Using his diverse background in the turf industry, which includes high-end maintenance and agronomy practices, Mat Dunmyer has been busy during his first few weeks as the new golf course superintendent at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa – the iconic golf destination celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015.
A member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Class A, Dunmyer is responsible for all aspects of agronomy and golf course maintenance of La Costa’s two championship golf courses. Dunmyer also is overseeing a number of course enrichment projects and the development of agronomic and cultural practices that will ensure exceptional conditions for club members, resort and daily fee guests.
Already Dunmyer’s completed work on the Legends Course includes:
--Executing an intensive greens aerification program
--Planting 8,000 square feet of paspalum sod on the collars and surrounds of more than half of the holes; seeding the collars and surrounds of the other holes
--New drainage installed and bent grass sod planted in the front of the eighth and 14th greens, as well as the back of the 15th green.
--Greens now hand-mowed and groomed daily, resulting in a smoother and less dense turf canopy to create quicker putting surfaces.
--Implementing more uniform and consistent mowing patterns around the greens.
--Improving water coverage and moisture consistency throughout the course.
“I am honored and excited to be part of the team at Omni La Costa and look forward to maintaining the excellent overall golf experience,” Dunmyer said. “There are only a handful of places in California with the history and tradition of La Costa, which is a truly special property.”
Dunmyer comes to Omni La Costa after three years as golf course superintendent at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, Calif. Dunmyer completed several improvement projects at Monarch Beach, including select bunker renovation, a fairway renovation, irrigation control system upgrade and construction of a state-of-the-art maintenance facility that has a living “grass roof.” He also managed upkeep of a 26-acre city park adjacent to the resort and 30 acres of surrounding landscape.
“Mat is committed to elevating what already is one of the best resort golf destinations in the country,” said Patrick Miller, the director of golf at Omni La Costa. “He will play a vital role as we increase the level of playability on both the Champions and Legends courses.”
Dunmyer is experienced in all phases of course maintenance, including renovation and construction. He earned the Turfgrass Excellence Award from the Northern California Superintendents Association.
Originally from upstate New York, Dunmyer has close to 20 years of agronomic experience in the golf industry, enjoying a career he virtually stumbled across. Studying to be an engineer in college, Dunmyer drove past a Buffalo, N.Y., area golf course on his way to classes, “and I wondered what it would be like to work there,” he said. “I stopped in at the course one day and ended up talking with the superintendent for three hours. He gave me a job that summer and I fell in love with it.”
Previously, Dunmyer was superintendent for three years at Valley Hi Country Club, a private facility in Elk Grove, Calif. And he also has been superintendent at the prestigious Moraga Country Club in Moraga, Calif., as well as Sonoma Golf Club in Sonoma, Calif., which hosted the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup Championship Tour Championship during his tenure.
Dunmyer’s career also includes positions as superintendent at Rock Creek Cattle Company in Montana, an award-winning Tom Doak golf course where Dunmyer was responsible for construction completion and grow-in.
An avid golf historian, Dunmyer enjoys hiking, canoeing and flying radio-controlled airplanes. He lives in San Juan Capistrano with his wife and daughter.