Tennessee Turfgrass Association – The Future is Here at DGC Tallgrass

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS: Julie Holt, Managing Editor, Leading Edge Communications<br /> In the midst of a labor shortage that seems like a long-term challenge for the golf and turfgrass industry, it can be hard to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Finding young workers who are willing to do the work, let alone have experience in maintaining a golf course seems like a fool’s errand. One student in middle Tennessee is blazing a trail for a promising career in the golf industry, and hopefully proving to others with an interest in turfgrass management/golf course operations that the career is within reach. Dane Gilbert is a golf enthusiast who designed and built a course in his own (and his neighbors’) back yards. He maintains the nine-hole course and hosts an annual two-man scramble. Dane is a 14-year-old 8th grade student at Hickman County Middle School in Centerville, Tennessee. The story of his course, DGC Tallgrass, is one of industry collaboration, community support and a determined young man with a vision. Start Small<br /> Dane and his father, Brad remember the humble beginnings of DGC Tallgrass way back in 2019.<br /> Dane’s uncle Allen Gilbert gifted Dane a cup and flag so that Dane could get in some practice at home. As part of a golfing family, he’d been swinging a club since he was old enough to hold one, so a backyard practice hole was a natural step. Shortly after he set up his practice hole, covid shut down everything, and Dane got to work. “During covid, we took Dad’s lawn mower and cut it down like a green. Then as it went on, I got more and more flagsticks and flags and I started planting them in the yard,” Dane shares. “Then I started designing the holes, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger. The neighbors saw what I was doing, and they offered for me to join their land, so I could put holes there.” In its current state, the course is made up of the Gilberts’ property along with three neighbors. “I can’t say enough how much the neighbors have been generous to let him do what he does on their land. I think they just enjoy watching him do it,” Brad says. Dane explains how he determined the initial design of the course: “I just took a wedge around the yard and tested different areas as a tee box. I had to see if it had grass first, so if there was an area that had grass and could somewhat hit the green, that would probably be a hole. We would just go around the yard and design how it would be.” Elevating the Game<br /> Though the initial stage of creating a backyard golf course was complete, Dane didn’t stop there. “We redesigned and found areas that were better for holes. We have one where we hit over a hollow, we have green on the other side so it’s like a hazard hole. I find things that would be better to be advanced, better tee locations, better greens,” Dane says. While Brad is an avid supporter of Dane and the course, he says that Dane himself does the lion’s share of the work. “Sometimes he’ll get my opinion when he wants to redesign a hole, and I’ll just tell him as a golfer what I think a good shot is. He’s good about taking input about that, then he makes it his own. Every now and then he asks me to cut some limbs or assist with things like that, but he really does 95 percent of this on his own.” Along with designing and building, a course comes with a serious amount of maintenance. Dane has been the beneficiary of a wealth of knowledge, not to mention tools and equipment, from golf course professionals. How does an eighth grader acquire the tools of the trade? Dane says, “A family friend (Jim Herron), gifted us an old greens mower, and my uncle helped me fix it up, it’s an old Toro. We’ve got two cup cutters and a lot of cups that are old that were gifted. We have regular lawn mower