MTC Turf News – Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com
Now in the second year of his term as MTC President, Ben Ellis has led the association through one of the most challenging years in recent memory. Despite unexpected hurdles due to COVID-19, Ben, along with the MTC Board, has helped keep turfgrass professionals across the state connected and growing. We sat down with Ben to talk about his work and future plans for MTC.
What is your work history and what path led you to your current position?
My turf industry story is a little interesting. Currently I’m the golf course super here at Fort Belvoir, and we run the 36-hole property with a crew of six at the moment. For those who know about golf, that is an unheard-of, low number. It’s a lot of work for sure. I’ve worked in Maryland for the last 10 years. I was at the golf course at Andrews Air Force Base. When I was at Paint Branch Golf Course, a little over a year ago, and was told that I would be reassigned to doing either sports turf or lawn and landscaping, that wasn’t my passion. Anybody who has even talked to me briefly, knows that I’m a golf course guy. So for me, I had to make the choice to leave.
Fortunately, I landed here at Fort Belvoir, which is actually the golf course I grew up on. My first grounds crew turf job was on this golf course back in 2003. Some of our guys who are here are the ones who trained me how to mow greens, how to change cups, and I came back several years later as their boss. It’s been a very good welcome home.
How did you decide on a career in turfgrass?
When I was in high school, I got hired here at Fort Belvoir, and I thought I wanted to be a golf pro. I wanted to play golf, I wanted to give lessons, I wanted to run a pro shop. I never knew what a golf course superintendent was. Even though I was working for one, this was my second day working here, and he asked me “What do you want to do?” I explained to him, and he just started laughing. And he’s like, “Man, all they do all year around is pull sweaters.” There’s always the joke there. I went home and I’m like, “What is a golf course superintendent? It’s plant science and being outside with soils and environmental. That sounds pretty cool, I want to do that.”
I had the opportunity to go to Maryland for college. Unfortunately, I lived in Virginia, and Maryland is out-of-state tuition. So although Maryland was the closest school, I couldn’t actually do that. I got my two-year degree from a local college, and then I got my turf degree from Penn State.
What are some unique challenges of the job you’re doing right now?
I think for all of us in the turf field, it’s weather. Weather has a huge impact. The turf science to me is enjoyable, but the biggest challenge besides the weather is personnel management on my end. For a lot of the lawncare guys, they’re restricted in counties with laws and regs that golf courses are normally exempt from. Pest management, different chemicals and things like that, we’re exempt from because we are golf courses, but a lot of homeowner or lawncare companies are starting to get hit really hard with laws and regs. That’s what MTC and a lot of us are trying to help fight in ways that we can.
What made you decide to get involved in leadership with MTC?
Originally, I was at the MTC Annual Conference, which was held at Maryland at the time, this was many years ago. I had always liked to help, I always wanted to be involved, but never really knew how to, and then the question was asked: we need people to be on the board, is anybody interested?
A week or so went by and I emailed Vernon, our Executive Director, and said “Hey, if you still need help with something, let me know. I’m here, I’m willing to help, just let me know.” I received an email back, and that was the start of it and being on the board. For me, it’s not to put on a resume, it’s because I want to legitimately help out the t...