Something has been different up at Hillcrest Golf Club over the past two months
Nothing has changed with the course layout, the putting green, or the driving range. The Navajo Trail Open is still happening this weekend on the same weekend as the U.S. Open.
What’s changed is the man responsible for maintaining the golf course. Will Herz, who began working at Hillcrest in the 1990s and served as the course superintendent over the last three years, retired at the beginning of April.
Kaelen Waters took over as the golf course superintendent from Herz. Born and raised in Durango, Waters attended Colorado State University before working in golf course maintenance at Pelican Lakes Golf Club, TPC Colorado in Berthoud and Raindance National Golf Club in Windsor.
Herz was an assistant superintendent for most of his career at Hillcrest, learning the trade behind former superintendents Rick Kern and Ken Kirby. He wanted to stick around long enough so that he could be in charge and put his touch on Hillcrest. Herz did that, and now it’s time to spend time with his wife, who has been retired after being a school teacher in Durango, and continue to enjoy their outdoor lifestyle of skiing, hiking and biking before it’s too late.
“I’m very sated in not only what I’ve accomplished, but where the business is sitting today at Hillcrest,” Herz said. “I’ve seen so many changes, as we all have, over the last 30 years, but certainly in that business … I’m really glad that I feel like the guy who bridged the old ways, and now we’re in the new ways … and actually be part of growing the business with Michael (McCloskey) and Brett (Wolf). That’s felt really fulfilling to me.”
Herz stressed how important the tradition of superintendents before him was to his success. Herz benefited from their knowledge, while using the changing technology of the industry to put things on the grass that would improve the course even more from his predecessors, along with allowing the course to withstand 48,000 rounds a year.
One of the biggest touches Herz is proud of is how he made the organization of the grounds crew better. Back in the day, the course superintendent would live close to the grounds and would mostly be a one-man band, mowing the grass, digging holes and putting the fertilizer down, with a few helpers.
But the organization chart of the grounds crew broadened under Hertz. Workers stopped being just helpers and got positions like a second assistant superintendent, irrigation technician and mechanic shop manager. The organization chart can’t grow without increased pay for these positions, and Herz credits Hillcrest general manager, Michael McCloskey, with providing those funds in the budget for those positions, equipment and sending people to education.
“He’s a very healthy leader,” Herz said about McCloskey. “He sees that the golf course is the product. Everything we can do to put the money into the golf course makes us a better place.”
While the golf course is the product, Herz also feels there’s a spiritual connection to the property that boosts how special it is. He points to the graves and artifacts that were dug up when the subdivision across from the course was created. He knows Native Americans were on the special tabletop plateau that Hillcrest sits on.
Herz always tells everyone that while he can get some credit for growing the grass, he doesn’t get credit for the 360-degree views of Silver Peak, Raiders Ridge, down the valley or over to Missionary Ridge.
After nearly 30 years at Hillcrest, Herz knows the course isn’t like some of the American greats like Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Medinah. But he’ll put Hillcrest’s greens up with anyone’s around the country that charges $850 for a season’s pass. He hears from visitors around the country who play at private clubs that their greens aren’t as good as Hillcrest’s.
Herz also credit’s the family atmosphere of the management team that has fostered a bunch of professionals who really care about Hillcrest. The group feels like they’re working for the community of Durango, not just each other. Leaving that group of co-workers is one of the hardest parts of retirement for Herz.
“I took care of the turf … but I also thought we were growing humans,” Herz said.