04 October 13  |  Golf   |  

Jack Creveling, Golf Course Superintendent – “The Hands-On Version”

We are expanding our blog to hear about all of the fantastic amenities that Golden Ocala has to offer. To begin, we would like to introduce you to our hard working staff members who help make it all possible. Meet Jack Creveling, Golf Course Superintendent at Golden Ocala.

What It’s Like to Work on a Living Piece of Property

My job as the Superintendent is to maintain the grounds and the golf course. I’m dirty and a mess on most days because I’m out on the grounds working. There is a lot of acreage here – roughly 300 acres. On a daily basis, we manicure all the grounds and surrounding elements that make our golf course meet the standard of excellence expected here at Golden Ocala.

Working on a living piece of property presents many challenges including overcoming the extreme weather events that can occur in Florida. We take great pride in what we do as a department and look forward to keeping everyone informed concerning happenings on the golf course. Our department has 28 total people working to make the golf course as good as any in the Southeastern United States.

Never Say No

I check the turf to ensure it’s suitable to play on.

I’m a “Never Say No” kind of guy. I find a way to get it done. My mentality is “let’s find a way, let’s find a solution – don’t be the problem”. There are a lot of challenges in what we do and that’s kind of how I got into this role. I’m very hands-on and focused on finding the best way to do things, improve things, or just figure it out. Let’s keep striving to make it better.

My aunt played golf, and introduced it to myself and my brother when we were around 9 or 10. We started hitting the ball in the yard, and then started taking it more seriously. I played high school golf and did competitions in high school. When I went to college, I ended up actually helping out with a high school golf team as a coach. Then, I got involved in the side of the profession that I really enjoy, which is the hands-on portion of it. I like to be involved and know how things work. I was always the guy to fix things myself. I followed my passion and that’s where I am now.

We Strive for the Best!

There is a great team atmosphere here at Golden Ocala – a lot of camaraderie, which I enjoy. The most important thing to me that this club has is that it is a high-end, high standards club. In our industry, there are a lot of clubs that are just trying to get by and there are some that are striving to be the best, and that’s what we are. We are striving to be the best in the region, the state, and beyond.

Most days, I’m out on the grounds working to make sure the course is in top shape.

In my free time, I enjoy playing on nice golf courses and spending time with my family (I’m a new father!). We enjoy going to the beach, attending football games, whitewater rafting, tennis, pick-up football, and anything else that keeps us busy.

I’d Love to Play with Tiger

If I got the chance to play golf with anyone, I would be most excited to play with Tiger Woods. I grew up watching him play golf and the things he does with the golf club are just magic. I’ve seen him play in person, but it would be awesome to play with him.

If you’re looking to get into golfing, I suggest getting involved early with other people who enjoy the game. I started playing at a local club in Gainesville, where I grew up. Something as simple as putt-putt golf, although it seems basic, can be a gateway into the game of golf. Just pursue your interests and if you’d like to learn more, we at Golden Ocala are here to help make those opportunities possible.

I’m Jack Creveling, Golf Course Superintendent at Golden Ocala, using my “hands-on” approach to make our course the best it can be.