ROSCOMMON, Mich. – Brian Moore, a second generation golf course superintendent, coveted the chance to lead a grounds staff at a world-class golf facility, and hoped one day he would get a chance to work with Tom Doak, who he feels is the greatest modern day golf course architect.
Forest Dunes Golf Club is making it happen.
Moore, 33 and most recently the senior assistant superintendent at prestigious Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill., has been named director of agronomy at Forest Dunes with his initial primary project the seeding and grow-in of the highly anticipated and yet-to-be-named Doak-designed golf course that can be played in both directions.
“This is a dream come true for me,” Moore said. “I’ve felt all the emotions. I can’t think of a better opportunity for me.”
Moore will oversee the grounds staff at the entire facility and at first work primarily on the grow-in of the new course. John Wessells, who has been working on the award-winning Tom Weiskopf Forest Dunes course for 13 years, was promoted to superintendent of that course last winter.
“Everything is great about this in so many aspects,” said Moore, whose late father Timothy was a greens superintendent in Westchester County, New York. “I will be growing in a golf course that will get great recognition through the country because of the designer and what he will create, and I will get to help continue to maintain a golf course that is a top 100 golf course known for its great playing conditions.
“The reputation at Forest Dunes is established. We can’t go south on that. My goal will be to continue to improve and constantly strive to make it even better. I will look forward to getting the new course established, and then getting on Forest Dunes and fine tuning as well.”
Forest Dunes General Manager Todd Campbell said Moore was a perfect fit for Forest Dunes.
“Brian comes from one of the top clubs in the country where they are highly regarded not only for the membership but having a history of a great playing surface on the golf course,” Campbell said. “He already has a great understanding of the weather we have in the Midwest. He has worked for some of the top superintendents in the industry.
“He is an up-and-coming superintendent and I thought he was perfect to get in on the ground floor of the construction of a new golf course. The whole idea was to get someone young, energetic, educated and hard working with the right attitude, and we really wanted to get him in before we started seeding.”
Construction is in the final stages with seeding starting in the coming days on the Doak course. Moore, who is single, started working at Forest Dunes last week and this week is moving to the area with his dog Hank.
Moore worked at Chicago Golf Club since March of 2012 and previously worked as a senior assistant superintendent at Woodway Country Club in Darien, Conn., served an internship at world renowned Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., and was a greens keeper at Trump National Hudson Valley in Hopewell Jet, N.Y.
He is a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and a graduate of the Professional Golf Turn Management Certificate Program at Rutgers University (2007).
“My father was a superintendent at a golf course for many years, and I’ve spent the last 27 years of my life on a golf course,” Moore said. “My father urged me to try other things, but I had that golf bug. Deep down in my heart I know I belong on a golf course.”
About Forest Dunes
Nestled on 1,300 acres of heavily wooded land within the Huron National Forest, Forest Dunes has become one of the country’s premier golf experiences. In this pristine setting, 1973 British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf designed one of his top layouts featuring rugged native dunes, scruffy sand areas and water features. The course is consistently ranked among the best courses by the leading golf publications. Golf Digest ranks it No. 23 among the top public courses, GOLF Magazine has it No. 72 in the Top 100 and Golfweek lists it No. 97 on its modern list. Matt Ginella of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive also ranks it 10th among his favorite public courses.
In addition to the award winning Forest Dunes course, the property features the beautiful Adirondack style Lake AuSable Lodge with 14-rooms and six lakeside cottages, a new Tom Doak course under construction, as well as a world-class clubhouse with Sangomore’s restaurant.
For more visit www.forestdunesgolf.com or follow them on Twitter @forestdunesgolf.
Contact:
Forest Dunes Golf Club
Todd Campbell – GM
(989) 275-0700
tcampbell@forestdunesgolf.com
Fusion Media Strategies
Kevin Frisch – Public Relations
(989) 614-0241
kevin@fusionmediastrategies.com
