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Here is a "member" profile/interview with our Course Superintendent, Scott Johnson. This was published in the Heart of America Chapter GCSAA "Heart Beat" magazine.

Between the Tees
With Scott Johnson CGCS, Shadow Glen Golf Club

Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?
My dad was an officer in the Army, so I lived in a different location about every two years of my life until I graduated from high school. I was born in Georgia, lived in Georgia twice; Okinawa, Japan; Jacksonville, Florida; Monterey California, somewhere in South Carolina; Alexandria, Virginia; Niagara Falls, New York and Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas twice where I graduated from Leavenworth HS in 1977.

My childhood was an adventure with all the relocations. I was the oldest of six kids, three boys and three girls. My dad was an outdoor enthusiast that liked to fish, hunt, play golf and explore the country side. Fortunately, I was able to tag along and experience what a beautiful country we have. During my summers as a youth in between all the sports and Boy Scouts, quite often my dad and I would go backpacking and or canoeing for weeks at a time deep into the wilderness. These trips strengthened my love and appreciation for the outdoors.

Tell us about your education and how you ended up in Kansas City.
Looking way back, being involved in Boy Scouts and the Youth Conservation Corps was very important to shaping who I am today due to all the leadership camps I was able to attend and scouting being very goal oriented. The Youth Conservation Corps is a federal program that introduces youths to working outdoors in parks and federal lands. I was part of a six-person team that lived and worked in a federal park in upstate New York for an entire summer prior my junior year in high school. We repaired trail bridges and rip rap work along creeks. This opportunity further enhanced my appreciation for nature, instilled confidence and a sense of independence within myself.

After high school, I went to the University of Missouri studying to be a fishery biologist. According to my advisor during my freshman year, the job market was very limited and a masters or PhD was required to find a job. I was paying my own way through college and I was on a four-year plan, not five to eight. So, like a lot of college students, I changed directions after my sophomore year and decided to study turf management in order to keep me outdoors and to become a golf course superintendent. The change in majors required me to return to my home state and Kansas State. I was able to finish my degree in two years at K-State with a B.S. in Horticulture. In those days, I liked Mizzou football and K-State basketball.

After twenty years in the south and preparing my courses to host PGA tour events for last ten years, I was looking for an opportunity to “reduce my workload” at a nice course that has an off-season. I have four children and I wanted to spend more quality time with them before they were all grown and gone. I found out about Shadow Glen from the clubhouse manager at Colonial Country Club. He was looking for a GM job through a head-hunter firm. One day while I was walking through the clubhouse at Colonial, the manager told me about the Shadow Glen job because he knew that I was from the KC area and I might know someone that might want the job. Fate, presto and luck! I did know someone, Me! Coming to KC has been very rewarding personally and professionally for me. My parents and my youngest brother’s family lived in the area and Shadow Glen is a beautiful property with a great membership. I was able to spend great quality time with my kids as they transitioned from youngsters to successful adults and I continue to love everything about Shadow Glen since I started back in 2002.

Where else have you worked before Shadow Glen?
As mentioned above I worked at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, TX-7 years; Country Club of the South, in Alpharetta, GA-3 years; Willow Springs CC in Roswell, GA- 2 years;
Trophy Club Country Club- Ft. Worth, TX- 6 years and Hide-A-Way Lake Club in Tyler, TX-2 years. I was an assistant at Lake Country Country Club in north Ft. Worth, TX and Preston Trails Golf Club in Dallas, TX.

Who has had the most influence in your career?
Tough question. I have a lot of people with various attributes and work ethics that I’ve tried to absorb and emulate throughout my career. Jim Long former greenskeeper at Ft. Leavenworth Golf Course while I was in high school- he took the time to talk to me when I was playing golf on the course. Cary Tegtmeyer, former superintendent at Topeka CC, took me on as an intern- he showed great patience with me and allowed me to take part in a lot of project work and perform just about every job on a golf course over the hot summer of 1980. At Country Club of the South, Jack Nicklaus spent time sharing his sharp eye for details. As an assistant at Preston Trails, I was fortunate to be able to watch golf pro’s like Lanny Wadkins, David Graham and Tom Watson spend countless hours and hours of practice honing their craft taught me that hard, relentless work is necessary to be good. Dennis Tocquigny, former superintendent at Preston Trails, showed me what perfection was on a golf course and the time and effort required to get close to achieving that goal. Joe Cano, lifetime superintendent at Colonial CC, Ralph Cano, superintendent at Shady Oaks Golf Club, and Bob Randquist, former superintendent at Southern Hills Country Club, were part of a collection of people that I held on a high professional pedestal and I aspired to follow-in their footsteps.

What advice would you give turf students that just graduated and getting into the industry?
Make a ten year career ladder and share that info with your future boss. Ask if they can help you reach the next rung on the ladder (their answer may determine if you are in the right place)? Also, you don’t wait or count on anyone to move you forward. You are responsible for yourself and establishing your career path is an everyday process that requires your diligence and action.

What’s the best part of your job?
Witnessing the morning and evening shadows across the golf course, awesome and peaceful!

If you could do it all over again, what else might you do instead.
Own a business of some kind.

What changes would you make to the game of golf to make it more enjoyable?
Reduce the number of bunkers on a golf course and close the course for a day each week so less mowing activity during play periods.

What is one thing you want to do that you are too busy to undertake?
Go hiking and fishing more.

Real quick: Favorite adult beverage, college team, pro team
Vodka and cranberry; K-State football; Chiefs

Perfect night out. No work tomorrow. What do you do?
Take my wife, Sharon, to J. Gilberts and a movie. She deserves it!

USGA 20 MOST IMPORTANT RULES CHANGES FOR 2019

SEARCH TIME – Reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes
BALL MOVED DURING SEARCH – Replace with NO penalty
EMBEDDED BALL – Free relief anywhere except in a hazard
MEASURING A DROP – Use longest club in bag (except putter)
DROPPING – drop from knee height rather than shoulder height
TAKING STANCE ON WRONG GREEN IS NOT PERMITTED
BALL ACCIDENTALLY HITS PLAYER OR EQUIPMENT – NO penalty
DOUBLE HIT – NO penalty, now only counts as 1 stroke
TOUCHING SAND IN BUNKER INCIDENTALLY IS PERMITTED
1. you still may not ground your club at address or touch sand in takeaway, however
LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS MAY BE REMOVED ANYWHERE INCLUDING HAZARDS
DROPPING A BALL OUT OF A BUNKER – 2 stroke penalty
WATER HAZARDS – Now called “penalty areas”
TOUCHING GROUND IN PENALTY AREAS – NO penalty
BALL MOVES ON GREEN AFTER BEING MARKED – replace with NO penalty
BALL ACCIDENTALLY MOVED ON PUTTING GREEN – replace with NO penalty
ALL DAMAGE TO GREEN MAY NOW BE REPAIRED
POSITIONING A CLUB FOR ALIGNMENT IS NOT PERMITTED
CADDIES ASSISTING WITH ALIGNMENT IS NOT PERMITTED
PUTTING WITH FLAGSTICK IN THE HOLE IS NOW PERMITTED
BALL WEDGED AGAINST THE FLAGSTICK AND THE HOLE IS NOW CONSIDERED HOLED

"Shadow Glen flows gracefully along rocky ridges and through tree-lined valleys...some of the finest golfing ground in the entire Midwest. There's not a single harsh feature at Shadow Glen. (It has) the most varied and interesting set of green side challenges this side of a classic Donald Ross layout," said Golf Digest when it named the club Best New Private Course in America in 1990. It was also included in the Golf Digest “America's Greatest 100" courses in 1995-96. Shadow Glen has been ranked in the Top 5 Kansas courses every year since its opening and in Golf Digest's March 2000 issue, Hole #13 was chosen as one of America's best 18 holes.

Reserved starting times are not used nor necessary at Shadow Glen. Golf memberships have been limited so that members may begin play whenever they choose on most occasions. In this regard, Shadow Glen is a refreshing change from other area clubs. The members will attest to other not-so-obvious attractions, such as the social interaction, excellent food and entertainment, and unlimited opportunities to forge new and lasting friendships with others of like interest.

Hole # 1 Hole # 18

Practice Facilities

Shadow Glen has 8 acres of practice facility which includes 12,000 square feet of practice greens. It features a 350 yard driving range with large zoysia tees on each end, and several target greens of different distances. An expanded short game area offers two separate chipping greens connected by a zoysia fairway to practice those “in between” yardages. Three bunkers offer practice for every type of sand shot imaginable, including fairway bunker shots. The large putting green is divided into three areas, allowing practice in privacy.

Golf Instruction

Shadow Glen has six professionals on staff, offering a wide variety of instructional programs. They include an extensive junior golf program tailoring to all ages and skill levels, ladies clinics, video analysis, club fitting, and first class individual instruction.

The Shadow Glen Learning Center

Completed in 2014, The Learning Center offers members the opportunity to practice and receive instruction year round. This heated ammenity offers four spots, flight scope technology, multiple big screen televisions, a fitting area and more.

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