That interest initially led him toward the professional side of the game. It eventually brought him to golf course maintenance, where McPherson discovered not only a career, but the sense of purpose he had been searching for.

McPherson became superintendent at Nile Shrine on August 25, 2025, returning to a course where he had previously served as assistant superintendent. His appointment represented both a homecoming and the latest step in a relatively rapid rise through the profession.

“I feel really blessed and lucky to be in the position that I’m in,” McPherson said. “I felt a little bit lost in my twenties. I wasn’t sure how my career was going to turn out. To become so interested in something really ignited this passion in me.”

A Golf Career Begins on the Other Side of the Course

McPherson was born and raised in Pullman, Washington. Although he grew up in the home of Washington State University, he crossed the state line to attend the University of Idaho and enroll in its Professional Golf Management program.

At the time, McPherson envisioned becoming a head golf professional.

He later transferred with a friend to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which also offered a Professional Golf Management program. The move provided an opportunity to pursue the same career path in a climate where golf could be played throughout the winter.

Ultimately, however, balancing a full-time job, a full academic schedule and the other demands of life became difficult. McPherson left the university track and returned to Pullman.
In 2016, he completed a merchandise internship at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. He continued working toward a career on the golf-professional side through positions at the University of Idaho Golf Course and, after moving to the Seattle area in 2017, at Lynnwood Golf Course.

Over time, McPherson began questioning whether a customer-facing career was the right long-term fit.

“I consider myself really good at customer service, but I think the reason I can be good at it is that I give a lot of myself to it,” he said. “It was becoming exhausting, and it wasn’t as exciting to me anymore. I wasn’t sure I could maintain that interest throughout an entire career.”

At Lynnwood, McPherson had developed a relationship with superintendent Reed Perry. In 2020, he asked Perry whether there might be an opportunity to work occasional shifts on the maintenance crew.

For a time, McPherson divided his days between the golf shop and the grounds department. By 2021, he was working full time in golf course maintenance.

The career change quickly felt right.

“As a golfer, you pay attention to playing conditions,” McPherson said. “You experience different kinds of turf and different conditions at different courses. When I became part of the team that creates those conditions, it blew my mind. I thought, ‘This is actually really cool.’”

He found himself invested in details that might once have appeared minor: straight mowing lines, properly set cups, thoughtful hole locations and the many daily tasks that shape a golfer’s experience.

“It wasn’t just a standard nine-to-five job for me,” he said. “I took ownership of it.”

Mentorship and an Accelerated Education

Perry became instrumental in McPherson’s professional development. When Perry left Lynnwood for Nile Shrine, he eventually invited McPherson to join him as assistant superintendent.

McPherson began working at Nile Shrine in 2023 and enrolled in Walla Walla Community College’s online turf-management program in the spring of 2024. He continues to complete courses as his work schedule permits.

Although he has sometimes compared himself unfavorably with peers who followed more traditional turf-school paths, McPherson’s practical education has been intensive.
“Reed Perry opened so many doors for me and stuck his neck out for me,” McPherson said. “He has been really gracious throughout my career and has helped me wherever he could.”

Another important opportunity arose through the WWGCSA Wingman event at Gamble Sands. There, McPherson met Robby Ackerley, who later contacted him about a potential position at Wing Point Golf & Country Club on Bainbridge Island.

Ackerley, who was moving on to become Superintendent at Gamble Sands Resort, believed McPherson would be a good fit to succeed him at Wing Point and encouraged him to contact superintendent Mike Goldsberry.

McPherson interviewed, accepted the position and began working at Wing Point in November 2024.

The move introduced him to a high-end private-club operation and a different scale of golf course maintenance.

“It challenged me physically, emotionally and mentally,” McPherson said. “But there isn’t a day here when I don’t use something I learned from Mike and from my time at Wing Point.”

He was particularly impressed by Goldsberry’s ability to deploy employees efficiently and systematically throughout the property.

“Learning how a system works was really important,” McPherson said. “The way Mike placed people, assigned people to different areas and worked through the golf course during a day was astounding. That was one of the biggest things I took from the experience.”

Although McPherson believes he could have handled the Nile Shrine position without his time at Wing Point, he says the experience better prepared him to assume full responsibility for a golf course. “It prepared me for that next level of becoming the boss and taking the reins,” he said.

Returning to Nile Shrine

When Perry left Nile Shrine, the course’s head golf professional contacted McPherson and encouraged him to apply for the superintendent opening. McPherson already knew the property and the organization. Perry supported his candidacy, and McPherson and his partner were ready to return to the Seattle area. The timing made sense.

Now in his first year as superintendent, McPherson is applying lessons learned at both public and private facilities to a golf course he believes offers exceptional value.

Located in Mountlake Terrace, Nile Shrine is a public, executive-length course measuring approximately 5,000 yards from the back tees. Its relatively modest yardage can be misleading. “It isn’t a course where you can just pull out the driver and bomb and gouge,” McPherson said. “It requires every shot in the bag. We have tall trees, twists and turns, and really good playing conditions.” McPherson believes Nile Shrine distinguishes itself through affordability, accessibility and the level at which the course is maintained.

“Our green fees are among the lowest in the area,” he said. “I try to bring the knowledge and drive you see at a country club into a public-golf operation. I think that elevates the experience.”

The most rewarding part of the job, he says, is seeing golfers recognize the crew’s work. “I get smiles and compliments every day,” McPherson said. “I might be highly critical of the conditions, and then somebody will tell me how great the greens are. Seeing happy golfers and having them happy to see the crew working is the most rewarding part.”

Protecting a Valuable Asset

The golf course is an important source of revenue for Nile Shrine and the Shriners organization, making its long-term health particularly important.

The course’s most pressing infrastructure need is irrigation. Nile Shrine is preparing to install new irrigation satellites and controllers. The next phase is expected to include improvements to the pump house, with a complete irrigation-system replacement remaining the larger long-term objective.

Financing such a project is complicated because the course is not operated by a city or municipality and does not have access to the same tax-supported funding mechanisms available to some public facilities.

“There is a lot of problem-solving involved in figuring out how it needs to be done,” McPherson said. “But everybody understands that it needs to happen at some point.” Beyond the irrigation project, his objective is straightforward. “We want to keep rocking and rolling, make the place as good as possible and preserve it as a little gem.”

Learning Through the WWGCSA Network

McPherson is candid about what he knows and what he still needs to learn. Rather than trying to conceal gaps in his experience, he asks questions and relies upon the relationships he has developed throughout the WWGCSA.

“I will ask questions until the cows come home because there is a lot I don’t know,” he said.

He regularly consults colleagues including Perry, Jake Close and other superintendents and assistants throughout the region. “The WWGCSA has been enormous for me,” McPherson said. “There is a network of people you can rely on. There is no judgment. You have a place where you can ask questions, share knowledge and talk shop.”

That network is especially valuable for superintendents, who often work without anyone else at their facility who fully understand the responsibilities and challenges of the position. McPherson believes his willingness to learn, along with his enthusiasm for the profession, may be among the reasons his peers nominated him for the Superintendent Spotlight.
“I think people see somebody who is down to earth and really passionate about what he is doing,” he said. “I’m open and honest about where I am. I may feel a little out of place sometimes, but I’m doing my thing, and I think I’m doing all right.”

Away from the Golf Course

Golf remains one of McPherson’s primary interests away from work, but it is hardly his only one.

He and his partner enjoy attending live music and roller skating together, particularly on traditional quad skates. Their preferred indoor venue is Lynnwood Bowl & Skate, although McPherson also enjoys skating outdoors at places such as Battle Point Park, Green Lake or any available parking lot or tennis court on a sunny day.

He grew up playing soccer and has retained an interest in the sport, although golf ultimately won out when the two sports shared the same high school season. Choosing golf, he says, was “one of the wisest decisions I ever made.”

McPherson is also an enthusiastic admirer of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. His favorite movie is 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he estimates he has watched eight to ten times. He deliberately limits his viewings. “It is so sacred to me that I don’t want it to overstay its welcome,” he said.

That combination of golf-course superintendent, roller skater, live-music fan and Kubrick devotee may not match every traditional image of a turf professional. McPherson is comfortable with that.

His path has been different, but each stage—from the golf shop to the maintenance crew, from Lynnwood to Nile Shrine, from Wing Point back to Nile—has contributed to the superintendent he is becoming.

“I’m learning by doing,” McPherson said. “I find myself becoming more interested and more passionate about it every day.”

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The 2026 WWGCSA Crew Tournament was held at Port Ludlow Golf Course during it’s traditional calendar position in late June. Around here, until we get past the 4th of July we know it ain’t quite summer yet. But the golf gods have been good to us through the years and spared the might crews that gather for their annual championship from stormy rounds. And although it threatened, this year the weather held off for the most part until all had finished their appointed rounds.

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In the end, it was the mates from Avalon Golf Links who came in the with the lowest round, finishing with an impressive score of 58, or 14 under. They even had a bogey on the card, but held off the crew from the Home Course who shot their own impressive 60. A three way tie for third place was broken by Gold Mountain’s “Hazama” team by carding a birdie at the tough, downhill par 17th. The scorecard tiebreaker enabled them to prevail over both Seattle Golf and Sand Point Golf Clubs, each posting their own 62s.

25 teams competed from as far north as Sedro Wooley, south as Dupont and east as Leavenworth. The ferry trip may have discouraged some from the east side from attending, but for those that managed the lines and the open seas, the trip was quite enjoyable. The views from the upper decks of the big boats reminded us all of the natural beauty we are surrounded by every day but sometimes can’t see through the trees. That said, there were plenty of trees and views from the Timber and Tides nines at Port Ludlow, and spoils to be won.

A thousand dollars in prizes and a 75 pound trophy were waiting to be given away before teams ventured home. The Broadmoor crew navigated the par 3s well, winning both KPs with shots that finished their rolls within two feet or so on both holes #6 and #17. Everett CC’s “Team McCusker” captured the winnings for Long Drive, busting one deep on #8. Next up is the Northwest Crew Championship, to be held in Western Washington sometime this fall at a course to be determined.

March brought lots of rain, and it was no different when WWGCSA members gathered at Everett Golf & Country Club for our Annual Spring Meeting. Presentations from Tyler Mooney of Merrill Lynch (planning for retirement), David Phipps of the GCSAA (an update on member benefits) and Brianne Kenny of Troon Golf (water compliance issues) filled the docket. And of course, the newly renovated clubhouse was a big part of the presentation. More than 40 members spent the better part of the day networking and discussing a variety of issues.

EGCC Superintendent Mike Conklin was an excellent host, and made his golf course available to all. As you would expect, the weather scared most players off, but there were still 5 groups of souls that braved the elements.

More than 30 people, including 20 or so volunteers from the WWGCSA and the OGCSA, gathered at American Lake Veterans Golf Course to help get the course ready for the upcoming season. The weather was clear, but cold – but that didn’t prevent perspiration for those hard at work. All of the greens were sanded and aerated, and the edges around the property were cleaned up. In the end, ALVGC Superintendent Randy Moen was pleased. “We got a lot done, it’s so great to work with the Association’s on this project. We’re all volunteers, and been here a long time, but it’s always nice when the “experts” come and give us a hand.”

The WWGCSA/OGCSA Service Project has been going every Spring since 2019, interrupted only by the pandemic in 2021. The two associations gather every other year at the Veterans’ Course, and at the Children’s course in Gladstone, OR in the in-between years. A return to the Children’s course in 2027 is in the works.

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Held annually at Gamble Sands resort, the fourth edition is coming this March (Wednesday the 25th thru Friday the 27th). Intended as a professional networking and education event for Golf Course Assistant Superintendents who aspire to grow in the field, the event is sponsored by Toro, BASF, Simplot, Syngenta and Troon Golf LLC. Consisting of two nights and four hours of education, social events and a round of golf at Gamble’s original course, one of only three Washington courses ranked in America’s top 100 by Golf Digest. The event and meals are provided at no charge to Assistant Superintendents. Entry is limited to 32 Assistants. If you have any questions or simply want to apply, email Gamble’s Director of Agronomy, Josh Truan, at jtruan@gamblesands.com.

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Despite frozen conditions closing most area golf courses, superintendents and industry partners gathered last week at Seattle Golf Club for the annual Winter Chapter Meeting. The chilly weather outside contrasted with a warm atmosphere inside, as attendees connected with peers and heard from three outstanding speakers representing seed science, agronomy, and university research.

The program opened with Crystal Fricker, President of Pure Seed. Pure Seed is a wholesale supplier of warm- and cool-season turfgrass and forages developed by Pure-Seed Testing. The company was founded by Crystal’s parents, Betty and Bill Rose, and today remains proudly family owned and operated. Crystal now works alongside her brother and sister—and each of their spouses—they’re fond of saying that this arrangement helps ensure Pure Seed stays firmly rooted in family values.

Crystal recently received national recognition with the 2025 Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award from the Crop Science Society of America, honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to turfgrass science. The award was presented by Dr. Cale Bigelow of Purdue University, who many members will remember as a WTLS speaker this past year. Crystal shared updates on ongoing seed development focused on improving turf durability while reducing required inputs—an important theme as superintendents continue balancing playability, sustainability, and budgets.

Next up was Ross Niewola, the USGA Green Section’s West Region Agronomist, a role he assumed in late 2024. Ross brings 15 years of golf course maintenance experience, having worked in Virginia, Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, and both Northern and Southern California. His background spans warm- and cool-season grasses and public and private facilities, most recently serving as superintendent at Walla Walla Country Club. A Penn State graduate with a degree in turfgrass management, Ross emphasized that his primary mission is to support regional golf courses and crews by sharing best practices and keeping them informed on current trends in course management.

The final presentation came from Dr. Michael Neff, Professor of Crop Biotechnology in Washington State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission Endowed Professor. Dr. Neff reviewed the history and current state of turf management education at WSU while highlighting ongoing research in turfgrass management and breeding programs focused on seed production, resiliency, and climate adaptation in Washington State.

Dr. Neff also provided an update on existing endowments supporting the turf program and outlined opportunities for the golf industry to help strengthen and expand WSU’s curriculum so it can compete with peer institutions such as Oregon State University. He closed with a significant call to action: seeking industry support toward an $8 million endowment to ensure his position—and the momentum of the program—continues well beyond his retirement.

Next on the this year’s timeline is GCSAA’s Conference and Trade Show, happening this week in Orlando. March is busy with an Equipment Managers’ Meeting, a Chapter Meeting at Everett Golf & Country Club, and our annual service project returning to the American Lake Veterans Golf Course. Please refer to our Association’s calendar which is found on this page of our website.

. . . as we get ready for a big rematch with the 49ers this weekend, let’s look back to Hawks game on December 28 in Charlotte, NC. Late in the game, CBS cameras caught the image of a fan, in a Seahawks jersey, sitting in the front row, who had an uncanny resemblance to Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. The Seattle Times followed up on the story and we found out that “Stan Darnold” was actually Ben Conklin. Ben is the son of our own Mike Conklin, the Superintendent at Everett Golf and Country Club. Here is the rest of the story as reported by the Times. Enjoy.