With the LPGA Tour Bank of Hope Match Play presented by MGM Rewards this week at Shadow Creek, we thought it to be the perfect time to revisit our article with superintendent Greg Niendorf.
The article was first published on the official Southern Nevada Golf Association website and Greg reminisced about his time at the Creek, The Las Vegas Country Club and Oakmont. He seems to have seen and done it all in the golf business, but Tour weeks turn it up a notch. At Oakmont, he was part of U.S. Open week, which prepared him for The Match, the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup and the current LPGA tour Bank of Hope.
“There’s a buzz when the U.S. Open comes to a course and it’s electric,” Niendorf said in the article about the 2007 Open. “You can just feel it, but it’s a lot of work for years leading up to it. Then once you get to that week, you’re pretty much drained and running on adrenaline. Fortunately, you have 120 volunteers help during the week, so it becomes a lot easier. Once that week’s over, it’s sad to see it go.”
Also, like each superintendent these days, conserving water is at the top of his priority list.
“Every superintendent not only feels that it’s their responsibility to conserve water, but they take pride in conserving water,” Niendorf says. “Not only for the environment, but every superintendent takes pride in firm conditions and the only way to get there is to reduce water usage. So, superintendents aren’t going out there and just turning on sprinkler heads without a plan. We are trying to reduce water, not only for playability, but also the environment. It’s imperative to communicate that we are very responsible with water.”
Check out the entire Niendorf Shadow Creek Las Vegas feature article now at SNGA.org.