Steve Fackler is what we call a “soils guy”. He has been a golf course superintendent in the Sacramento Valley in northern California for many years, most recently at Serrano Country Club.
Steve tells this story of the soils he found at Serrano when he first arrived. “When I first arrived at Serrano, soils were very tight and compacted and the calcium to magnesium ratio was completely backwards with magnesium being much higher than calcium.”
Steve spent the next three to four years applying calcium limestone to balance the soils and today he is very happy with the changes. “It took a long time to get the soils balanced, and after a number of years we are working with soils that are well drained and carbon rich, you can see and feel the difference,” says Steve.
When asked what is next for Steve’s career, he let us know that he is leaving Serrano and figuring out his next move. He has been in the golf industry for most of his career, but has also spent close to ten years teaching horticulture in a local school and loves the interaction in the classroom. It is always interesting to hear the stories of tough soils and how they are successfully balanced, Steve’s story is a really good one, and this podcast was a real pleasure.