After attending automotive trade school and realizing he didn’t want to lift car and truck tires for the foreseeable future, Nick took off to the Power Sport Institute and started his career in a parts store. Nick’s grandma played a key part in his path when she brought him a newspaper ad clipping looking for a golf course mechanic. Nick honed his skills at a public course before landing at the Worcester Country Club as equipment manager and eventually facilities manager, maintaining clubhouse bowling lanes constructed in 1914 along with everything else. Nick talks fabricating everything from dishwasher parts to a gate with granite posts, and bonds with our host over their mutual love of voltage drop tests.
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 tax podcast, episode 66. Today, we’re talking to Nick. Nick is the equipment and facilities manager at Worcester country club. Located and Worcester, Massachusetts. What’s your as an 18 hole private club. Nick has one assistant in the shop and three full-time technicians working with him. And facility maintenance. Nick has mostly Toro equipment. And club cars for golf cars. Let’s talk to Nick. Welcome Nick to the real turf Tex podcast. Thank you so much for being on it’s a busy time of year, I think for probably all of us, but we’ve got a podcast to get out and produce for all these listeners. So we’re going to keep doing it. Tell us how you got into the turf.
Nick Bonasoro: 1:14
Back in high school, I went, I took automotive at the local trade school four years in that I decided I didn’t want to The car tires or truck tires anymore. So I went off to Cleveland, Ohio to the power sport Institute to go learn how to work on motorcycles, ATVs small watercraft Stuff along those lines. After I graduated there came back to town got a job at a local auto parts store and then slowly worked my way into power sports shop, full time working there, I realized I just, wasn’t going to make the money that I wanted. And that I needed to live for a long time. You really had to work there. and You had to be that tech to start making some serious money. So I did that for a little bit. And then, one weekend. my grandmother came over with a clipping from a newspaper ad boat help wanted at the local golf course for a assistant mechanic. So I figured why not give it a shot and see what it’s all about. So I went up, I interviewed ended up being two towns over. It was a high end private club, 36 hole private, and then they had a nine old public attached to it. So I interviewed for the job and ended up getting it, had no idea what I was getting into, what I will be working on, but small engine. So I figured I was good. It started there in 2010 in the spring time I did four seasons under a head mechanic. After that I moved on and got my own head mechanic. gig at a high-end public course in the area, worked there for a couple of years. like that’s really, I got a lot of experience. Working at a public course, low budget You really have to use your mind. you can’t just buy everything you need and be good. I did that, for two or three years. And then I got a call from an old intern that I worked at the international width. And he said, Hey our mechanics leaving at Worcester country club now. Is this something you’d be interested in, like anything I’ll go and have a conversation. See what is. Checked it out, thought it would be a great fit. Me and him always got along well, same age, same upbringing, everything. So I started out Wooster. after that it’s all history I’ve been there. This is going on my eighth season. So I start, and then about two years ago they let our facilities manager and my boss came up to me and he said, is this something you’d be interested in taking over? And I said, yeah, I’m always up for a challenge, something new. I’m getting an assistant in the shop. And just start like a mentor, mentorship, get more people in the industry and join stuff, enjoying it, working and Helping out. I think there’s a huge lack of that. So I saw this as a way to break the ice and get that.
Trent Manning: 4:20
Yeah, no, no, that is awesome. So do you have, uh, just the one assistant for the shop and for facility maintenance?
Nick Bonasoro: 4:30
Nope. One assistant who works under me in the green shop and then up in facilities maintenance. We have three full-time year-round techs who work up there.
Trent Manning: 4:40
Very cool. how’s that transition been? How is facilities maintenance? Is it fun? Difference? Annoying.
Nick Bonasoro: 4:50
it’s a challenge. That’s for sure. I was doing a lot of the maintenance to our greets buildings anyway, So that transition there with those buildings has been smooth. There’s a lot of politics involved. That’s where I would say it’s that’s the biggest change is the politics, the job itself. I’ve always worked with my hands. My father owned a bunch of multi-families and we’re always doing something. Whenever he got someone there fixing it paying attention. And what are you doing? How do you do this? How do you do that? Not afraid to get myself into a bind. where I get to call someone for help.
Trent Manning: 5:24
yeah, no, I’ve been in a really good to that over the years, getting in a bind and having to phone call for help. But that’s the way we learned. Yeah, exactly. That’s how
Nick Bonasoro: 5:35
That’s it.
Trent Manning: 5:36
So how was going, you were talking a little bit about. The public course and not having as much money. How did that help prepare you for where you’re at now?
Nick Bonasoro: 5:49
It really made me be more creative. all right. I can’t buy this. How can I make get that machine out? All right. Off to make it. I’m really stretching bed knives. And, all right. Maybe I can get one more grind out of this, really testing the limits to that. just Stuff along those lines we didn’t have an air fire. So we ended up oddly enough, we found one in the woods an old one just to tow behind hydraulic piston lifts. So we yanked it out needed a lot of work. So bought a couple bucks worth of metal and had to weld a new trailer at John. it. Find some times make them work. They weren’t the right ones, just real creative stuff. I think it’s a great a stepping stone.
Trent Manning: 6:35
Oh yeah, for sure. And it had to build you to what you are now and where you are now.
Nick Bonasoro: 6:43
that’s it. Without that? I don’t think I’d if I just want high end private to high in private, I don’t think I’d have half the skills I do now.
Trent Manning: 6:50
Yeah. Yep. Yep. No, that’s good stuff.
Nick Bonasoro: 6:54
I do not relief grind. we’re not set up. We have Bernards I believe in relief, grinding. I think it works. You get a new reel you toss your new reel on, and that lasts way longer than at the end of its life when you grind it. We’re definitely, we’re looking into getting the, I think they call it the rapid relief. Short So hopefully we get into that and we can get into a relief grinding schedule and give it a shot. I think it’s worth the shot. The grinders they’re just too new when I got there. They were only about a year old, so hard to
Trent Manning: 7:28
Yeah. Yeah. Going to your boss and saying, yeah, I need a hundred thousand dollars for Negro. Because these are a year old
Nick Bonasoro: 7:35
Yeah. Yep.
Trent Manning: 7:37
not, not an easy To him or a membership or anybody else involved tell us something you’ve fabricated lately.
Nick Bonasoro: 7:45
being up in the clubhouse and everything. I really have my hands in everything. over the winter we fabricated a gate the course itself is split by railroad tracks. With railroad tracks come, to a bunch of riff Raff. the end of the night gates get closed, gates get locked, and then we open them up in the morning. So we we fabricated up a gate, we set some granite posts in the ground and then we hung the gate. So it was a pretty cool project. But we do anything from that to the dishwasher itself, the final rinse on the dishwasher, rusted and rotted. away. COVID times you can’t get that stuff. I had to fabricate something for the dishwasher and get them through, and that was about eight weeks ago and it’s still in there and working parts aren’t in yet. So no matter what it is, just get it done and we do it all. So it’s fun. That’s my favorite part about taking over the clubhouse and stuff? It’s a, it just it’s stuff you wouldn’t normally.
Trent Manning: 8:43
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I w I found myself in the clubhouse working on a crowd evac machine, I never even really heard of one, but I’ve been there like, okay, this goes to this, this goes to this. This is not working trying to try to figure it out. That’s what we do. And like you said, it definitely keeps it interesting. I forget his precision air or something I’ve seen Seth jail. Posted a picture today. like the, that sucks the water out of the ground, but I guess this one has heat and AC, so we work on it all. And if the pump system goes down, we’re probably going to be the person that gets the call to go look at it first before they call it.
Nick Bonasoro: 9:26
that’s one of the things I like, I love getting thrown into that stuff, I don’t know pump house stuff. I think that’s awesome. I love getting into. once again and getting into something, I don’t know. And if I get into deep, there is backup, but they might be a day away, but It’s cool. And even in our clubhouse, we have two bowling lanes downstairs and the clubhouse was built in 1914, in there. I don’t know how old they are, but they’re probably not too far after that. So just keeping those running it’s.
Trent Manning: 9:56
Oh, that is cool. Yeah. Yeah.
Nick Bonasoro: 9:58
don’t see that.
Trent Manning: 9:59
Yeah. I’ve never been in the backside of the bowling alley. We’ll have to check that out. Next time I get up there.
Nick Bonasoro: 10:06
That’s it?
Trent Manning: 10:06
What’s your favorite tool?
Nick Bonasoro: 10:08
You got a couple of favorite tools. But I’d have to say my favorite by far is my multi meter. And it just it gives me peace of mind and just being able to test something and make sure that’s the actual problem before I go ahead and spend whatever the cost is to order the part if you just start doing that stuff. that You’re no longer a mechanic. You just turned into a parts replacer at that point and cost and money and you could be spending that on something cool for your shop or knows new grinders.
Trent Manning: 10:43
what’s your favorite? test with a multimeter?
Nick Bonasoro: 10:46
I’d have to say my favorite test is a voltage drop only because I fought. We had, it was once again, back in the public course, we had a. Year old Kubota mini excavator. And it just wouldn’t start. Wouldn’t start. And the problem I ran into is Kubota. Wasn’t doing road service in our area. So they said, get an entre. That wasn’t an option. It’s in the back of the driving range. Can’t get anything back there. So I finally found a place who was doing road service had come out to us. We had to pay for it and the parts were under warranty, but they were four to six weeks booked out. So I said, I’ll figure this out myself and I ended up doing a voltage drop test. And it was a negative battery cable. just something simple that you wouldn’t think of It. brand new piece, of almost brand new piece of equipment. So that right there just left a really good taste in my mouth. And I’ll never forget the voltage drop test from That one. instance.
Trent Manning: 11:44
While I may or may not have been leading you to save voltage drop, because that is my favorite test too. I love a voltage drop test, and I think it’s very under utilized test, I think mainly because a lot of people don’t know about it. So let’s talk about it right now. Explain how you do a voltage drop test.
Nick Bonasoro: 12:08
Oh, that’s been while. I’ve got to
Trent Manning: 12:09
it’s been a while. I got to and no rush, no pressure. We’ll work through this together.
Nick Bonasoro: 12:15
If I remember correctly, I had a positive lead on one end of the cable on one end of the negative battery cable. And then I had my other lead on the other end of the battery. cable And it was measuring voltage as I cranked.
Trent Manning: 12:33
Yup. Yup. That’s correct. And that is one of the, important parts about voltage drop is the circuit needs to be working. So if you have all the switches off and you’re not trying to push any amps through that circuit, the voltage drops not going to share. So the surrogate needs to be working that’s the key
Nick Bonasoro: 12:56
yep.
Trent Manning: 12:56
do on that test.
Nick Bonasoro: 12:58
once again, it’s not a test that you do all the time, so you forget all about it.
Trent Manning: 13:02
yeah, yeah.
Nick Bonasoro: 13:03
you need a refresher.
Trent Manning: 13:04
And one of my favorite ones and the voltage drop is put one test lead on the battery post and put the other test lead on the battery. And turn on the key switch or try to start the engine and see how much resistance you’re getting there, which you should get zero. And it just shows up really quick and as a cool visual for people learning how important that test is.
Nick Bonasoro: 13:34
I think it’s a great. It’s my go-to when I can’t figure anything, figure out a rough electrical issue. It’s like, all right, let’s bring this back out. See where I can get with this,
Trent Manning: 13:43
for sure. What do you do to relax or find your balance?
Nick Bonasoro: 13:49
Get away from people, whether it be just go out in the woods, go take the dogs for a walk, go for a hike. We can shoot up. We got some pretty good ATV, UTV trails, take the side-by-sides. just get away from people. That’s pretty much it. recently got into, a I bought a pellet smoker. You heard go started doing that Sunday afternoon. Just throw something on it. Sit back. Relax. just something it’s not fast. paced, just Slow life down. That’s what it is.
Trent Manning: 14:19
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen at work.
Nick Bonasoro: 14:22
So the strangest thing I seen where smack dab in the middle of the city. So we’ve had some pretty strange stuff. probably most of it, I can’t say on here, but there’s one employee who we all have. He’s been there 30 years and every time I think I’ve seen the strangest thing, he just surprises me with something else new. Um, just a great guy. Besides that last year, I’m heading into a meeting in the clubhouse and the GM calls me and he goes, Hey, Nick need you to head over to eight. We got some cows on the golf. course. Being in the middle of the city. I figured there’s no way, we have cows. So I drive on over there and sure, sure enough. We have cows just hanging out eating the grass. So I start doing a quick Google search, try to find some farms in the area and couldn’t find any. So it was a jail up the road. So I called them. See if they have an agricultural program, nothing it turns out the cows walked about five miles. and. They hung out. The farmer showed up. couldn’t get the cows. They ran into the woods, the send it up It ended up being a five day process for him to get his cows back then just hung around the golf course for five days, disappeared in the woods when they’re chased. It’s that’s it?
Trent Manning: 15:39
That’s awesome.
Nick Bonasoro: 15:40
have like Dark RAs better than theirs, but yeah, that’s probably the weirdest thing on a golf course I’ve seen.
Trent Manning: 15:45
The grass is always greener on the other.
Nick Bonasoro: 15:48
the grass is greener on our side. That’s right.
Trent Manning: 15:50
That’s true. And definitely true. When it comes to the golf course, grass, it’s probably going to be pretty green. What’s one of your pet peeves around the shop.
Nick Bonasoro: 16:01
Oh, one of my pet peeves, probably my largest is at the end of the day, I should be able to walk over into a. Equipment storage area and all the equipment should be clean, fueled up and organized, ready to go for the next day. This, once again, this stems back to being at a public course where you just, you don’t have the room to be able to get us a Sidewinder out or a rough unit without moving something. We’re lucky enough to have a large enough facility where everything has a spot you don’t have to move four pieces to get something out. Just make sure things are prepared for the next day. that’s probably my biggest pet peeve. We get a lot of nice stuff and Everything’s expensive now and you just gotta start taking care of it and just go to court for a fair while unit they’re over a hundred grand now for a farewell unit. So kills me to see grass at night.
Trent Manning: 16:55
right? Yeah. Yeah. And the other thing, I don’t think a lot of employees. I understand is that’s the club’s investment. That’s the club’s money. That’s basically the members, automobile sitting there at a private club and you’re going to take care of it that way. And I’ll be the first to admit back in the day, I used to keep my vehicles pretty nice, Washington. Yeah. Every other week or whatever. Now I don’t wash vehicles anymore, but the vehicles and the equipment at work is a lot cleaner than my car because it’s not mine. But I think a lot of people look at it as not mine. So I don’t want to take care of it, but changing that mindset is not easy.
Nick Bonasoro: 17:49
It isn’t, and that’s what we’ve had luck with putting dollar amounts To vehicles or mowers. So every time a kid starts, he gets the quick, every time you go out in the morning, you’re going out with a golf cart, a mower, a trailer it’s worth X amount of dollars. And you can just see the look on their face. Just like Rob Campbell said you show up to work in $500 car and you go. a hundred thousand dollars an hour. It’s absolutely wild. They just need to hear it. Sometimes that’s all. it is a lot of these, nobody shows up to work and says, I want to mess this up or all show up
Trent Manning: 18:24
intentional.
Nick Bonasoro: 18:25
good. Pretty good. attitude.
Trent Manning: 18:27
do you have a mentor in the industry?
Nick Bonasoro: 18:30
I think kind of, a lot of mentors in the industry, whether it be everyone in that WhatsApp group or. my own superintendent I think he’s a great mentor. Just everything. But the largest one who sticks out to me is the first head mechanic who I worked for. at the international he just, he took me in, I had a good knowledge of it. motors and how everything worked, but just the cutting units and all that stuff. I just, he really mentored me into that. how to grind everything and there’s not a week goes by that I’m not doing something that he taught me.
Trent Manning: 19:08
Yeah. Yeah.
Nick Bonasoro: 19:08
goes by.
Trent Manning: 19:09
it’s, interesting. The older you get looking back when you’re doing whatever the task might be. And so I asked yourself, where did I learn this? And see how far back you got. you got to think about it.
Nick Bonasoro: 19:23
that’s it. I just it’s wild. How much stuff I recall. And I heard a quote a few years ago when it was, the older I get the smarter my father gets.
Trent Manning: 19:34
That was a good one.
Nick Bonasoro: 19:35
that’s true. it’s crazy the stuff I look back and were like you said, where did I learn that? And it all Oh, what stemmed from that. So
Trent Manning: 19:44
yeah, no, I really like that quote there. That’s a good one. I’ve said it before. And all those words, but I’ve thought about that a lot because my dad has got a whole lot smarter. The older I get that’s a little old man knew what he was talking about when he told me when I was a kid that there’s nothing you’ve done, you’ve tried, or you’re going to do that. I ain’t already tried to do and I think he’s full of it. What is he talking about? When I’m 18 years old or whatever, but he was right. He was right. What would be your dream job or opportunity?
Nick Bonasoro: 20:19
My dream job. I really enjoy where I’m at now. I enjoy what I do. being in the greens and clubhouse and everything about that. I really enjoy it. The diversity I get throughout the day. the only thing I feel that I could do. or That would make me change where I’m at. My position is somewhere down south in the Carolinas. Maybe I’m somewhere with no snow.
Trent Manning: 20:45
you go.
Nick Bonasoro: 20:46
pretty much it. It is, But no, I really enjoy where I’m at now. I work for a great guy I’ve got a good team behind us, so. it’s awesome.
Trent Manning: 20:55
When a lot of times, I think that is maybe more important than a lot of the other stuff is having people that you can surround yourself with that are like-minded that have the same goals and ambitions that just, that makes life a whole lot easier.
Nick Bonasoro: 21:14
it does. And it makes going to work a lot easier. I can’t think of a person on our crew. that Nobody. doesn’t like, we all get along good. it’s like brothers, this is what we are. We bust balls and everything. So
Trent Manning: 21:29
yeah, yeah. Yeah. I found out all about that. giving people a hard time and when I visited Jr in long island that I couldn’t believe. I really thought they were going to make somebody cry. They were giving him such a hard time. And we do that plenty in the south picking on people, give them a hard time, But it was a different level of hard time up there in long island where those people,
Nick Bonasoro: 21:57
no, That’s what makes the days go by fast.
Trent Manning: 22:00
Oh yeah. Yeah, for sure.
Nick Bonasoro: 22:01
You got to have, you’ve got to have fun.
Trent Manning: 22:03
One. So I tell everyone if I pick on you, that’s the way I show my love, because if I don’t like you, I’m not going to talk to you. And that’s just the way I am, the way I’m wired,
Nick Bonasoro: 22:14
when I’m not razzing you, is when
Trent Manning: 22:16
about it. Yeah, that’s right. One Jr. Even told me the same. He said, if they’re all in a room giving each other a hard time and somebody walks in and it gets quiet. That means nobody likes them. So you gotta watch out. Yeah. Read the room. Don’t want to be that person.
Nick Bonasoro: 22:34
Absolutely.
Trent Manning: 22:35
What technician would you like to work with for a day?
Nick Bonasoro: 22:38
I think I’d really enjoy to work with Bob and Bob shop. just some of the projects he gets himself into and, he’s always working on something always bettering something whether it be easier for the crew or, I think it’s just a cool atmosphere. He’s always doing something awesome. And, when I first got into the industry the person I was working for he was really close to retirement, so he wasn’t going crazy. on Twitter. And then, the younger generation of me got involved in that and poking around and Bob shop was the first one I found and I just thought it was awesome. Just Everything he’s done.
Trent Manning: 23:17
I think even before Twitter, his blog, a lot of technicians found and it taught them how to do certain jobs or tasks or whatever. And how powerful is that? There’s a great, what he’s done for our.
Nick Bonasoro: 23:32
It’s awesome. I think any me personally, I just, I surf Twitter. I don’t post, I’m not a big poster. I just on look. But just to have the willpower to create your own blog and do that, I think it’s awesome for the industry. Everything he’s done, Everything you’ve done, everything, GCSA has done. I think is awesome for all. of us.
Trent Manning: 23:53
Yeah, it’s definitely came a long way and the last few years, and it’s got a long way to go, but we got the snowball rolling downhill and we’re going to keep pushing it on that. I know the realtor tax community anyway, and I want to thank all the listeners right now for being a part of what this is and making it what it is. Cause obviously without the list. And without the awesome gas we have on here, I would just be talking to the microphone. The power is the listeners and the guests and everybody helping everybody out. And it’s really been, I got an email today from a guy he wants to get in the WhatsApp group. He’s at a nine hole course, I think in Wyoming. A private owner that built a nine hole course and they’re maintaining it. And the only people play there is the owner and whoever he invites. yeah, it’s wild. But somehow he run across the podcast and they sent me an email saying how much he loved it and how much it’s helped him. And he wants to get in the WhatsApp group. So when we get off of here, I got to email him back the link to the WhatsApp.
Nick Bonasoro: 25:08
That’s great. It’s amazing how far it’s gone how many countries you’re in and everything. So it’s awesome.
Trent Manning: 25:13
I don’t, when I first started this, I thought I want to try this. I think there’s a need for it. And maybe I’ll have 10 or 15 listeners. And when I first started, I was just going to do it every other week. And then I put out three episodes and everybody’s Hey, just keep doing it every week. Which is easy for them to say. But we’ve been able to make do, and it’s been great. I didn’t mean to get sidetracked there. So what do you know now? You wish you’d known on day one.
Nick Bonasoro: 25:44
first off I wish I knew what a PI tape was. That would have been extremely helpful. when I started all, obviously I knew about coning and everything. so I picked up, I actually borrowed my mother’s sewing tape measure until she needed it back. And then I bought my own. So that’s what I was using until discovered a pie tape. but I wish I knew about that. And the other thing I really wish I knew. about or understood was a hotheaded attitude. doesn’t really get you too far with most people. There’s some of those employees that they’ll just sit there and listen to it, And you can beat that way with them, but 99% of people, it just doesn’t get you far with them. so I wish I knew that in a long time ago, it’s not worth stressing
Trent Manning: 26:31
There’s, those are both really good. When and where did you learn about a pod type?
Nick Bonasoro: 26:37
Once again, I think that went back to Twitter somewhere on Twitter, probably about four or five, six years ago just scrolling through turf Twitter, and, it popped up I was like, ah, I got to get ahold of one of those, that’s
Trent Manning: 26:50
So how often are you PI taping?
Nick Bonasoro: 26:54
Where pie taping after grow. I’m sure you’ve heard the nickname for Bernhardt’s the Conal Maddix. So just to be cautious, it only takes a second Why it’s on the grinder still, just to double check, make sure you did a good job. and everything’s not COVID. I wouldn’t or anything. So why it’s there toss your pod tape on two seconds and we’re good, cause it really sucks, getting it back together and having to take it back off and re grind it. And
Trent Manning: 27:21
oh yeah. Yeah, definitely. So what I’ve been doing is I actually checked before and after, so I, and I’m using a Foley. So the reason I checked before. Is normally I’ll have a little cone one way or another I’m talking a few thousands max, hopefully no more than a few thousands then I know my set up is correct on the Foley. Cause if I’m sparking on the side, that’s a thousands bigger than the other side. That makes sense to me. And I know my setup’s good and I run with it. But if for some reason I got my setup off a little. I’m going to check it or catch it before I actually grind the real and grind the cone in it. And then the reason for checking it after is just you’re doing it makes you, did I do it right or not? It is my real where it needs to be. And then the other thing I think is keeping track of those real diameters to say, okay, I’m gonna need to replace this. No, this Reel’s getting to whatever your number is, I’ll do some tips and tricks.
Nick Bonasoro: 28:38
We can do some tips and tricks what I had was Mr. Patterson actually talked about it. or we, I think it was his fluid extra. How we, he uses this fluid extractor to put a vacuum on the hydraulic tank, when he’s changing filters, if it’s going to fall right out. So a few years ago, once again, turf twitter, I just happened to actually, I don’t think this was turf, Twitter. I think it was construction side of twitter or something like that. the 54 tens, they have this huge hydraulics. Right behind the middle real. So when you’re changing that all your hydraulic fluid comes flying out, and you should just be a quick grab the filter, and get, make the mess. so now what I did is I just took our shop back. I’d take the filter right out of it. And I just hover over the hydraulic tank with our shop back until I get enough vacuum on there to where I’m not sucking fluid out. so I guess you would call that it’s the same effect he had. but the everyday guys version, I think we all have shopped backs in the shop. I’ve used it on that. I’ve used it on my sales go rollers, same thing. You gotta change a hydraulic line. You don’t wanna lose all that. just a more basic way that everyone can utilize that.
Trent Manning: 29:53
Yeah, no, that was really good. So do you have any technique or suggestion on. When you put the shop back, you say you just hover it over the field cap.
Nick Bonasoro: 30:03
I’m just hovering. Yeah. I removed my PhilCCAP remove the dipstick and, I’m hovering about halfway over the hole and you can feel it. You can hear when you start sucking fluid, you’re gone too far, but it’s a shot back your filters. Not in there. it doesn’t get used for anything
Trent Manning: 30:21
Yeah, no, that’s cool. That’s
Nick Bonasoro: 30:23
but And then the other tip I had was I actually picked it up at a conference. This winter was Google drive. I took a Google drive class taught by, yourself and I went back and yeah, yep. Someone in there. Um, and I went back, I implemented the QR code into the clubhouse for maintenance request Cause we’d be walking through the hallway and they catch us and say, Hey, can you do this? And can you do this? can you do that? Can you do this? And it just, it all gets lost. You could be walking downstairs. So it’s simple. now they’re just walk up, They scan a QR. code. I have three questions that I ask your name, what’s your problem. And does it require immediate assistance? So it just logs it all. And then I just created a completed file. So the end of the week, if you feel like, Hey, I didn’t get anything done, we can go in, we can look at that and you really feel good about yourself and, it helps keep you organized.
Trent Manning: 31:29
I love it.
Nick Bonasoro: 31:30
and I’ve, I have access to it. My head tech in the clubhouse has access to that. So there’s no questions when there’s some downtime, what can I have Kyle do well, let’s go to the. And it’s all right there on the list and it’s all stuff people want. We’re going to be getting that implemented into the shop, but until the green shop, but not as we’re not going to give the crew access to maintenance requests. I still like, Like the interaction with people. like it. I really enjoy that. So I don’t want to turn a turn to 2022 in that department.
Trent Manning: 32:08
No, and I get that. So we have it on all our equipment so they can scan right there on the. And it’s a good way of letting us know, but you’re right. It does cut down on some of that interaction. And some I’ve just recently sad to admit, but I just recently been doing is when I see an operator come in with a piece of equipment, I’ve been asking them everything. Okay. Everything worked like it’s supposed to, and trying to build some of that interaction back. And it’s usually even if they had a problem, they’re probably not going to tell you, but at least you’re communicating with them and hopefully over time, they’re going to feel more comfortable if they do have an issue, they’ll talk to you,
Nick Bonasoro: 32:54
Yeah. it’s tough with some of the older guys, they just different generations And, it really takes a few years for you to build that relationship with them or for them to feel trusted.
Trent Manning: 33:05
Yeah, for sure. Was that a wrap on tips and tricks? That’s a wrap. All right. This has been great conversation. Thank you again for being here. Let’s talk about the new England turf grass conference and how you got involved with that. How I got invited up there, how that whole process.
Nick Bonasoro: 33:27
it’s probably about four years ago now. I was in the class and at the end of our, we had two days of equipment manager training classes at the end. the gentleman who puts the whole show on, got up and he said, it’s two of us. We sit down and we don’t, we’re not mechanics. We don’t know what you guys want to learn. So if anyone wants to go out and Just chat over dinner and come up with ideas and, all that feel free to reach out. So I reached out and, ever since then we go out is about. It was a group of four or five of us sometimes. And we go out, we have dinner, we just brainstorm some ideas. And a lot of the guys in the industry up here, they’re older. I’m one of the youngers younger guys up here. I heard a few of the podcasts and I said, you know what? This guy, Trent sounds pretty good. Let’s maybe we can reach out to him, get him up here teach a couple classes and worked out. real.
Trent Manning: 34:23
It was awesome. And I can’t thank you enough for throwing my name in the hat and I didn’t realize it or put the two to two. I didn’t add that up. Until I got up there and said, oh, I bet this was Nick. They got me up here. So I want to thank you officially. I think maybe I did. Maybe I did, but thank you for having me up the, the time up there was it was amazing. It was great. I don’t know what all good words I can use to describe it, but two days of education and it was all technician based education and not just myself mark Luffy was there. He’s a brilliant guy. I really enjoyed all the things he did. That was really cool. And then I apologize. Cause I don’t remember the names of the people that are talking about lubrications and all that kind of stuff. That was a cool class. And then the trade show and then mark doing some hands-on stuff on the trade show floor with a camera set up. That was incredible too.
Nick Bonasoro: 35:31
yeah, it just gets better and better every
Trent Manning: 35:33
I think y’all are very lucky for. Blast, whatever you want to call it up there to have such a good group of people that come together and support the equipment manager.
Nick Bonasoro: 35:47
That’s awesome. And it’s good to have that support behind. and the turnout at the show. It’s just getting better and better every year for the mechanic sessions. I remember when I first started, it was real small. You got 20 of us in a room. but
Trent Manning: 36:01
Once. So while we’re talking about it, when you find out the dates they’re priority up, but you remind me and December, and I’ll help you promote it on the podcast.
Nick Bonasoro: 36:16
Awesome. Sounds good. Appreciate.
Trent Manning: 36:18
and I know it’s a big expense to go to the national. And depending on how far away you are from Orlando or San Diego or wherever the show may be. It could be really expensive, but if you’re in the Northeast, this is right in your backyard. And it’s, I don’t know, it’s probably a third of the national show. It’s not as big, it’s not as big as scale, but the education is just as good as what you would get at the national. I was really impressed by that. for the people in the Southeast, the Carolinas puts on a really good show too. So there is regional stuff, at least on the east coast. Honestly, I don’t know if I’m disconnected from the west coast or they’re not really doing that much over there. I don’t know what it is, but east coast, good stuff going on over here.
Nick Bonasoro: 37:13
Yeah, Those are the three that I’ve heard of. They chose is the Carolinas I heard is awesome. GIS and new England. because that’s where
Trent Manning: 37:22
but
Nick Bonasoro: 37:22
at. But yeah, no, that’s awesome.
Trent Manning: 37:26
So if we have any listeners, those on the west coast and I’m putting my foot in my mouth, you tell me, send me an email and I’ll gladly. Is it redact? And then what they say in the professional world, I’ll redact this stuff. Are you ready for some rapid fire questions?
Nick Bonasoro: 37:46
I am
Trent Manning: 37:47
Let’s do it. What’s your favorite movie?
Nick Bonasoro: 37:50
probably dumb and dumber. big, stupid humor. Fan
Trent Manning: 37:54
What would be your last meal?
Nick Bonasoro: 37:56
a rigatoni and
Trent Manning: 37:57
Alright, Italian. It is. What are you most proud of?
Nick Bonasoro: 38:01
Other than getting cliche with my family and my wife and everything like that. I’m really proud of my crew at work for everything they’ve done in the last year for my system mechanic coming in, knowing the basics to where he is now is just through the roof, What he’s learned. It’s great. And, same thing with the clubhouse staff, how they’ve stepped up and just everyone we’ve done a great job.
Trent Manning: 38:29
How rewarding is it for you to see those people move up and on to see them make progress?
Nick Bonasoro: 38:40
it’s huge. it’s huge to see that’s. the first time I can remember the first time I left the shop and he was grinding a reel and I came back, he had it all together, it’s just cotton. beautiful. And he’s just the smile on his face. how proud he was of himself. It just, it felt good for
Trent Manning: 38:58
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. So good. So good. We’ll tell the listeners how they can get a.
Nick Bonasoro: 39:04
I am on Twitter. Like I said, I’m more of a lurker. I’m not really active, but I’m on there all the time. My Twitter handles bona sorrow. My last name underscore Nick, or, I’m also on Facebook, under my name. Nick bonus sorrow. Those are the two best ways.
Trent Manning: 39:21
Thank you so much, Nick, for being on this has been a blast as it always is. And I told Gary that I’m coming back to new England next year, whether he invited me. Even if I got to pay, I’m getting up there. Yeah, no, it was such a great time and not just you, but all the other people I met up there Robert and Rob, and definitely a handful of core guys that are really passionate about the industry and we all want to just be better
Nick Bonasoro: 39:57
that’s it. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. We’ll see you there. Thank you.
Trent Manning: 40:04
Hope you enjoyed hearing from Nick. Shout out to Nick’s grandma. How cool is that? Thank you next grandma for getting him into our industry. He’s a great asset for a lot of us. Besides relying on grandma. To take care of the world. What can we do? As mechanics. To spread the word about our industry. It’s going to take all of us to tackle this issue. So if you know, a mechanic, an auto mechanic or a boat mechanic, motorcycle mechanic, this not happy where they’re at. Hook them up. Because I’ve heard the story from so many people. Though started in another automotive or whatever, another technical industry that found a golf course by accident. Like we all do. And has changed their life. So that’s the message for today. Hope you enjoyed this episode. Thank you again for listening. And if you want to be a guest, please reach out to us. Hit us on Twitter. Send us an email. And check out our website. I’m pretty proud of it. I had a lot of help. Making it. And it turned out pretty good. 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.