John Murray, equipment manager at the Federal Club and the Kanawha Club, both in Virginia, shares his unique story with us this week. Growing up a tinkerer and passionate woodworker, John’s path to the shop included building custom storage buildings followed by 17 years building playground equipment. After the economic crisis in 2008, John made a big change and started building custom cabinetry and guitars after reconnecting with an old friend who turned out to be a Nashville musician. John got his start in golf from the caddying side, working at a local golf course and eventually finding his way to the shop. John shares what it’s like working at two courses. We discuss the value of building in extra cutting units in your equipment package purchases, fabricating rolling racks for spare sets of reels and aeration tines, and go down the rabbit hole together on torque talk.
Transcript
Trent Manning:
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 Reel turf Techs podcast, episode 39. Today, we’re talking to John Murray. Equipment manager at the federal club and Kanaloa club, both in Virginia. The federal club is a private Arnold Palmer signature 18 hole course. The quinoa club is a private nine hole par three course. Let’s hear from John. Welcome John to the real turf tax podcast. How are you doing today?
John Murray:
I’m doing great. Thanks for having me.
Trent Manning:
How’s it going to be fun? That always is tell us how you got into the turf industry.
John Murray:
It’s kind of a long story. I’ll try to keep it abbreviated. But like most people I think in this business I grew up loving to build models, loving to do woodwork, always tinkering with bicycles or go cards or motorcycles or muscle cars. It evolved over the years into different things. But, you know, I had always done woodworking as my true passion working with my hands. And, you know, out of high school and even through high school, I worked on construction crews, framing houses, ultimately, because I had a very high level skill set and woodworking. I ended up doing a lot of trim, carpentry building staircases and architectural millwork kind of stuff. And ultimately that evolved into a position at a company that was a storage building company. We built these custom storage buildings among other things. And I excelled in that position and that led to working in a playground equipment business. And I was in that business for 17 years Or oversaw and operation. That covered three states. We had three distribution centers and several retail locations. And that was all great until 2009 and the economic crisis came to a head for me. I lost my job. And in 2009 there was no one hiring you couldn’t, you couldn’t find anybody that would take on. If, you know, even for me, I was almost 40 years old. It’s hard to find a job when there’s no jobs and you’re 40 years old. So we had to make a lot of life changes and I started. Doing work for myself to cabinet work furniture, building and guitars started building guitars, acoustic guitars. And that was great. You know, it, I did that for a couple of years, but it was not paying the bills plain and simple. It’s a, that’s a hard business to break into. And I grew up near a club. That’s a really nice club and I went to go caddy. I had a friend there, there was a caddy master. And that’s how ultimately I got into the golf business. I had never had any golf experience prior to that other than playing golf. But I went to code caddy and I did that for six years. Full time, six days a week, 250, some loops a year carrying two bags and a.
Trent Manning:
That’ll get you in Shea Walnut.
John Murray:
Oh, absolutely. You know, it averaged about eight to 10 miles a loop. And actually it was pretty good money doing that. I met a lot of great people. A lot of influential people landed some pretty big caddy gigs, caddy, the four senior us amateurs and a senior us open.
Trent Manning:
awesome.
John Murray:
And in those years that was quite an experience, but the winners were unpredictable. You know, there was not very much play meaning that much income. And I was just looking for something to do in the winter. So a member at this club took me on to work at his warehouse over the winter,
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
with all, intentions to go back to the caddying the next spring, and. At some point, it was nearing the end of my time at the winter job, it was about time to go back to the golf club. And I get a phone call completely out of the blue from someone I didn’t know, and said, I understand that you have quite the mechanical ability and I have a job for you. I heard you were looking for a job and I want you to come work here. And I was like work aware and he told me the golf club and told me the position. And I was like, man, you got the wrong guy. You’ve you’ve really you’ve dialed the wrong phone number or something because I hadn’t sought out any employment anywhere. It just completely came out of the blue So long story short, or to fill you in on that. A friend of mine who had recently, or a couple of years prior, moved to Florida as a assistant superintendent at a club in Boca, had saw an ad for a position equipment position on turf net and replied to the ad with my name and phone number because the golf course was 10 minutes from my house.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
So anyway, after a little bit of a conversation with the guy, I agreed to come over and see what he had going on. And I walked in the shop and there’s equipment everywhere, you know, stuff that I’ve was familiar with seeing on the golf course working, but I didn’t know anything about any. Operation of it. But everything was in disrepair and flat tires, just pieces and parts of stuff, laying all over the place. And this guy out basically said, I’m desperate. I really need somebody. And I need somebody now. So, and, and also it was 36 holes. It was two different golf courses across the street from each others owned by the same people. And I agreed to come on. It was, it was, it was a leap of faith, you
Trent Manning:
Yeah. Yeah, really?
John Murray:
So I knew I had the capabilities to do any kind of engine work or. I’ve done fabricating work in the past. I’ve done machine machine work in the past. I felt confident that I could do anything. I might have to learn a little bit, might have a research research, some stuff and do some reading, but I knew I could do that. So I agreed and off I went
Trent Manning:
Alright. that was awesome.
John Murray:
And that was it.
Trent Manning:
history. So how long have you been in the industry?
John Murray:
I took that position in 2016.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
I was there for, it was two years. It was formerly traditions golf. I don’t know. You might have heard of those guys they’re bankrupt now and just in dissolved, but it was a very tumultuous. Two years there, because really there was no money
Trent Manning:
Hmm,
John Murray:
that came in the owner would take out the drawer essentially and Put it into his pocket. He wouldn’t put a thing into the golf course. Everything was in disrepair. Everything was needing to be jury rigged in, and I was able to do a lot of that stuff and make a lot out of nothing. and ultimately that company folded the golf courses went up for sale. And one of the golf courses was purchased by the community, the HOA I was able to stay on with that new owner. They brought in some care. And was able to purchase some equipment at that point. We made a lot of improvements after about a year. We got a new superintendent, the superintendent was a great guy, but a little complacent, little lazy. And the new kid came in and really brought so much to the golf course and is still a very good friend now I consult with, but I was there for another couple years, but somewhere along in that period, about three years ago, I saw an ad on turf net for a golf course that was back near where I grew up, which is about an hour away, still where I live. And it was a nine hole par three course, and I’d heard plenty of it. I heard it was fabulous. The superintendent there. under the superintendent at the club. I caddy that, which was I’ll go ahead and say it as Ken log golf club, it’s top 100 club in the country. And he worked under, Pete went, Pete went, it is now congressional, just finish that restoration. But Pete went was a, an amazing gentleman. And this superintendent at canal club worked under Pete went. So I knew that it was a top-notch operation. And I, I saw where he was advertising for an equipment manager position.
Trent Manning:
Hmm.
John Murray:
So I called them up and said, interested.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
It was a part-time position though. I wasn’t going to leave a full-time position 10 minutes from my house for a part-time position an hour away. So I was hoping in my conversation with him that we could work out some sort of arrangement with schedules. And he told me I just hired somebody literally three days ago. And I was like, man, okay, well, I appreciate talking to me. If, if something comes up, call me back. And lo and behold, two weeks later, that guy didn’t work out. And he said, if you’re interested in, interested in the job, come up and meet me. I went up there and, and got that job. And I started working 40 hours a week at my club. Then I would leave in the afternoons, driving an hour west to the golf club, and I’d worked four hours a night.
Trent Manning:
oh, wow.
John Murray:
And I drive back home and I did, I did that for two years.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
And one day at work, my superintendent at canal club made mention of an equipment manager position at the federal club, which is about 20 minutes away from canal club, still an hour from my house. But but it’s the commute between clubs was a lot shorter. And I went over and talked to that superintendent, which I had already met previously. I kind of knew him. And I took the position at federal club back this may of 2021. So
Trent Manning:
congratulations.
John Murray:
thank you. I’m fresh here. Kind of walked into a, a mess
Trent Manning:
Hmm,
John Murray:
predecessor. Did me no favors. I think for the past couple years, he basically mailed it in and
Trent Manning:
Hmm,
John Murray:
a lot of let, a lot of things go. We’ve been able to assess this stuff here. Make a lot of corrections on the stuff that it was in such poor condition. I could not even make adjustments, height, adjustments, clip adjustments, everything was barons were completely shot. we’ve spent a lot of money so far to
Trent Manning:
I bet.
John Murray:
to get this place up, but we just agreed on a new package of equipment who knows when that will get here.
Trent Manning:
Yep.
John Murray:
The important thing is it’s ordered and it’ll be here at some point and I’m looking forward to the future here.
Trent Manning:
I’ll just talk to our Textron Cushman right up. And he said, if I committed, now I could possibly get new cards and gene,
John Murray:
Wow.
Trent Manning:
yeah. And I was like, well, you know, you’re not giving me a whole lot of faith in you that if I commit now I could possibly get them in June. Does that really mean there’s going to be September? I don’t know if I’m going to get new cards or not.
John Murray:
I’ve heard stories that some of this equipment could be the end of the summer 2022. And And, I’m crossing my fingers that it doesn’t take that long.
Trent Manning:
Right. So how many hours are you putting in now at both?
John Murray:
Basically Monday through Friday I work seven to three, sometimes eight to four at federal club.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
And then I jumped over to the other golf course. I get there about 4, 4 30 and work until about eight. And then
Trent Manning:
Okay. You must really like this.
John Murray:
I do, I really do.
Trent Manning:
That’s awesome.
John Murray:
Yeah.
Trent Manning:
That’s good. Walk us through your daily shop routine at, guess the federal club.
John Murray:
At the federal club is kind of a mess. It’s not ideal at the moment. And I’m looking to definitely have a more regimented routine. Of course I want to get out on the golf course and see how things are performing. That will be part of my daily routine as we can improve our equipment situation. I’ve got a lot of fires seemingly on a daily basis that have to be dealt with Stuff comes in broken so my daily routine is if anything has come in during the day that I know it’s not going out the next day I will tackle whatever’s on my plate. I mean, really, truly it’s something different every day.
Trent Manning:
oh yeah.
John Murray:
But ultimately I’ll get around to checking the clip and in the Heights of the greens mowers probably get around to the fairway mowers every couple of days. You know, we’re not mowing a lot of grass right now. You know, ideally though it’ll be basically the same as most guys is, you know, the equipment will come in from mowing the greens or the fairways after their first jobs of the day. And I’ll run that stuff through it’s checks and balances. Put it back in line. Know, if there’s any parts that need to be ordered and get that stuff that on purchase orders, once I have this new equipment and it takes a lot of a load off of me there’ll be the daily checks once the first jobs come in, check everything out, put it back in line for the next day. I do like to get out on the golf course and see how things are performing. Really, and truly when you do all that work, you like to go out and see it. It’s the satisfaction of a crisp cut is second to none. You know, I like going out with my prison gauge and seeing how the grass looks and So, I mean, that’s kind of the routine. So once I leave here, I go over to canola and, we have a good assistant over there that in the mornings, a lot of times when I’m not there because actually Tuesday mornings I do go to canola first. I reversed my schedule so that I can get some face time with superintendent and the assistant stuff there. But normally during the week, the assistant will actually check out the machines before they go out. First thing in the morning when I come in, I’ll check them out and and notify him that he doesn’t have to do it the next day. But of the time when I get to canal, I’m checking out machines, going through the fairway mower back lapping you know, grinding some knives. Getting everything in order. And that’s about it, you know, and
Trent Manning:
Do you, you have real grounders and bed. Knock grounders. Both locations.
John Murray:
absolutely.
Trent Manning:
Okay. Awesome.
John Murray:
everywhere.
Trent Manning:
All right.
John Murray:
I’ve got a little better Foley at canal than I do at federal club. I’ve got a model, real grinder
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
takes a lot of attention to when you’re grinding, you gotta stand there and advance the stone. And it, the one that canal was computerized and I can run programs and in walk away from it and go do something else easier over a canal.
Trent Manning:
Yeah. Well, it leads me into my next question. Do you relief ground?
John Murray:
absolutely from believer. Anytime.
Trent Manning:
dragging the code.
John Murray:
Absolutely. Anytime you can reduce the heat between the real and the bed knife the knife is going to last longer, plain and simple. I think it’s a lot easier, you know, I don’t know what your process is on. I don’t even know what the real process is for back lapping, but the way I do it is I set it to spec using Turo spec. I should set it with a shim, give it three clicks, a backlash from there. Once I backlash most of the time, I’ll actually pull the knife off after backlashing the reel, pull the knife off, run a front front face on a bed, knife grinder, put it right back in its place
Trent Manning:
Huh?
John Murray:
and set it up again. And it’s perfect every time. And I can do a TriFlex in about an hour. Okay. It saves a lot of time on grinding over the course of the year.
Trent Manning:
Do you, pull the knives off while the units are still on? Like you put it on the lift and
John Murray:
yep. I just put it on the lift, put it on the lift and drop them knives have ’em pretty easy. So yeah, I, I definitely kind of lost my train of thought there for a second. Yeah, I could do a trough flex in about an hour. You know, the 35, 75 is a little more work to do that, but it’s you know, maybe an hour and a half, two hours,
Trent Manning:
So what do you think the advantage is to ground in the front face of the knife after you lap?
John Murray:
So the lapping is nothing more than kind of polishing the edge of the real. And the, And the top surface the bed knife, as long as a blended amount of sand thrown on the greens and you get it as long as you don’t have heavy rifling down the top of that knife, you’re just kind of buffing and removing burrs. And so, and of course the front edge of the knife is rounded a bit and loses that edge. And so I’ll just run only the front face
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
then slap it back in place. And as long as you return that bed knife, back to the real that it was it really works out great for me. I do have, I have a I’ve got several extra set of truffle So. Over the winter when we’re not mowing anything, I’ll go through all the rules. Everything will be set up to where I have to do very minimal grinding over the course of the year. I can just pull it off once I’ve back left to death out of something. And it’s just not, it’s just too hard to get that cutback.
Trent Manning:
Mm
John Murray:
I’ll put another set of reels on it, but those are the old ones on the rack and I’ll get to them in the winter time.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
So, you know, three sets of reels for the TriFlex and I don’t have to do a thing, you know, other than wintertime grinding and occasionally if they hit something and bend a knife or something, I have to grind, but usually it’s backlash through the course of season.
Trent Manning:
I think I talked, I don’t remember the after forgive me, I talked to so many people, but I know I talked to somebody the other day about building in spare cutting units and to your equipment packages. So that is definitely a big tip for the industry. When you buy new equipment, get some spare cutting units.
John Murray:
it’s easy to do with the TriFlex. It’s easier to do, I could say, when you’re talking about I’m a fairway mower and you got to get five sets of reels, five reels, that’s a huge expense added to your package when you’re buying, when you’re buying
Trent Manning:
is expensive,
John Murray:
in.
Trent Manning:
of having something like that, I mean, I don’t want to do without it,
John Murray:
Right. Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
you’ve, got an extra set, I would not want to go back.
John Murray:
And luckily, you know, over the years where we’ve replaced equipment, we’ve actually kept some of the older stuff. We have a dedicated machine for verdict, cutting, you know, the verdict cutters never come off the machine. It just sits there and use it two or three times or whatever. Other than that, that machine sends LATAM.
Trent Manning:
Well, luckily we got the same situation and that’s how I ended up with an extra set of fairway. Cutting units is we made a dedicated Berta cutter for our
John Murray:
Right.
Trent Manning:
So I got those five reels, a little bit on a fairway mower it works
John Murray:
There you go. Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
Most times the manufacturer, they’re not going to, if you want to trade it in, they’re going to give you $1,500
John Murray:
Right.
Trent Manning:
cutting unit for $1,500.
John Murray:
Not even close, but
Trent Manning:
it. And
John Murray:
you’re absolutely right. Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
tell us something you’ve fabricated lately.
John Murray:
Oh, I fabricate stuff all the time, but I I’ve really not in the past couple months, I haven’t fabricated anything, but over the, let’s say past year I’ve made a, I’ve actually made some rolling racks for spare set.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
So th you know, so they’re not laying all over the floor. I’ve got, I’ve made racks somewhere on my Twitter page, you could probably find a picture But each rec carries, holds two of rules, two sets of three.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
so, yeah, I a few of those racks. I’ve a couple, three point attachments for the tractor that holds lays big rolls of sod.
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yup.
John Murray:
I had to do a lot of fabrication on a Kubota mower deck. We have a small Kubota tractor that we’ve, we just. You know, peripheral areas with it the deck was beat up and rusted through heading to fabricate a lot of stuff to make that thing I like to make my own times
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
times three quarter inch times solid times three, eight solid tines. I make them from a cold rolled steel stock comes in 20 foot links and cut them into links. It ends up costing me about 50 cent a time.
Trent Manning:
Do you do any heat treating?
John Murray:
No, I don’t. He treat
Trent Manning:
was just curious, but I believe Jr. Wilson does the, some heat.
John Murray:
Yeah, no, we haven’t had had the really neat they do kind of wear out pretty quick, but they’re so cheap. You can replace them out.
Trent Manning:
Yep. I got you. What’s your favorite tool why?
John Murray:
That’s a tough one, but I think if I had to pick my favorite tool would have to be my welder.
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yep.
John Murray:
It gets me out of a lot of jams. I mean, not only can you fabricate stuff with it, but you know, welding nuts to broken bolts so that you can that I’ll say my welders involved in my trick of the day or tip of the day. My Milwaukee cordless impacts that is one powerful half inch impact.
Trent Manning:
Been hearing all kinds of stuff, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, and I definitely think they’re out in the market right now and
John Murray:
If you, if you don’t have one and you’re interested in getting one, be careful about which one you bought, because there’s three different power rating models and you can get, and they all look the same. So you research it out and you get the one, but it is truly powerful. They have torque control settings for different settings. Putting in bed knives, screws. I have a three-eighths inch version of it, and it’s got four torque settings. And if I put it on torque, number one, it’s about 12, 15 pounds of
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yeah.
John Murray:
which is perfect for bed knives.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
don’t have to use a torque wrench. I can use that impact and it makes a
Trent Manning:
Yeah. I know there’s some controversy there and like, I always liked to say we don’t judge it real turf texts. If you want to use a tort ranch, fine. If you want to use of lectric and pack where the torque is adjustable, I think that’s fine. You
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
a half inch drive impact, maybe that’s a little overkill.
John Murray:
I’ve heard people say that you give it to threats reps and that’s the proper tool. That’s the proper tour. I don’t buy into But the, you the Milwaukee impacts have a mechanism to stop
Trent Manning:
right.
John Murray:
at a certain I kind of put a little bit of faith into that. I’ve tried the torque wrench I’ve gone down that road it works. I tend to have a little bit more problem with the bit slipping on the screw and a torque wrench. Then I deal with an impact
Trent Manning:
I’ll tell a story. I went down that rabbit hole too, and I did a side-by-side comparison over. I don’t remember we done, I mean, it wasn’t a lot of knives, but three or four knives and, you know, target them with a torch ranch, put them on the bed, knife grinder, and then them with the little, I don’t know what it is like a 7.2 volt. Three, eight strive will impact that I got and that I’d been using for a long time. So anyway, do the side by side comparison. I can’t tell any difference. So I’m not going to spend the time to use a torque wrench.
John Murray:
Exactly.
Trent Manning:
that makes me a bad person, I’m sorry.
John Murray:
I’ve had no problems with my bed knives for the record. I do something on a side note. Here I know has different tours. Tightening patterns specifications. I’ve kind of created my own. That works better for me. And the reason I say it works better for me using the, the Turo spec. I found using Toro knives using JRM knives, JRM knives, I will we’ll say are a little bit better in this aspect than the Torah knives that I’ve found is that I was having to grind after a brand new knife had its initial grind before putting it on the real I was having to grind way too much metal off of these knives, heightening it up exactly says. So I started to experiment with different patterns and I came up with a pattern reduced that grinding. I was grinding almost 35 thousands off to just get a top.
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yeah.
John Murray:
And with the other pattern that I’ve kind of came up I was minimal passes, say less than so I have it dead
Trent Manning:
Describe that pattern?
John Murray:
okay Let me see. I have to draw it out on paper so I can maybe better articulate it.
Trent Manning:
No, that’s fine.
John Murray:
So let’s just say you have 11 bed knives, typically they would have you start at the middle and work out to where they, the answer actually, you would you know, hand tighten the ends to get it positioned. And it’s basically work from the middle going from, I would go next to the end side. Next to the end on the right side. So that would be number two and number 10, screw. I would tighten first and do number four, screw in number eight, screw. And then I would do number six, screw, I guess then I would go from the ends and work back toward the It works Royal for me.
Trent Manning:
Interesting.
John Murray:
I know people are probably going to call foul, but don’t judge.
Trent Manning:
and that’s the thing, and that’s why I always say that we don’t judge. here. I’m never going to judge but you know, if it works for you and your. And you’re successful do it.
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
That’s that’s, that’s where I’m at. What do you like best about your job?
John Murray:
The people, the people that I’ve worked with, you know, even starting in the golf business as a caddy, I made a lot of friends there, caddies members alike that have, we’re always awesome. It just whole family. But when I started working an equipment manager, the superintendents, the crew members that, they worked so hard and, most they have a lot of pride in their work. So my favorite thing is seeing those guys work hard, accomplishing things with equipment that I’ve tried to give them to do the best job that they can And the satisfaction of seeing. What you’ve kind of helped create out on the golf, being an avid golfer. Every time I’ve visited someone’s golf course where I’m watching golf on see these conditions that are just immaculate and just pure perfection, and you look at it, you know, I said, I just want to go play it, man. I want to go play that golf course. I like getting that feeling that I’ve had something to do with a course that someone else might be to go play and walk away from really loving the golf course.
Trent Manning:
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen at work. Good stories.
John Murray:
I do have a story. Of course everyone sees the weird spots. Golf carts ended up. Intoxicated golfers tend to not take care of these carts very well. But back when I was caddying, I had a group, I got to the 10th hole and on that the caddies tended to walk ahead of the golfers to kind of watch where the, the balls would land. So I was 200 yards out in front of my group, and I’m sitting here waiting for him to tee off looking back at him. And this particular hole was right beside the lake. And I look up above the, the guy’s getting ready to tee up and there is an Osprey a gigantic fish in his claws, flying, flying circles above the guys on the team, out of nowhere, a bald Eagle flies in. Towards this Osprey carrying this fish and they commenced to dog fighting over this fish, white above the guys team in off I’m 200 yards away, jumping down, pointing to the sky. And I know I looked crazy, but they never understood what I was trying to get them to saw thing. They hit their shots while these birds are dog fighting and they’d padded the moment they walked off the front of the T heading my way, the up and drop this fish right in the middle of the tee
Trent Manning:
Oh, wow.
John Murray:
I don’t what of fish it was, but it was a keeper,
Trent Manning:
Yep.
John Murray:
good size And. They didn’t understand what I was motioning for when they got up. I had to explain it all to That was pretty strange and cool thing to
Trent Manning:
yeah, yeah, yeah, no, that was awesome. What’s one of your pet peeves around the shops.
John Murray:
dirty reels,
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
plain and simple, nothing bothers me other than dirty reels. yeah, life’s too short to get your panties in a bunch.
Trent Manning:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. on a daily basis.
John Murray:
Nothing really bothers me. I’m pretty even keel guy. So I a lot of pet peeves, but dirty reels for sure will get me There’s nothing worse than lifting up a machine up on the lift and spend a reel and outcomes, nasty, wet grass. And if it’s has set any amount of time and it started to ride and smells Horse dome and it’s terrible.
Trent Manning:
yup.
John Murray:
but other than I’m pretty easy going, God, I don’t get upset too much.
Trent Manning:
Good on you. What would be your dream job or opportunity?
John Murray:
think. You know, I’m not sure I haven’t. And to answer your straight forward, I really don’t know what my dream job would I know that in this position I’m able to utilize many different experiences sets that I’ve developed on my own just over the years. I don’t know how many times someone’s come into my shop and said, how do you even know how to do this? Or, anything, whatever it might be doing, it could be, it could be plumbing into clubhouse. It could be sharpening a real, it could be building a guitar. People always want to know how do you know how to do it? And it’s just, just do it.
Trent Manning:
right. Yeah.
John Murray:
it kinda comes natural. So to have a job and I’d love doing all that stuff.
Trent Manning:
Hmm.
John Murray:
say, do what you love and you never work a day in your life. Well, I’m kinda, I’m kind of doing that right
Trent Manning:
That’s all.
John Murray:
perhaps this is it, but if you’re talking, I win the lottery kind
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
opportunity kind of
Trent Manning:
Yup.
John Murray:
I would probably be on the side of a mountain in a very well heated shop, building guitars, looking at the edge side of a mountain somewhere and just make solid us. That’s what I would do.
Trent Manning:
That was good. What do. you know now? You wish you had known on day one.
John Murray:
How difficult of a job a superintendent and long, the long story short here is if you take care of that guy, he’s going to take care of you.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
He really has a tough task especially at larger clubs when you’re managing 20 to 30 people, to make sure everybody’s out being productive and accomplishing the tasks that needed to be done on a daily basis. Having to deal with members
Trent Manning:
cause you, you might have one boss, but your superintendent might have 200 bosses or 300 bosses.
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
And out of that many people, you know, you’re going to have a few that you don’t agree with for whatever reason.
John Murray:
And they’re always the same few.
Trent Manning:
yeah. Yeah, for sure. Not every glove has those be.
John Murray:
Yeah, absolutely. But yeah, the he’s got a tough task and anytime I can help him I do my best to make sure that he’s covered and. You know, he, he gets the priority. Beyond that, you know, it didn’t take my first day here to know anything different. but I knew that coming into this job with friends that were in the business, how time that they put into their I knew how important it was to dedicate time for your family and yourself to do the things you want to do and do the things your family needs you to do. I’ve got two great children, you know, they’ve, they’re kind of pretty much grown at this point. That allows me the freedom to, to work a little bit more, I guess, and start to help finance their futures. but you know, I’ve got. I’ve got a 20 year old and a 17 getting ready to be 18 year old.
Trent Manning:
Awesome. Congratulations on that.
John Murray:
And they, and they’re great Oh man, man, you know, my youngest daughter is quite a softball player and since she was, she was six years old, we traveled the country, For, for tournaments and it’s, it’s a great time and it’s always good to see your child succeed at something they’ve worked hard for. So yeah, those, those kids have meant everything to me and I’m lucky to have good guys that I work with and understand They Very flexible you know, with my schedule being able to attend softball tournaments And other things, you know, so
Trent Manning:
I think, I mean, that does go a long way with a working relationship when you have a supervisor, that’ll that his understanding of those type of things, because family comes first,
John Murray:
absolutely it does.
Trent Manning:
w we might enjoy our jobs and am I not even seem like a job because we enjoy it so much, but family still first priority.
John Murray:
Right. And I’ve got a very supportive wife cause she doesn’t, she works a lot herself. So yeah, I’m, I’m happy that I’ve been able to spend the time with my family and still hold this job and take care things I need to do for the golf So you get to the next level,
Trent Manning:
Awesome. What are some of the latest tips and tricks you’ve seen or want to share with us?
John Murray:
the, my, my main trick, and I don’t know, some of you guys have already figured this one And I see on, I see this problem repeatedly over and over on Facebook forums or Twitter I’m on turf, Twitter, or whatever, the water pump style bearings that are in rollers that you have to pull out. Everybody’s always pulling the shaft out of the roller and the racist left behind, and they struggled to get those things out. And the tip that most people. Lay out for, for people in that situation is to, well, to be on the inside of race and it’ll fall right out. And it is kind of true that that that will work. And it works pretty well. But I take it a little step further, even if it’s a Baron that I’m going to pull out using the pulling tool. It’s new, even if it’s fairly new, I’ll do this because it saves a lot of struggle is I’ll take a pic and just pry away the dust shield on that Baron before even putting the polar on and weld shaft the
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yeah.
John Murray:
before I even put the puller on.
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
before so when you put a, just a couple of beads on the roller barons and the shaft between the. From that well, and to find your pull point,
Trent Manning:
Yeah. Yeah,
John Murray:
I’ll put the polar on there. It comes out like butter. I’ve never not had that work.
Trent Manning:
that’s awesome. That is a good tip.
John Murray:
Even if the, even if the Baron is war slap out in the chef is about to fall out before you start pulling on it, just welded up and it’ll come right out.
Trent Manning:
Awesome. That is a really good one. hit myself in the head and say why? And I do that
John Murray:
another one, so I’m sure you’ve answered the question of how to get tracker off of a sprayer. What’s the go-to answer that everybody toilet bowl cleaner, there’s one I’ve found it’s that stuff. It does work pretty good, but it’s kinda, it’s kinda caustic, you know, if you breathe that stuff, I mean, it’s, it’s tough on your lungs. Go, Joe makes a hand cleaner, call it superhero, max,
Trent Manning:
okay.
John Murray:
kind of a tan colored hand cleaner with, I think, crushed Walnut shells or something in it.
Trent Manning:
Yep.
John Murray:
It works really well. And you just squirt on a rag and you can wipe down your booms with it and it comes
Trent Manning:
Okay. Yeah.
John Murray:
and it’s mad hard on your lungs.
Trent Manning:
Awesome.
John Murray:
Yep.
Trent Manning:
You got any more?
John Murray:
I’m thinking
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
we’ll leave it with that.
Trent Manning:
Alright. Well, for this last, the specialty subjects segment of this, I want you to tell me about guitars.
John Murray:
Oh boy.
Trent Manning:
I’ll just say so cool. I
John Murray:
What, What, do you want to know about guitars?
Trent Manning:
Strings do they have? No, I’m kidding.
John Murray:
There’s a lot of different answers to that.
Trent Manning:
different
John Murray:
Yeah,
Trent Manning:
that. but I don’t know, just kind of walk us through how you got started making guitars and why you love it so much.
John Murray:
well, I’ve always done woodworking. I grew up, my father is a master woodworker and been my thing. So 2008, I ran across a friend that I went to high school with on Facebook. I had just joined Facebook and it was one of those friends’ suggestions. And I was like, wow, I haven’t, talked to old Billy and
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
ears. So a friend sent him a friend request. He quickly responded it turns out he’s a singer out in Nashville. And I was like, man, that’s amazing. I knew he was a musician back in high school, but I never knew what he was doing these days. And he found out without, kind of was into, and he kind of likes homemade stuff. And he said, how about you make me a guitar? Hold on. I don’t know a thing about a guitar. You know, well he said, well, just figure it out, build me one. So I was like, okay. So I researched literally research and built him a guitar. It took a and I’ve read, I mean, so much internet content on building guitars. You’d be amazed at what you have to build in order to build a guitar there’s molds forms, fixtures, jigs. I mean, it’s just so much stuff that you have to make in order just to make a guitar. So I headed down that path, took a year to make turned out fabulous. I took it out to him in Nashville. And he was pretty well connected, a guy out there. And he, we wrote around to some studios where a lot of other musicians were and some guitar techs everyone was just And this is like my first guitar ever built. And I’d never been to one before, you know,
Trent Manning:
yeah.
John Murray:
or I don’t even play guitar.
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
that whole process was just, you talk about sharpening a reel and here in that whisper and then going in it cut that perfect pure cut. Well, if you spin up a year building a guitar and you finally string it up and you strum it and tune it, and you hear that sound at pet is some that is even more magical
Trent Manning:
I’m sure. I’m
John Murray:
to hear that, to hear the first breath. Of a that you’ve made, so So that was the first guitar. So now I knew, even though they were being really polite and said, telling me how awesome it was. And it was awesome. I knew that it was not the best, my best work. So I set, I set out to improve on my next one. And then each guitar I built was this one’s going to be flawless. This one’s going to be flawless. And then ultimately it was awesome guitar, but it wasn’t flawless. I could, I could see the error or the mistake I made knowing you, you wouldn’t be able to look it unless I pointed it out, but it was just a evolution of trying to. The next one better. I’ve built a lot of guitars at this point. A lot of ukuleles bros do a lot of during that time I’d met so many musicians, talented people that could play and made a lot of friends that really like my guitars. I got, I started selling a fair bit it evolved into a lot of repair work and restoration work of, you know, old, old
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
instruments. And so I’ll get instruments sent to me all the time, anything from a big double bass to a bile, into a banjo to guitar in all states of disrepair. Do a lot of repair work and it’s fun. And I have learned to play the guitar a little bit, but nothing like these guys that are playing my guitars. And I only make acoustic guitars. I’ve yet to build an electric guitar. Although that’s a lot simpler of a process, I’ve just kind of like the, the time it takes to
Trent Manning:
Yeah.
John Murray:
craft something from scratch. you know, I’ve about a thousand square foot shop studio at home. That’s fully equipped with pretty much any kind of woodwork and equipment you could imagine.
Trent Manning:
That’s awesome.
John Murray:
you know, spend winters evenings and stuff out there. I spend a lot of time in the shop in the summer months. I don’t get a whole lot of time to, to do that kind of stuff. More for me, it’s just a labor of love hobby on steroids.
Trent Manning:
I don’t. How does the, in the winter time, the humidity level and all that kind of stuff, I assume your
John Murray:
It’s definitely better in the winter time to build instruments because the air is drier. The worst thing for guitar is building something. That’s got moisture content in the wood, and then having it endure a winter after it’s been put together and would start shrinking and cracking So it’s important to keep the humidity level. Pretty even keel, you know, whether it be running the, you know, and I’m lucky to have air conditioning in the summertime. So that removes a lot of humidity out of the And the winter time I heat with which, you know, propane gives off some condensation and it kind of helps keep the shop in the winter months. I will end up having to put a humidifier out sometimes. Especially if it gets really cold and
Trent Manning:
Can you hear it from getting too dry?
John Murray:
right, we just don’t want drastic changes that’s pretty much true for all woodworking any fine woodworking is a piece of wood. The last thing you want a piece of wood to do is shift on you after you’ve spent the time to mill it and shape I get it exactly. Right. And then have your environment cause a piece of wood to twist. That’s a, that’s a big, that’s a big bummer right there. And it happens a lot with people who travel with guitars. You know, they might leave Georgia hot and humid summer jump on a plane to Arizona, jump off the plane. And then 24 hours, they, you know, their guitar will actually can have crack tops,
Trent Manning:
oh, wow.
John Murray:
a drastic environment change. So it’s good to our players out there and keep humidifiers in your guitar cases. Keeps your guitar in great shape.
Trent Manning:
Yep. That’s awesome. You got anything else you want to share?
John Murray:
No, I think the only thing I will add and it’s not anything. Talked about is that I like to see more women industry. I know there are some good ones out there and I’ve had the honor to work with, you know, at the job I left before coming to federal club, we had a gal there, Margaret she had 20 some years So, So, I’ve worked with a couple of women in both instances, I wouldn’t trade them for anybody on the Margaret at my old course had been, has been in the business for 25 years. Every day without fail comes to work every day does what she needs to Work circles around the part-time high schoolers, obviously that we bring in, in the summertime. They’re, they’re pretty easy to work in most cases, but you know, guys come and, and, and Margaret is the one that trains them because if they can keep up with Margaret, I’m happy, superintendent’s And here at the federal club is Rosa. She is the matriarch of this crew
Trent Manning:
Okay.
John Murray:
and it turns out she goes out and walks walk Moe’s greens to this day. Six months pregnant.
Trent Manning:
Oh, wow.
John Murray:
And it’s the second time she’s done But she is just perfection work, reliable, is the glue that holds the whole crew together for sure. And everybody always watches out for Rosa and helps her any, any way, shape or form they can.
Trent Manning:
No, that’s awesome.
John Murray:
Yup.
Trent Manning:
hearing that. And I definitely think the attention to detail is a lot higher. The not willing to take the risk. That some of our younger crew guys are willing to take and
John Murray:
I
Trent Manning:
equipment and that. kind of stuff.
John Murray:
They tend to, you know, I think they realize they’re in general in a man’s industry notoriously and they don’t take They don’t take any, they don’t take Any Any mess. she Eat in both cases. It’s the last person on the crew that you want to irritate.
Trent Manning:
Right.
John Murray:
It makes for a long day,
Trent Manning:
Yeah. That’s funny. That’s good. No, I’m glad you brought that up. And I think that’s an important topic and I do think that the industry is gaining some traction and getting more females involved.
John Murray:
we need more people involved, And if you can double your chances by including women in that group,
Trent Manning:
Oh, absolutely.
John Murray:
let’s do it.
Trent Manning:
Yep. The last time I was at Atlanta athletic club where John Patterson is, he had quite a few females on staff he was talking about this one lady in particular how she was kind of like where you’re talking about just working circles around all these young guys.
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
it is, I don’t know, maybe it comes back to being a girl, dad,
John Murray:
Yep.
Trent Manning:
our girls can do anything.
John Murray:
Yeah. I had my daughter come and help scoop plugs during education last year. And she worked circles around all the high school boys. And these were high school boys that she went to high
Trent Manning:
Oh, that’s awesome. Yes.
John Murray:
And yeah, she was out helping to scoop plugs and those guys didn’t like her coming to
Trent Manning:
That’s all, it’s a love it. I love that. That was great. Tell the listeners how they can get ahold of.
John Murray:
Probably the best way you can find me John Murray on Twitter at Murray guitars. I have email turf equipment doctor@gmail.com I’m not giving out my phone number because there’s a lot of crazy people in this.
Trent Manning:
Yeah, there, there is that Australian. I don’t mind me for giving
John Murray:
Including heck, including Hector Velasquez. You
Trent Manning:
Okay. Has he been a DM in
John Murray:
He’s got my number. He’s got my number. He can call me anytime.
Trent Manning:
Yeah, no, Hector’s a good guy for sure.
John Murray:
We had some fun with Hector Hector and I had a Twitter turf challenge where was to take a seven eighths wrench and turn it into a, a knife.
Trent Manning:
Oh yeah. Yeah. I remember that.
John Murray:
so the only, the only conditions where you had to use a seven, eight wrench and you had you had to forge the knife. He had to forge the knife out, and I don’t have a full. I, I hate ended up mine with acetylene torch to red cherry red and forged it out that But he wasn’t expecting someone with some skill in this challenge and I think I easily that challenge,
Trent Manning:
awesome.
John Murray:
but he’s got he’s got so many other skills that I don’t want him to challenge me to anything else, because I think he pretty much has me beat
Trent Manning:
Yeah. You might challenge you to a, bench press competition or something
John Murray:
a, he would win that one for sure. I’m 169 pounds soaking wet.
Trent Manning:
Yeah, yeah. No nothing else, but he’s probably got you on that.
John Murray:
Yeah, Hector’s doing good work. I love following I love, I love like, like I said, I love this job. I love this industry. I love the people I enjoy following your podcast. I think it’s very interesting to hear other people’s perspectives and takes many of them. Don’t align with my philosophies and I’m sure my philosophies won’t align with theirs, but it’s always good to hear other people because I’m a sponge when it comes to learning. I love to hear everybody’s take on a particular topic and I will extract from it what I want and apply to my situation. And it’s always good.
Trent Manning:
I hope anyone listening really takes that to heart. might not agree with everything you hear on this podcast. But I guarantee you, there is one thing that you can take home with you and try it. You know, it just gets our minds going. It gets us thinking a little different you know, I might know somebody that does things a certain way, and I don’t agree with that way, but they’re proud. They probably do one thing that makes me think, Hmm. Maybe I should try try that method or, you know, do it this way. Just try it, try new things.
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
Yep.
John Murray:
Absolutely.
Trent Manning:
Well, Thank you so much, John, for being on this has been great. I the guitars.
John Murray:
Thank for having me This has been fun.
Trent Manning:
God bless your girls. We’ll talk to you soon.
John Murray:
Alright. Take care of Trent.
Trent Manning:
I hope you enjoyed hearing from John. I was so much fun. great guy. Hopefully we’ll get the meat one day. And I think that’s so cool. Building guitars. The attention to detail. And the amount of time. That would take to be able to get to our, I can only imagine. And then like he was saying. The spend a year. Building something. And put the strings on it. And Strom it. Truly amazing. It’s got to give your heart butterflies or something. and I also think he brought up a really good point. We need more females. And the turf industry. So, if there’s any listening, that’s thinking about making a transition. Come do it. I’m sure. There’s a lot of us out here that would, help you any way we could. 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 real turf techs.