Robert Martyszczyk is among the born tinkerers of equipment managers, growing up with a mechanic dad and spending a lot of time in the garage. After many years of working on outdoor power equipment and building up his knowledge, an opportunity at TPC River Highlands (Cromwell, CT) came knocking. Robert learned golf course wrenching from a 31-year industry veteran. An outdoor enthusiast in his free time, you’ll find Robert camping, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking as often as he can. Robert reminds us of the value of collective mentoring, crew communication, and continuing education.
Transcript
Trent Manning: 0:05
welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the technician that wants to get reel follow along. As we talk to industry professionals and address hot topics that we all face along the way we’ll learn tips and tricks. I’m your host, Trent. Manning let’s have some Welcome to the real turf text podcast, episode 65. Today, we’re talking to Robert Martiza. Equipment manager at TPC river Highlands. And Chrome wheel Connecticut. TPC river Highlands is an 18 hole private club. Robert is the loan technician in the shop. And he’s completed. Equipment manager certificate program level one and two. So I’m pretty sure he’s ready for. CTM. Let’s talk to Robert. Welcome Robert to the real turf tags podcast. How you doing today?
Robert Martyszczyk: 0:58
I’m doing well.
Trent Manning: 1:00
Thank you so much for coming on is going to be fun. It always is. Tell us how you got into the turf industry.
Robert Martyszczyk: 1:07
I spent many years working at a outdoor power equipment, shop landscape equipment, covering everything from, you know, you start with your trimmers all the way up. zero returns and skid steer is everything. We just had a lot of stuff that everything working on. Um, you know, what’s a lot of educational classes built myself up. then I got into the, our, our group expanded into like standby generators. So I’d go out on the road. Uh, those, and I really kind of enjoyed that being outside of the shop as well will different change. And so I was ready to get away from the bench and this opportunity, not too far, like three miles from my house opened up at the TPC river islands. And, uh, so I went there and apply for the job and got the assistant technician job there. So that’s how I got started and, worked with great, at 31 years experience equip manager there too. So, and, uh, so I got, you know, got thrown right in there with a lot of, lot of knowledge.
Trent Manning: 1:59
Yeah. Yeah, no, that is really cool. What kind of lead you to the small engine shop?
Robert Martyszczyk: 2:04
the initial shock.
Trent Manning: 2:06
Yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 2:06
I always grew up probably like a lot of people to tinker around the garage. My dad was always a mechanic, worked on things and he used to build his own, dune, buggies and things like that. Well then the garage, and so I was back then just like everybody else, really good at taking things apart, not good at putting them back together. And then you just gotten better and better and better. And you know, it’s funny these days when you take something apart and you can look at it at two months later and like, I know where everything goes. It’s one of those things. So. Yeah. and it just got into cars and working on my own stuff and it just, I enjoy it.
Trent Manning: 2:38
Very cool. Now that that’s awesome. So the equipment manager at the place you’re at now, he was 31 years at that same place or had he moved around a little bit?
Robert Martyszczyk: 2:51
Same place. He started out as an operator and then I don’t remember the exact timeline,
Trent Manning: 2:55
Yeah. Yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 2:56
up, but in the, he eventually came into the shop and everything. So.
Trent Manning: 3:00
Awesome.
Robert Martyszczyk: 3:00
so I started in April, the three years ago and like two weeks later I was doing aerifying and three weeks after that I was doing a tournament. So I got thrown into the fire pretty quickly, but
Trent Manning: 3:12
That’s cool. Very cool. And I think everybody can relate to that. We get thrown into the fire pretty quick then. No matter how much experience you get. Well, tell us something you fabricated.
Robert Martyszczyk: 3:23
Nothing crazy, but I know, a few months back when we were doing the, uh, we do an aerifying, some of our shields on our splash shields on our air Corps, 2000 for the John Deere’s, they’re broken and as looking it up and they were like about 120 a piece, I can make something like that. And I made six of them. So just got a piece of plastic HDPE stuff and got the tools out. Made it happen in both of them up and back on the course. And it’s more, more like a simple, simple thing, but it was cost savings and there was, it was done. So it was kind of nice rewarding. Yeah,
Trent Manning: 3:55
Where did you get the HDP?
Robert Martyszczyk: 3:57
They used as the sheets, they use it actually, when they’re taking their dig, doing irrigation, they dig it out instead of putting the dirt on the ground and they put on that there. So everything’s smooth. So just took it from the superintendents when they weren’t looking.
Trent Manning: 4:11
Oh, okay. No, that’s a great idea. I really liked that because, so what we always do with the Spall that comes out of the ground is we put it on a plywood and we buy like three quarter inch, you know, plywood, which is really heavy. I don’t know if the plastic stuff’s that much lighter, but I guarantee you it’ll last a lot longer,
Robert Martyszczyk: 4:30
It’s pretty light. The sheets are very flexible and they very, very durable.
Trent Manning: 4:34
half thick. Just to guess.
Robert Martyszczyk: 4:36
eighth, eighth inch, maybe
Trent Manning: 4:37
Oh, wow.
Robert Martyszczyk: 4:38
start to Abbey. Now it’s not too big, but it’s very durable.
Trent Manning: 4:41
Okay. Yeah, no, that’s cool. That’s an awesome idea. Tell us what your favorite tool is.
Robert Martyszczyk: 4:45
probably my, my digital multi.
Trent Manning: 4:48
Um,
Robert Martyszczyk: 4:48
I love a good, I love, uh, like I call it, I always say like, you get a problem with equipment and obviously an engine, you can look at something real quick and your eyes can pick it out, but those electrical problems can be, you know, troublesome. So, I love a good Easter egg hunt.
Trent Manning: 5:02
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, me too. I know I’ve said it on the podcast before, but, uh, Corey Phillips and I, when we were both working for Jerry pay the Torah distributor down here, we would be on the way to the job saying, I hope there’s a good electrical problem and a good electrical problem in a while.
Robert Martyszczyk: 5:19
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 5:19
It is fun.
Robert Martyszczyk: 5:21
Keeps your mind active rather than just the mundane stuff that you do every day. So,
Trent Manning: 5:25
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Do you have a brand? You prefer
Robert Martyszczyk: 5:29
I actually might start it with an OTC meter is what I have. So, but it does. I mean, it’s got a lot of the functions that I need would even Scott to some of the bells and whistles on there were actually, it’s got the Cape rope for temperature, everything in there. And it’s got a deck that you can plug into a TAC commoner on it and all, everything all in one. So it was pretty good, pretty versatile meter.
Trent Manning: 5:48
Very cool. What do you do to relax or find your balance?
Robert Martyszczyk: 5:52
A lot of things. I, I like, um, I left. Um, I like hiking, kayaking, just a lot of, a lot of outdoor stuff like that to just get away from nothing, the computers or whatever like that. You could just, you know, just disconnect, I guess. So you can say,
Trent Manning: 6:05
Yeah. Yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 6:05
probably the most thing like that. The family camping trips and kayaking with my wife or mountain biking type of things like that. So
Trent Manning: 6:12
Um, long as it ends in ING, you lock it, camping, hiking, biking. No, that’s awesome. What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen at work.
Robert Martyszczyk: 6:23
Well two, that’s a two-part one. And actually I think that this Ventrac I had today, uh, at the end of my shift here was, um, I think he wanted to be on your podcast. So I don’t know how you get an eight wheel Venn track wrapped around a tree and stuck there, but it happened today. I was like, okay. But so, but my, my craziest story was, actually back last fall, got a lot of rainfall in, in our area. And there’s a set of train tracks. It’s goes right by our one of our fairways and came down the cart path, first thing in the morning, and there was a sinkhole and there were suspended train tracks and a gas line. So it was a problem. It was probably around 60, 75 feet long of that, and probably a hundred feet deep cart path, completely gone. It was like, wow. I didn’t expect that on my morning. Drive.
Trent Manning: 7:13
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. That is crazy. And back to the Ventrac thing, I’ve seen that happen several times and I believe the way it happens is you’re trying to get really close to that tree and it catches the rear tire. And when it does, you want to turn left, right. To get away from the tree or ride, you know, whichever side catches and the back tire is turning closer to the tree and then you start going left or right left or right. And the next thing you know, it just sucks it right in.
Robert Martyszczyk: 7:48
Yeah. you walk yourself right into it. That’s what it looks like to happen. So I would agree with that.
Trent Manning: 7:52
Yup. Um, we had back in the day, we had a Steiner, which same thing has been tracking. I remember having to pull one off and then Austin, right? He’s at sand valley in Wisconsin. We did a class together a couple of years ago at GIS, and he had a picture in our presentation of a Ventrac sucked into the.
Robert Martyszczyk: 8:15
where I remember I saw it from, yeah. That’s where I first connected with you from that, that, that.
Trent Manning: 8:19
Yup. Yup. For sure. What’s one of your pet peeves around the shop.
Robert Martyszczyk: 8:24
Overall equipment, like kind of got a lack of respect for the equipment, whether you’re just at the end of the day, you don’t clean your stuff out, you know, leave it for the next person, you know, or even just broken equipment. Like, you know, you put it back. No, when it’s broken some, even the simple things and not saying something to somebody and just the next morning or whatever day later you have. Jump on it quickly. Cause they, somebody needs it. So
Trent Manning: 8:50
Yeah, it’s such a, I mean, it’s just careless and there’s no excuse for it, but it happens almost on a
Robert Martyszczyk: 8:56
exactly right. Yeah. Whoever you talk to you it’s going to happen.
Trent Manning: 8:59
Yeah, for sure. It’s crazy. Crazy. Do you have a mentor in the end of.
Robert Martyszczyk: 9:04
No one in particular. Um, I, again, I’d mentioned when I first started I’ve got quick manager. 30 years, our director, almost 30 years had superintendent almost 30 years and an assistant, probably 10 plus years. If I got a lot of experience, I get going on there. And then probably just like, other people there, you just meet people on the way. And then you just kind of build your knowledge. So there’s not one person it’s just like collecting.
Trent Manning: 9:30
Yeah, for
Robert Martyszczyk: 9:31
and, and it just makes you make the connections with everybody else. And, and I think that’s pretty important, you know, if you have one person that could teach you all this stuff, that’s excellent. But getting those connections along the way, I think it’s just as important.
Trent Manning: 9:43
Yeah, and I honestly, there’s not one person that knows it all. And so, and you learn different things from different people. And I think that collectively that’s what can make you so great at your job. As you’ve learned things from all these different people, not just one individual.
Robert Martyszczyk: 10:04
Right. You gotta be open-minded and ask around and say, did you learn a grinding technique one way? And you’d get some other person’s opinion too. You sound like there’s, like you said, there’s not one right thing. Just build a plan and see what works.
Trent Manning: 10:17
Oh, for sure. And when I was growing up in this industry, the gentleman that taught me, you know, a lot of the stuff that I. Was really good, uh, fixing stuff. But the, and I think times have changed a little bit too, but cutting unit, I guess, maintenance or cutting unit, uh, procedures have changed a little bit and I definitely do stuff different now than we did back in. Not that we were necessarily doing it wrong back then, but I don’t really think we were doing it right either.
Robert Martyszczyk: 10:54
You’re right. You’re right. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. The different techniques and, and you’re like,
Trent Manning: 10:58
Yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 10:59
whatever situation you may arise, but.
Trent Manning: 11:02
When, like I said, I think this, the standard has increased definitely at my club over the years. And I think a lot of clubs that can relate to that. We were, we were mowing pretty low high. It’s a cut, but it didn’t where we were at today.
Robert Martyszczyk: 11:17
Yeah. that’s the biggest thing I hear as well is dropping those Heights. Yup.
Trent Manning: 11:21
Yeah. Yeah. And the expectations from the members is higher now than what it used to be. What would be your dream job or opportunity?
Robert Martyszczyk: 11:31
Probably there’s a series up here. It’s more like new England and sort of east coast. It’s the open-wheel modifieds. They call them like a short track racing. I just love watching them. Yeah, that just, it just, they’re just, they’re not, they’re nothing. They don’t look anything like a street car. small block engines, like, you know, 3 50, 360 cubic inch, nice wide tires, low to the ground. Just look, they just look so much fun to drive. So open-wheel yeah, they’re like kind of like Indy cars with a nice wide tires on like that, but they’re this own series that developed up here in new England. They raced farther down to like, um, in Virginia and some in Florida, but not too far, it’s kind of specific. It doesn’t really go west. That’s probably. Yeah. I could send you a video of it and they’re like, oh, that’s pretty cool, but you don’t really see them anywhere else.
Trent Manning: 12:18
Yeah. Yeah, no, that’s awesome. I don’t remember who I was just talking to somebody the other day and they were in the race in a formula V back in the day, which was an, maybe it was John Patterson, but there’s an open wheel car and it was a Volkswagen engine, a rear engine car. You know, some of them are similar to formula one just on a lot smaller scale.
Robert Martyszczyk: 12:42
Yeah. Some of the divisions, there’s so many divisions out there that cost-effectiveness yet
Trent Manning: 12:47
Yes. What technician would you like to work with for a day?
Robert Martyszczyk: 12:51
the one person actually, I haven’t met a lot of people. The one person impressed me was at the Providence show. Mark Luffy who did. Toro 6 48 presentation the reels. And you’re just like, you’re just watching them talk about stuff and he just so tactical and it’s somebody you want to learn from. So you learn it right in the beginning, you know, from the theory standpoint, not just here, just go do this real quick. Cause this is how it gets done, how I’ve done it. And he just seems like a really knowledgeable person that you can pick up a lot of stuff from.
Trent Manning: 13:23
I would agree with that. I was impressed by, uh, while he was showing us up there and, you know, it was. And how it still amazes me how people can remember part numbers off the top of their head. And this is, you know, the part number you need to do this job. This is crazy, but he’s definitely super thorough on explaining, not just why you do something, but the how and the why.
Robert Martyszczyk: 13:51
Yeah. And I think that’s one thing that really, when you learn something like that and just, I think technicians in general, you just think what you do one way. Oh, I got to figure it out. But if you, if you something changes. And then you don’t know the theory behind that. You’re like, you’re, you’re thrown for a loop. So it’s anything with the mechanical electrical, same type of thing. So, so that, that impressed me a lot by his, experience.
Trent Manning: 14:14
Yeah. Yeah. So he did that whole little class on 6 48 and after it was over, I went back and asked a few follow up question. And he just, he went right down the line, do this, do this, check this, check, that, check these things. It was just, I don’t, you know, I’m nobody special and he didn’t have to give me the time of day. And he was giving me all the time. I needed to answer my question and I got a lot of respect. What do you know now? You wish you’d known on day one.
Robert Martyszczyk: 14:46
Probably more. Connect with people in the industry. I wish I were to reach out more, how much more was out there probably would have jumped started earlier. and connecting with like courses, not being afraid to just call another course and say, Hey, I not, even though I have this problem just more introduce yourself or something like that and make some more connections. I would’ve done that more. Cause you get, you see so many people out there are helpful.
Trent Manning: 15:07
Yeah, I think that it’s great because everybody I’ve met in this industry is so, so helpful. And that’s all we want to do is help somebody else. And if we can help Robert out or the person down the road, we get satisfaction out of that.
Robert Martyszczyk: 15:24
Yeah. It always comes around back to you as far as When you know, you help somebody out and they remember that or just again, the, connections, it just, it just goes on.
Trent Manning: 15:31
When the, I know I talk about it a lot, but the WhatsApp group, there’s a lot of connections in there and it’s amazing how quick, uh, answer to a problem can come up because there’s so much experience in the group, but beyond just getting. An answer to your technical question, you’re making a connection with another human, believe it or not. And in this day in time with all this technology, technology is great and I love technology and I consider myself a tech guy, but you don’t get everything you need looking at a computer or a screen. Because you need a personal connection with other people and I’m 43 years old and I’m just now really figuring that out.
Robert Martyszczyk: 16:22
Hey, better, late than never.
Trent Manning: 16:23
Yeah, that’s right. That’s exactly right. What kind of tips and tricks you want to share with us?
Robert Martyszczyk: 16:32
a couple little things I know that I’ve experienced from years when I first started to, it was like one where like spark plugs, you can get yourself a lot of travel across reading those things. So. Take a little piece of quarter inch fuel line, but on the end of the spark plug start threatening. If it’s going to strip, you know, your, it just spins on it. So that saves you a lot of trouble of getting a thread chaser out with some grease on it or having to remove ahead or just other, other damage like that.
Trent Manning: 16:56
Yeah, no, that’s a, that’s a really good one. Do you put anti-seize or anything on spark plugs?
Robert Martyszczyk: 17:02
when I put them in.
Trent Manning: 17:03
No, I don’t either. I had a technician that worked with me for a couple of years and he always did, and I don’t, I don’t know. So that’s
Robert Martyszczyk: 17:12
Uh, there’s there are so many little quirky things that probably some people read the manual that then that stuck sticks with them. I’ve how many times have people come in and like, oh, they torque spark plugs and everything. And I’m like, it’s a little extreme, but Yeah. But you know, it’s like, you can get away with things. So yet.
Trent Manning: 17:28
What else you got?
Robert Martyszczyk: 17:29
I think I shared this one before is like you ever get enough? Of course, you’d go around your toolbox. And I’ve got a, for working on a two-stroke stuff, you know, a piston stop. And of course it was there a little while ago and somebody found another use for it and he can’t find it. So like, all right, just take a piece of rewind, rope, quilt up, put down the cylinder. You can take your flywheel off or things like that. And so that kind of helps out to get you out of a.
Trent Manning: 17:52
oh yeah, no, that’s a great one
Robert Martyszczyk: 17:54
That’s a, that’s actually back old school back in old steel manuals and stuff. It’s still in there. So that’s where I learned it from. So.
Trent Manning: 18:00
yeah. Yeah. Uh, Kent Carson as the technician that taught me that trick, probably, I don’t know if 12 years ago or something like. Maybe even longer than that, I don’t know if time flies when you’re having fun, but, uh, it’s amazing. And that’s, you know, you’re kind of talking about it, learning from all these different people. That’s why I think it’s better because I work, you know, with a really good technician for how long was that for six or seven years. And he taught me a lot of stuff, but I’ve learned, you know, 10 times that from. Probably 50 different people over the next, whatever 10 years. It’s just amazing. What all, what all you can learn.
Robert Martyszczyk: 18:43
Yeah, exactly. Like I said, the more you want to reach out and some people more, sometimes I know sometimes in our industry, your just technicians or mechanics in general are like, oh, they just liked to be in the shop. They want to be bothered, but it’s a, it’s a whole different breed out there. We’re just not, it’s not like that anymore.
Trent Manning: 18:58
Right, right, right. Yeah. We’re definitely trying to break the stereotype. And honestly, even some of the grumpy people that, you know, you, you might be scared of or intimidated by or whatever, if you just talk to them and it’s different when another mechanic talking to another mechanic and you can talk about mechanic stuff, you know, the, it kinda changes it up to
Robert Martyszczyk: 19:22
Yeah. You’re talking on a level yet. Same subject, subject.
Trent Manning: 19:25
And if it’s some knucklehead on the crew, that’s always breaking stuff and they want to come in there and talk. They might not be as receptive to that
Robert Martyszczyk: 19:34
Yeah, I
Trent Manning: 19:35
another. Yeah, with that, with, as another mechanic, whether it’s talking about problems or work or whatever. And I think that it’s a good opportunity to, to kind of let us vent our issues and frustrations with operators. Cause I think we need to get those out.
Robert Martyszczyk: 19:50
Yeah, I try to do the best I can, as people come in and right now, if you know, it’s our job to is, do you see something going wrong? You correct them and get them going. Some people you can’t get through to, or, you know, they just don’t get it, whatever, but I’ve found more, more times than not. Once you explain something, then the why they’re like, oh, okay. And they really, they kind of respect you too. They’re like, okay, this person’s here to help me. Not just, you know, throw wrenches at me.
Trent Manning: 20:14
Yeah, exactly. And I definitely, I try to do that. You know, it definitely gets frustrating at times, but I try to explain the why this is why we’re doing all this. It isn’t just to give you busy work or make you do something you don’t want to do. It has to be done that way. So other people can do their job. Especially when it comes to cleaning equipment or whatever, you leave the reels back full of grass and sand and ringing in the shop. How do you expect us to check quality cut and how to cut when we can’t cut paper. If it’s got grass in there.
Robert Martyszczyk: 20:49
Yeah, I had a one kid a couple of years ago. It was one of the torrent type lowers, whatever turbine thing comes in. I say, Hey, because it fell off, didn’t fall off. right? You heard this story. Yeah. Half an hour later, it comes back in thing hanging off again. Here’s the tools. Here’s how you put it. I made him put it back on himself.
Trent Manning: 21:09
Yeah,
Robert Martyszczyk: 21:09
here’s how. That’s it. So I guess I have other stuff to do. You did twice. That’s your fault?
Trent Manning: 21:14
Yes, exactly. And it is funny how things just fall off. It happens all the time. Just riding down the car path just fell off. I don’t know where let’s talk a little bit about. W, what do you like about education?
Robert Martyszczyk: 21:31
There’s so much more to learn. Like even, like I says, there’s mechanics technicians stuff that you, the equipment changes so much to a lot of people think, you know, there’s a lot of products out there for superintendents in course, and the growth and things of that nature, but the equipment’s always changing, especially now. how things have changed so much from how you used to do things. Now you got to plug in the laptops and different things. So you’ve always gotta be on your game with things. So as far as keeping up with the times, even if you don’t have the latest and greatest, equipment at current time, You know, you’ve got, you’ve got the automated stuff coming out there, things like that, even on the smaller scale. So you’ve got to be ready for that stuff. And the more we get on top of that, and if they can get manufacturers involved, if they can put stuff together for us as technicians, like little training stuff, I don’t expect to get all the, oh, okay. We have to open this up to service bulletins or this and that, but they put program together, get shops near area within a 40, 50 mile radius. Hey, let’s get together. Let’s talk about this stuff here and get on. And then maybe that’ll be, maybe that might even bring some interest from younger people too. They don’t like to work points and condenser stuff. They don’t want that. They want, you know, newer stuff.
Trent Manning: 22:37
Yeah, for sure. And I do think it starts at a grassroots level and it’s going to take people like us reaching out to maybe our local association, reaching out to our vendors and putting something together in our area for technicians in our area to keep this train.
Robert Martyszczyk: 23:01
I agree. Yeah, And let’s say, disgust, start with somewhere. You just don’t wait for the next person to do it. You gotta, you gotta start it up.
Trent Manning: 23:07
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. If you’re waiting on somebody else to do it, it is not going to happen.
Robert Martyszczyk: 23:11
Oh. Be waiting a long time.
Trent Manning: 23:12
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Robert Martyszczyk: 24:02
that’s my second time there. how many times have you been there?
Trent Manning: 24:05
That was my first time, a little backstory before you get into that is this past March, 1st of March, Robert and I were both at the new England turf grass conference and they did quite a bit of education just for. And I know that education for superintendents and everybody else, and they had a little trade show. So that’s what we’re talking about right now.
Robert Martyszczyk: 24:29
Yeah, I went two years ago, three years ago, whatever. And it was a little bit smaller. The education stuff was, it was a little. I don’t know, it wasn’t as in-depth as this time. So when I went this year and I, I saw the, I looked at the before, and of course with the COVID happening, things like that, I was hoping things would open up. And I looked at the equipment managers and technician, educational series. And I went right to my director and I’m like, Here’s why I want to go. Here’s what I can learn from this, this and this. And he said, no problem. So he’s, you know, I got signed up. No problem. He goes, just get your hotel, do everything like that. And it was very impressive this time, round two. So they did a great job of that. bringing a lot of people in, even that gentlemen, the, uh, Kevin, Stacey, that. Um, series about, more efficiency. That was good, you know, a little twist because you know, again, we’re not all about just fixing equipment. You gotta be able to deal with people and how to delegate your time and things like that too. So, um, that was a very, very good show.
Trent Manning: 25:21
Yeah, I think so too. Yeah. Great. And I don’t know who all was responsible. I know Nick and I’m not going to butcher his last name. He’s up in, Massachusetts. I think, you know, I’m talking about Nick. He was introduced in the
Robert Martyszczyk: 25:36
Yes. I, I don’t know him personally, but I do remember the person you were talking about.
Trent Manning: 25:40
Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, super good guy. I know he was part of getting education together on what technicians wanted to see on that side. So I appreciate him
Robert Martyszczyk: 25:50
Yeah. That was a
Trent Manning: 25:51
my
Robert Martyszczyk: 25:51
well, good. I’ll keep that. Keeps it moving.
Trent Manning: 25:55
Yeah. And I think it, you know, it takes people like him and others to. The people in charge, know what technicians want to see. And that’s one thing I always do here, or I’ve done it for the last seven or eight years here in Georgia is I’m kind of liaison. I sat on the education committee for the Georgia chapter at GCSA and we help get education together for our technician seminar that we have once a year. And we’re talking about doing one in the fall. So that would make twice a year. And Georgia is pretty big state. So we’re thinking do one north Georgia, one south Georgia, and hopefully cover everybody doing it that way, because it’s a long haul for somebody in the south of the state to, to come up north. But we run out of ideas when you start doing it for that long. So it’s good to get fresh blood in there. So luckily this. I’m still on the committee, but we got a couple other people sitting on there and they’re taking the reins and I’m so glad. Not because I’m tired of doing it, but I’m running out of ideas.
Robert Martyszczyk: 27:06
Yeah. That’s I mean, that’s great that you got things roll and then, like I say, you don’t know what you don’t know and it’s you take it for granted. You’ve been in the industry for so long and like, all right, this is what we knew, but there’s this other stuff coming back and I’m like, Hey, I’m confused about this new open topic.
Trent Manning: 27:22
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And yeah, it gives you a better gauge on the industry with new technology. That’s coming out still, there’s a lot of old technology out there, and it’s hard to cater to what everybody needs, because if you put a hundred people in a room, they’re going to give you a hundred different answers on what they want to see for education. So it’s, it’s, uh, a wag, a wild ass guess as well, because they can edit,
Robert Martyszczyk: 27:50
Yeah, but let’s say at least you’re getting out there and do.
Trent Manning: 27:52
yeah, exactly. Are you ready for some rapid fire questions?
Robert Martyszczyk: 28:00
Sure am.
Trent Manning: 28:01
All right. What’s your favorite movie?
Robert Martyszczyk: 28:03
it’s got to be with Chevy chase Fletch,
Trent Manning: 28:06
Oh yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 28:08
That’s one of those cult classics that people
Trent Manning: 28:10
Yeah. That’s all. Ball-bearings these days that, yes, this is a great movie. What would be your last meal?
Robert Martyszczyk: 28:19
bacon, blue cheese.
Trent Manning: 28:22
I love begging begging on anything. Makes it better. Yep. What are you most proud of?
Robert Martyszczyk: 28:26
Probably I’m going to talk about myself on this. I’m pretty proud of some of the stuff in the three years I’ve been in the industry, some of the stuff I’ve done and yeah. You know, I help him develop the shopping again, following with the times and in pushing the shop further, making it more efficient. with the computer system, things like that, in even the GCSA education stuff, just being able to accomplish that because those exams those are challenging. You can’t just walk in the door and just say, Hey, I’m going to pass this stuff cause I can know how to do basic. So, you know, really it’s been a good, good push for myself and my career as a technician. and see how much they really, you have to know in this industry. So
Trent Manning: 29:03
Well, good on you for completing that. That’s awesome. You got level one and two.
Robert Martyszczyk: 29:07
correct.
Trent Manning: 29:08
Awesome. Very cool. Very cool. And you know, those are prerequisites to being a certified turf equipment manager, a CTM.
Robert Martyszczyk: 29:16
Yeah. I keep seeing this possibly coming out of this spring. I keep checking my GCSE. Yup.
Trent Manning: 29:20
That is right around the corner, right around the corner. So they’re going to be a rolling it out that, yeah. I’m so excited. It’s going to be good times. Do you want to talk a little bit about your shop development and some of that stuff that you
Robert Martyszczyk: 29:34
Yeah. I mean the most of the shop development stuff was more, again, we talk about old school stuff, nothing was done wrong, which is done differently. then when I got there, we have actually with the John Deere has a, um, mostly John Deere. TPC course, and is on equip is the program that they have as she was and stuff. So I got on board right away and, you know, worked with the people through, through John Deere and stuff like that and, and learned a lot about the program. So. We’re streamlining. So you know where stuff is and stuff like that. You can punch in the computer, you do your work orders. you don’t have to, you know, do you have it, do you not what drawer is, and then pull this and open like that. and just more tracking, like what’s really what’s going on with equipment. So when you have, when you sit, have that meeting, when you, you might not like working on a piece of equipment, But you do it anyways, but you’re like, okay, well, this thing’s always breaking down because maybe there’s a flaw in something. so you can come to your director and say, Hey, we’re looking to buy a new piece of equipment. Here’s what it’s costing us in parts and or labors. And they’re like that maybe it’s not, maybe it’s not a bad machine. Maybe it’s not a right fit for your course, but at least you can open that conversation. So budget wise, so doing that, being more involved in the conversation about what equipment we do choose to purchase things like that. So kind of
Trent Manning: 30:47
No. That’s
Robert Martyszczyk: 30:47
respect that.
Trent Manning: 30:49
Very cool.
Robert Martyszczyk: 30:49
Um, that and training to get the training, the people trying to bring these young kids and not, you know, that it’s okay to come in the shop and ask some questions that I, I tell people when they come in the shop, if you’re ever says, I said, okay, I get it. Maybe you’ve never run this piece of equipment before you made that, run that for another three weeks. Like if you have the same. Can I ask me again, because it takes me 15 to 30 seconds to answer your question. It might take me two hours to fix something that you might damage because you didn’t understand it. So I just try to keep an open, open door policy that way with everybody.
Trent Manning: 31:19
No, that is awesome. And I think you made a really good point on that too is yeah, it’s a whole lot quicker to answer a question than repair a failure for something that could have been prevented. And I think operator training is really about. And it’s something I’ve been trying to focus on more and more here lately. And it’s just, it’s really tough to, to do all your daily stuff that has to be done and operator training, and then everything else you get pulled into in our world.
Robert Martyszczyk: 31:51
Yeah. And then the two is you gotta make the program, like you talked about too, is where it’s like, okay, well, and then you, you, the health changes every year. So you got to start all over again too, but yeah, it’d be nice to be some sort of video series of what you have in your shop and maybe make that, and then that here you go, you have to watch this before you start type of thing. At least get started off on the Right. foot too, because it, once you get into in the busy season, it’s like no one has time for anything which you step back a little bit. It’ll make, probably make your season run a little bit more smoother if you just take that time off.
Trent Manning: 32:21
Right. I agree with that. It’s like you said, it’s just one of those things. It’s tough to get it done. Cause yeah, there’s some companies that they might do a month long training before you actually even start working. But time we do that the summer’s almost over, this is done. Not that long training. So we’ve got to find our balance, their happy medium or something. Well, thank you so much, Robert, for being on.
Robert Martyszczyk: 32:44
I appreciate you having me. And like I said, looking forward to future episodes with, the other texts out there and equip managers. And appreciate all the efforts you put out there.
Trent Manning: 32:52
Oh yeah. Awesome. How can listeners get ahold of you
Robert Martyszczyk: 32:55
My email, I got Robert Marti 46 at G. Dot com. Um, and I’m on Twitter? at Robert Marty 46. I just started a little Twitter. I posted here and there, like that, trying to get acclimated with that and getting better at that. But again, trying to get my feet wet and expand in my, horizons as well.
Trent Manning: 33:10
Yeah. Twitter is great too, because. For the most part, all positive and you can meet some really nice people, really smart people on there. And most, all those people are willing to help too. I’ve never had anybody turn me down. If I asked him a question everybody’s just pouring knowledge out and it’s interesting making those connections on Twitter. And then you go to the golf industry show or show and conference. They’re calling it now and you get to meet them at. And they’re even better than you thought.
Robert Martyszczyk: 33:42
Yeah. That’s what’s funny. Cause like I said, the education series, I think first time I, you can just contact, you reached out to you was it was in San Diego when you did that. I think it was Austin. Right? You guys did the tips and tricks and I just reached out to you and boom, that’s some connection there. I am meeting in Providence and here I am on a podcast. So
Trent Manning: 33:58
Yeah.
Robert Martyszczyk: 33:58
like I said, so Delvin out there, like I said, no matter what your years experience get started now reach out.
Trent Manning: 34:04
Yes. No, that was great. Great advice. Thank you again. And I’ll see you around call me anytime
Robert Martyszczyk: 34:10
Okay, sounds good. Thanks Frank.
Trent Manning: 34:11
like you. Hope you enjoyed hearing from Robert. I’m so glad I got to meet Robert. And I can’t remember if he reached out to me or I reached out to him. But we just started talking by email. And then I went to the new England turfgrass conference and we got to meet in person. Has this awesome house, small. And close this community can be. And I want you to think about being a mentor. That’s our focus this year. And you can be on both sides anytime. Two technicians get together. You got an opportunity. To be a mentor. And now that everybody needs a lot of mentoring. But does happen everybody out along the way. That’s what we’re here for. I would encourage you to get involved with your local chapter. Get involved with the education. And if they don’t have a EDM program together already, Help create one. And if you need help create, and one reach out to GCs. Reach out to me. I’d be happy to help. At least let you know what we’ve been doing here in Georgia, that has been very successful. And even if it’s. You don’t want to teach, maybe you can find a speaker. You can give them ideas. There’s just a lot of opportunities there. And this interview was recorded before Launched. But I know Robert is on the list. I think he’s got a few more months. Before he’s eligible. Based on the criteria. And he’s going to be a CTL. But if you’re interested. Reach out to Diana Kern. Uh, GCSA. Or visit the GCSA website. To find out more. Until next time. See you. Bye. thank you so much for listening to the real turf techs podcast. I hope you learned something today. Don’t forget to subscribe. If you have any topics you’d like to discuss, or you’d like to be a guest, find us on Twitter at Reel turf techs.