Hofen on that momentous day in his life.
“He told me that what I was doing was illegal, and he was going to call the authorities and push this through to the fullest extent of the law.”
The 13-year-old sat in a room alone, officially busted, sure he would spend his formative years grounded or worse. Joe Kucirek, the owner, took a few minutes to calm down, and returned to settle things with von Hofen.
Kucirek would not call the police. Everything was forgiven. But the next day, von Hofen should be there bright and early, and he should bring work boots, because he was the newest addition to the maintenance staff.
It was this moment that made everything else possible.
Young apprentice
The next day, von Hofen arrived on time and was given a 5-gallon-capacity push mower and a Cushman to operate. He was instructed to mow the tree lines until lunch came.
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Eric von Hofen Doral Golf Resort and Spa Miami Years as superintendent: 12 Years at this course: 5 |
“I discovered all the best places to find golf balls,” von Hofen says, “but now I just had to kick ’em all out of the way.”
Kucirek took von Hofen under his wing. First, Kucirek showed von Hofen how to cut cups and spray. As von Hofen proved himself as a reliable employee day after day, his responsibilities grew. The next year, he was given a lead position on the maintenance team. Eventually, von Hofen was learning how to fix reels and weld.
“(Kucirek) was the superintendent and the golf pro. He learned all this through the ranks; he had no technical training,” von Hofen says. “Just the school of hard knocks on how to maintain bentgrass and how to work on equipment — and he was really talented at it.”
Eventually the course was sold. The new owners were inexperienced running a golf course, so they depended greatly on von Hofen. At only 15 years old, von Hofen was making the schedules for the course.
Though he was young, he was already on a focused track to become a superintendent at a big-name course. When von Hofen, now a 14-year GCSAA member and the director of golf course and grounds maintenance at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, hosts the PGA Tour’s Ford Championship (March 3-7) this month, he may think back to that day he was busted for selling golf balls and where it got him.
From selling found golf balls to readying the Blue Monster for the likes of Vijay Singh, Davis Love III and Sergio Garcia — funny how things work out.
Domino effect
Getting hooked on turf maintenance early didn’t just have an effect on von Hofen. It also had an effect on his impressionable younger brothers.
Nicholas von Hofen, eight years younger than Eric, is now the superintendent at the Ritz-Carlton Members Club in Sarasota, Fla., a Tom Fazio design currently under construction, while Kurt, the youngest von Hofen brother, is assistant superintendent at the Bear’s Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
“They would come down to the course and bring me lunch when they were little kids,” von Hofen says of his early influence on his little brothers. “They would come out and play golf with me; sometimes they’d water with me at night. And then I’d take them back home at night. It was never discussed. They just really got into it.”
Both younger von Hofens followed in the exact footsteps of their older brother, working first for Emerald Valley GC, the neighborhood course, then moving on to the local country club, Elyria (Ohio) Country Club, then Ohio State University, then interning at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
“All three of us worked for Mike McBride at Muirfield (then superintendent, now owner of On-Course Management),” von Hofen says. “That’s really the Harvard of learning how to take care of golf courses. The Penn State guys have Augusta, (Ohio State grads) all try to go to Muirfield Village to get our experience. It’s the No. 1-conditioned course on Tour.”
If von Hofen influenced his younger brothers, it was his parents, Ed and Marsha, who influenced him. The combined effects of von Hofen getting a driver’s license and his obvious passion for what he was doing made von Hofen’s dad convince his son to get more serious about his career.
“My dad pushed me a little bit. He told me that if I really loved it so much, I should work at a real club,” von Hofen says. “I had my résumé done up, went to Elyria CC, and that’s when I met Frank Feck (CGCS, 41-year GCSAA member) and he immediately hired me and gave me a $1.50-an-hour raise.
“My parents, with their direction, and carting me back and forth to the golf course before I even had a driver’s license — they made a lot of sacrifices,” von Hofen continues. “Now, every time they come to Florida, we take good care of them. They can play golf and stay wherever they want, so it was a good trade-off.”
The shot
This is actually von Hofen’s second stint at Doral Golf Resort. The Ohio native was the superintendent for the Blue, White and Green courses from 1993 to 1995 before returning to the course in 2003. He also oversaw the construction and opening of Calusa Pines Golf Course in Naples, Fla.; served as superintendent at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.; and was the director of golf operations at Sailfish Point Golf Club in Stuart, Fla.
He’s had an exciting career at some great courses already. But one of his top highlights would have to be as a spectator. Von Hofen was standing within arm’s reach of Craig Parry at last year’s Ford Championship when Parry hit the golf shot of the year.
From 176 yards out, Parry eagled a 6-iron on No. 18, the toughest hole on Tour last year, to win the tournament.
“I was about 4 feet from him when he hit the ball. We were starting to prep No. 1 for the playoff hole, and I just came through the ropes,” von Hofen says. “I stood there and saw him hit the shot, which was justspectacular.”
During a recent media day, Parry was asked to hit three shots from the same spot, which is now commemorated with a plaque in the fairway denoting the spot from which he’ll always be remembered. Parry, not even warmed up, put one of the three balls five feet from the cup.
Secret to success
The maintenance industry has been good to von Hofen and his brothers. Von Hofen has not only had a decorated career, but also a fun one. He attributes the sucess he’s had thus far to his people skills.
“Anyone that’s in this business has to have great people skills to get people to do things that you can’t do yourself,” von Hofen says. “In the big plan, people want to succeed, they want to reach your goal, as long as they know what the goal is. I’ve had that style my whole career. I think I learned it at a very young age, working on a golf course that didn’t have enough tools and people.”
Now, at a golf complex like Doral, von Hofen has the tools and the people to get the job done. The five courses see 160,000 rounds a year. The 850 members rotate courses every day.
Just think: That’s a lot of lost golf balls.
“Now we have two diving companies for that,” von Hofen says with a grin.
10 questions with Eric von Hofen 1. Favorite Seinfeld character? Kramer |
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