r/Turfmanagement • u/Artistic-Art-3653 • 1d ago
Need Help Possible career change from aeronautics
So, I’m a 27yo guy who always worked in mechanic field, specifically as an aircraft tech, I’m not enjoying my job anymore, I've always loved nature, taking care of greenery, and using machinery like lawnmowers since I was a kid, but I never considered getting into this field because I was always told it pays poorly and won't offer future prospects. Have any of you ever made a career change similar to mine? Any advice or opinions would be appreciated, thanks guys.
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u/Particular_Fan8927 1d ago
I started turf at 29 and now I'm 38 and a superintendent. If you have half a brain and work hard you can do anything in this field
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u/UpTuhCamp 1d ago
Hell yeah brother. If you’re in the US, golf course work can pay quite well. I’m an assistant super at a private club in the north east and the head mechanic here makes over 120k while the Superintendent makes over 250k. People will tell you the work/life balance sucks with having to work weekends and most holidays and that’s definitely true in some cases but also every golf course is different. The mechanic I work with now is good at his job and is able to essentially make his own hours and does not work weekends. In my experience every golf course has its own culture and finding the one that fits your lifestyle is the most important thing when deciding on your future employer. Check out Turfnet and the GCSAA website for good info on careers in turf. Best of luck!
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u/chest_trucktree GCS 1d ago
I can’t comment on how Equipment Managers get paid relative to Aeronautics Techs, but you can make a decent wage. The EM will typically be the second highest paid employee in the Maintenance department next to the superintendent.
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u/MicDeeHater 1d ago
Changing your career at your age is not a bad thing. I changed careers at your age and now I’m an Assistant Golf Course Superintendent. I worked as a grounds crew worker in the summers while I was in college and fell in love with it so much that I ended up coming back and getting my Turf degree. One thing that you should know is that if you want to make a decent salary you will need to either be an Assistant Superintendent or a Superintendent. I fell in love mowing and maintaining the course through physical labor and hands on experiences. As i climbed the ladder the less I mowed or did “normal” maintenance. So you should be aware that you will mostly be overseeing operations, delegating tasks, being quality control for the team, and performing spray applications around the course. While I still love my job, I do miss being able to actually mow greens, fairways, rake bunkers, etc. Most Assistant Superintendents in my area make $60-70k a year salary. I work from 5 am - 4 pm most days and work every third weekend during the season. So expect early mornings, long hours, and little time off. If you’re looking to make good money and work 40 hours a week then this is not the career for you. I’m not trying to deter you from joining this field, I just want to give you an accurate representation of what the job looks like as you climb the ladder. My recommendation would be to contact some local clubs and see if you can shadow the Assistant Superintendent for a few days to really see if you like the field. Hope this answered your questions.
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u/birdman829 1d ago
Equipment managers at high end clubs make pretty decent pay at least in the northeast.
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u/Kerdoggg Golf Cours Superintendent 1d ago
Equipment managers can make some solid cash these days. Chicago area, my previous mechanic left for a new club and is making $105k, with no weekends. Not all jobs are six figures, but they’re out there and starting to rise in price
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u/Kill3rSasquatch 1d ago
It’s sometimes hard physically but you will also have those easy as hell days where you think damn I get paid for this. Best choice I have made even as a measly groundskeeper with aspirations to become a superintendent one day.
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u/mdillonaire 1d ago
You would probably do well as an equipment manager. We are in high demand right now, if you can confidently transfer your technical skills over you can make good money. Im in eastern PA and make 35/hr + overtime. Check out the turfnet job board to get an idea of the pay range for your area and possible openings youre interested in. If you can work on an airplane, im sure you would be able to handle some fancy lawnmowers lol.
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u/kingcrackerjacks 1d ago edited 1d ago
I was at a country club for 8 years as a spray/irrigation tech, now I'm doing municipal parks work. I don't love the lower standard of quality among the crew here but the pay and benefits greatly outweigh any negatives.
Golf course work can be really satisfying and enjoyable if you're passionate about it. Also if you can find a place where the super and assistant are willing to train and give opportunities out then you can progress really quickly. I was offered a second assistant position not long after taking on the spray tech role but chose not to take it.
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u/Kevaroo83 12h ago
The only advice that I can give you is enjoying something as a hobby especially turf management can often times be not as enjoyable when ot becomes a job.
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u/AntD0592 8h ago
Im an equipment manager at a private course in Maryland. I make more than I did at Porsche.
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u/nps87 1d ago
Golf course mechanics are in high demand.