Send us a text

Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 154

Industry legend Jim Nedin returns to share his deep knowledge of the Toro ProCore 648 and how to get the most out of this aerifier. Jim walks us through setup, tine selection, and maintenance tips that make a real difference out on the turf. We also touch on sprayers and cutting units, exploring more of Jim’s time-tested insights into precision and performance. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or an industry newbie, this episode is packed with practical knowledge and advanced techniques from one of the brightest minds in the industry to help you achieve superior turf health and appearance.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 152.

Today we’re talking to friend of the pod John Borsos, about his experience volunteering at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. John shares what it was like to be part of the crew at one of the toughest courses in the world with long days, high standards, and the kind of camaraderie you only find when everyone’s working toward the same goal. From precision mowing lines to the unique challenges Oakmont brings, John and Trent share a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep a major championship running smoothly.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 151! Today we’re talking with Andrzej Strzepek, Equipment Manager at Belmont Country Club in Belmont, MA, a private 18-hole course just outside of Boston. Andrzej shares his journey from mowing lawns for hockey goalie gear to maintaining his high school baseball field, studying turfgrass, and even working for the Boston Red Sox during a World Series run. A turn in the shop with his first toolbox set him on the equipment manager path, and he hasn’t looked back since. We cover everything from shop organization with a paint pen, relief grinding, and turf art, to smoking meat, zamboni mishaps, and flooded backpack blowers - you know, EM stuff!

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Welcome to Episode 150 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today we’re catching up with Taylor Cairns, Equipment Manager at London Hunt and Golf Club in London, Ontario, Canada. Taylor first joined us back in July 2021, and this time he shares how his journey has evolved from splitting time between the shop and the course while earning a turf management degree and working as a spray technician and assistant superintendent, to ultimately focusing fully on the equipment side. At London Hunt, a true parkland course, Taylor manages a Toro fleet with one assistant in the shop. We dive into how he got started in the industry, the strength of the Canadian equipment manager network, and why he believes in keeping it simple when it comes to diagnostics.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Back in September 2021, we interviewed Matt Leis, and in Episode 149 we’re catching up with him again to hear about his transition from the golf course to sports fields. Matt is now the Manager of Fleet & Irrigation at the Papago Baseball Complex for the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club in Phoenix, AZ. The 40-acre complex is home to player development and Minor League operations, featuring six full fields, auxiliary surfaces, and a 15,000 sq. ft. facility. As the solo technician in the shop, Matt oversees a Toro fleet, preventive maintenance, and the RainBird irrigation and pump systems while supporting the Field Operations team. We dive into the unique challenges of sports fields—precision grading, grooming artificial turf, finding cleats in mowers—and how the players’ calendar drives cultural practices. Matt also shares how refereeing college football fits into his busy schedule, along with his professional growth through the GCSAA EMCP and CTEM programs and the Toro Grounds Leadership Academy.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Welcome to Episode 148 of the Reel Turf Techs Podcast! Today we’re talking with Brad Bailey, Equipment Manager at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club in Orlando, Florida, an 18-hole course serving both resort guests and private members. Brad leads a team of three technicians and works primarily with John Deere equipment. With a background in chemistry and a hands-on upbringing working with his dad, Brad found his way into the turf industry during college and never looked back. He shares his expertise in small engines, his thoughts on the less glamorous office side of the job, and his experience managing a team in Florida’s year-round golf climate. Trent and Brad dig into everything Stihl, explore his work with Husqvarna autonomous mowers, and chat about his favorite ways to unwind - fishing, Disney, and building with Lego.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

On this episode of Reel Turf Techs, we’re talking with Tyler Bradshaw, CTEM, Equipment Manager at Lakewood Country Club in Dallas, Texas. From forklift operator to auto tech to golf course wrench, Tyler’s 21-year journey into turf began when he was asked to fill in for a vacationing mechanic and never left.

Now overseeing two assistants and a wide fleet including Toro, Deere, Stihl, Baroness, Jacobsen, and Kubota, Tyler shares how his ASE certification and fab skills help keep his shop running smooth. We talk welding setups, EMCP exams, earning his CTEM, and what it’s like transitioning from municipal golf to a Top 50 private club hosting a Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Bonus: fab talk, chop saw praise, and guitars.

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel

Send us a text

Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 146!

Today we’re talking to James Breeze, Machinery Technician at Huddersfield Golf Club in Yorkshire, England, one of the oldest and most celebrated golf courses in the North of England. James is the lone tech in the shop, managing a fleet of mostly Toro equipment, and he’s also the recipient of the inaugural Bernhard Academy technician volunteer opportunity for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

We caught up with James at the 125th U.S. Open after a string of 4 a.m. volunteer shifts alongside a seasoned team of equipment managers. He shares insights on the camaraderie and precision it takes to keep things running smoothly at a major tournament.

James talks about his roots in sports field greenkeeping, teaching himself the mechanical side of the job, and the pivotal people who supported his transition. He reflects on the importance of learning from mistakes, the value of staying curious even at a high level, and how hiking and photography in the Yorkshire countryside help him reset outside the shop.

Also: he tries to explain Yorkshire pudding to Trent. (It doesn’t go great.)

• Tweet us @ReelTurfTechs and @MTrentManning
• Email us at ReelTurfTechs@gmail.com
• Check out our YouTube Channel