Diamond Hawk's
Scott Dunbar Featured in Golf Course Industry Magazine
We’re proud to share that our superintendent Scott Dunbar is featured on the cover of Golf Course Industry magazine in their October issue written by Kelsie Horner. The article, “Supers from the Start,” highlights Scott’s nearly 20-year dedication to maintaining one of Western New York’s premier public golf courses.
Two Decades of Excellence
Scott Dunbar isn’t just Diamond Hawk’s superintendent, He has been here since before the first tee shot was ever hit. Hired in 2006 to grow in the course alongside architects William A. Kerman and the Hurdzan-Fry firm, Scott has been the only superintendent Diamond Hawk has ever known and truly makes our course outstanding and well-kept. This March marked his 20th anniversary with us, a remarkable tenure in an industry where the average superintendent stays at a course for just 9½ years. That commitment shows in the details on the greens.
Our Greens
Diamond Hawk features sand-based greens with Declaration bentgrass, selected after extensive research with Rutgers University for its disease resistance and performance in our climate. “I’d put our greens up against anyone in our area,” Scott says in the article, and our golfers would likely agree.
Two Decades of Excellence
Diamond Hawk features sand-based greens with Declaration bentgrass, selected after extensive research with Rutgers University for its disease resistance and performance in our climate. “I’d put our greens up against anyone in our area,” Scott says in the article, and our golfers would likely agree.
With more than 75 bunkers and constant course refinements, Scott and his team work year-round to ensure every visit to Diamond Hawk meets high standards. Even in the off-season, when the crew shrinks to just four full-time members, the work continues.
The Knowledge That Comes With Time
One of the most valuable insights from the article is how Scott’s two decades at Diamond Hawk give him an almost intuitive understanding of the course. He knows where every irrigation line runs, which greens show stress first during hot spells, which areas stay wet after rain, and where turf diseases are most likely to appear.
“There is knowledge that I have gained that has been invaluable,” Scott tells Golf Course Industry. “Knowing how the course was built, where all the irrigation lines, valve boxes and wires are located… knowing what greens, tees and fairways will show the first signs of stress during certain times of the season.”
This intimate knowledge allows him to stay ahead of problems before golfers ever notice them that is the hallmark of exceptional course management.
A Team Effort
The article also highlights Scott’s dedicated crew, including assistant/foreman Bill Liberati, mechanics AJ Brodeur and Chris Kujwaski, and longtime employee Bob Folck. “You’re only as good as your crew,” Scott notes, and his respect for his team is evident throughout the piece.
There’s even a touching sidebar about Scott’s daughters, Kelsey and Hailee, who worked on the maintenance crew during their high school years, waking up at 4 a.m. to ride with their father to work and learning the craft from the ground up.
A Course Worth Celebrating
This recognition from Golf Course Industry magazine isn’t just an honor for Scott. and it’s validation of what Diamond Hawk golfers have known for years. Whether you’re a regular or visiting for the first time, you’re playing a course maintained by one of the most experienced and dedicated superintendents in Western New York.
The next time you sink a putt on our smooth, true greens or admire the pristine condition of the fairways, remember there’s a two-decade story of dedication, expertise, and passion behind every blade of grass.
Congratulations, Scott, on this well-deserved recognition. Here’s to many more years of excellence at Diamond Hawk.