RISING FAWN, GA – Canyon Ridge Club’s Mark Dillard is one of 10 finalists for Golfweek SuperNews Superintendent of the Year. The national winner will be announced in late February.
Dillard, 29, was hired by the Canyon Ridge Club in August 2005 after five years as an assistant superintendent at The Farm Golf Club in nearby Dalton, Ga. Dillard is a Chattanooga native who graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2000 with a degree in turf management.
Dillard arrived at Canyon Ridge Club two months after the grand opening and oversees a crew of a dozen workers during the peak golfing season and seven in the winter.
"Mark has been an invaluable asset to the continued growth and popularity of the Canyon Ridge Club as one of the best mountain golfing experiences east of the Mississippi," said developer Randy Baker.
Dillard was nominated for the award after helping the Rick Robbins design through a difficult dry season this past summer in which he worked 70-80 hours a week. He has also received praise for his hand in developing the course’s outstanding greens.
"I came to Canyon Ridge because I saw the potential and I thought I could make a difference," said Dillard. "And job openings close to home don’t happen very often. I’m very fortunate to be here."
Jeff Mosher, a mechanic on Dillard’s crew, nominated his boss through a Golfweek SuperNews essay writing contest.
"You’ve got to have the ability to put in the hours and want to make this place what it can be," Dillard said. "I’m proud of the way our staff gets along and works as a team. You’ve got to have drive to make Canyon Ridge better and better each day.
"We have battled tough soil conditions with clay and rock on the mountain and we’ve come a long, long way with our fairways and the Canyon Ridge greens rival anybody’s greens around here," added Dillard. "I believe the course has really matured over the last year."
Located on Lookout Mountain about 30 minutes from Chattanooga, Tenn., the visually stunning Canyon Ridge Club boasts views ranging 100 miles to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Media wishing to interview Baker, Dillard, play Canyon Ridge Club or receive photography of the course should contact Dave Droschak of Hughes-Droschak Communications (919) 630-6656 or e-mail at ddroschak@earthlink.net. Additional information can be found at www.canyonridgeclub.com or www.HMSgolf.com, the club’s management firm based in Atlanta.
Contact:
Randy Baker
Developer, Canyon Ridge Club
888-883-9800 or (m) 704-641-0076
Mark Dillard
Superintendent, Canyon Ridge Club
706-398-0746
