Tony Frandria and the Life of a Golf Course Superintendent

January 21, 2023

Our guest on The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Tony Frandria, golf course superintendent at Odyssey Golf Foundation in Tinley Park. Tony is a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the Environmental Institute for Golf, the Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents and the Chicagoland Association of Golf Course Superintendents.

In his three decade career in the golf business, Mr. Frandria has worked at Riverside Golf Club, Midlothian Country Club, Glen View Club, Canal Shores and Odyssey Golf Foundation. As a golf course superintendent, he has worked to develop sound agronomic programs to improve turf health and overall golf course playability as well as improving course drainage to improve irrigation functionality.

In this discussion we learn about:

The path to finding a career in a golf course turfgrass and agronomy
The differences of working at a high-end private club versus public facilities
The responsibilities of a golf course superintendent
The primary concerns for most golf course superintendents
Why technology has changed how golf courses are cared for
How courses have decreased their water usage
Why turfgrass challenges can be different at Soldier Field and your backyard versus most golf courses
The one thing every golf course superintendent wishes golfers would do to help take care of their golf course