When Fred Taylor was five, his parents paid him a quarter an hour to weed the greens at Mankato’s Southview Country Club, where Applewood Restaurant and Banquet Center now stands.

Now at 52 years old, Taylor has been the golf course superintendent at Mankato Golf Club since 1992, where he has worked for some 30 years. His favorite spot on this Par 71 course is the 15th tee, because it looks out over the Minnesota River Valley.

“One of the great things is getting here at 5:30 a.m., the irrigation is going, the course is green, everything’s working. That’s the best feeling,” said Taylor of Madison Lake.

It’s the perfect job for Taylor since it combines his knowledge and skill in turf, trees and horticulture, his mechanical aptitude with mowers and golf carts, his management abilities, and political finesse with members and a board of directors.

“What’s great about this job is the wide range of responsibilities and jobs to do,” said Taylor. “That’s what makes it interesting.”

A man for all seasons

Summer days are long and dictated by the weather — rain, heat, humidity, drought and storms. One day the course can be in pristine condition and the next day Taylor may be cleaning up after a storm.

An early riser, Taylor wakes up at 4 a.m. He puts the coffee on and checks the radar and weather on the computer to see what the day has in store for him. He also checks the club’s tee schedule. As he showers, he thinks about how to attack the day.

By 5:15 a.m., he’s at work. The early morning hours are a good time to mow and spray chemicals. Taylor prefers to be on the course rather than in the office.

“You don’t know what’s going on at the golf course if you’re in the office,” said Taylor.

While his crew goes home at 2 p.m., Taylor often stays until 4 p.m. It’s not unusual to come back around 8 p.m. to inspect the course hot spots — greens known to burn out — and give some a quick drink.

“When you mow greens below an eighth inch , there’s not room for error,” said Taylor.

While Taylor often receives compliments on the beauty of the course, he remains humble.

“I take zero credit. It’s my crew or the Grace of God,” said Taylor. “I’ll take responsibility for something that’s screwed up.”

Taylor’s assistant superintendents, Allen Starke and Scott Ness, have been with him more than 15 years and help him lead a crew of 17 groundskeepers. The longevity of his assistants may have something to do with his management style.