August 2006

Assistant's Angle
By Nate Uselding
Dellwood Hills Golf Club
St. Paul, Minnesota


What's in your cart?

Growing up, I climbed the ranks in the Boy Scouts and ultimately earned the highest rank within scouting of an Eagle Scout. One of the many things I took from scouting and use in my daily endeavors is the Boy Scout motto, be prepared. I try and live by this motto because it really gets under my skin when I haven't prepared for everything and it comes back to bite me.

How do I go through the day being prepared? I start with my cart. One way I prepare myself for what the job entitles is what I carry with me. How do you get the entire shop in the back of your cart? I wish I could have everything and the kitchen sink back there but I must carry an abbreviated version of it because it is only so big. There is nothing worse than being on the other side of the course and having to run back to the shop for something you don't have. In our profession, time is money and you have to be efficient with your time in order to get the job done. Especially when a simple run back to the shop can easily take 30 minutes or more and you lose the gap you were working in.

What is in my cart? Here is a list of everything: golf balls, tees, scorecard, pencil, duct tape, work gloves, hacksaw, pin flags, white and green turf paint, spray gun, soil probe, divot repair tool, a 1' x 2' piece of plywood, cart blocks, a bucket for garbage, towel, quick coupler key and my tool box filled with an adjustable wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, utility knife, file, zip ties, wire cutter, hammer, irrigation key and a tape measurer.

What is the most important? I use a combination of my knife, pliers and soil probe everyday. Just in case I hand out my knife to someone, I carry an extra one because you never know when you need to cut something. There are times when my cart gets raided and the one thing that always goes missing is my knife, so I keep my extra one hidden. My pliers is like an extra set of fingers, and the soil probe is not only useful for testing the soil but it is also known to pull a serious weed now and then out on the course.

My favorite tool has to be a screwdriver due to its versatility. That sucker is used for everything but screwing. I use it for poking, scraping, scratching, prying and whatever else I can imagine. It's the best tool ever! That is why I have four of them and in all different sizes.

What don't I have in my cart that I would like? It would definitely have to be a mini shovel and my clubs. If I could get a three-foot shovel that fit in the back of my cart I would have it all. It would make my day much easier because I could use it for a lot of important daily tasks. Also, my clubs would allow me to play a round of golf every day. This would never happen of course, but I do grab a couple clubs now and then to see how a couple of holes play.

The one thing I would like to say good-bye to would be my paint gun. It is stored in back with everything else, but as I drive around, things move and the gun goes off. Oh yea, I have tons of paint spots all over the inside of my cart, but where else do I put the can of paint? I tried to put it in the cup holder but it gets in the way of my morning cup of coffee. I also have tried to pull it out of the gun a little ways thinking if the trigger gets bumped I will be ok, but it always seems to find its way back in and again and all over my cart. I'll admit, it is handy and I enjoy using it but it sure is a pain in the rear when it is not in use.

What does your cart look like? Is your cart clean and organized or do you collect everything in the back of your cart? I try and keep mine clean but I am always picking up something on the course and throwing it in the back of my cart. To help keep my cart clean, I carry an empty 2 ½ gallon bucket to throw all the trash in. It works pretty well and it helps me keep my cart more organized. It is usually all the sticks and branches I pick up that build up and always cause a mess. When I do wash my cart, I go all out. I'm talking with a power washer and soap and then detailing it with Armor All to get the perfect shine. I like to think I'm riding around in style after it is all shined up. A word to the wise though, don't shine the seat; it tends to get a bit slippery.

I am a task manager and I pride myself on finishing each job effectively and efficiently. One of the best ways for me to accomplish this is by being prepared at all times. I will never forget my childhood memories of scouting and all the lessons I learned throughout the years. The way I prepare my cart helps me tackle anything that is thrown my way. So, I ask you, what is in your cart?

- Nate