T
hat old expression, "the grass is al-
ways greener on the other side of the
fence," definitely does not apply at
Indian Wells Golf Resort. Within its confines
are the greenest of all grasses – along with
meticulously groomed bunkers and beauti-
fully tended flowers and trees.
Direct most of the accolades to Director
of Agronomy Jonas Conlan and his team. It
all starts with Conlan's boundless passion
for his craft, which blossomed early in life
as a teenage caddie, and soon after, a main-
tenance employee on the golf course.
"I loved the work and when
my boss told me I could do
this for a living I was intrigued,
so I decided to enroll in the
Turf Program at Michigan State
University," Conlan reflected. "I did an in-
ternship with Four Seasons Aviara, gradu-
ated, and the rest is history."
Five years into the position, Conlan rel-
ishes being immersed in every detail.
"Essentially, I'm responsible for anything
out on the golf courses," he says. "I am very
hands-on when it comes to the day-to-day
operations, but I'm especially involved with
the long-term planning and budgets."
Conlan is quick to credit the dedication
of his experienced staff. He said the most
seasoned employees are the Operators and
they average 18 years of work at Indian
Wells Golf Resort; the four Irrigators have a
combined average experience of 11 years.
"I also have three key, talented assistants,
Abel Cervantes, Gilbert Sanchez and Luis
Bravo who understand the big picture,"
Conlan said. "Gilbert focuses on the Players
Course, Abel on the Celebrity and Luis is re-
sponsible for all of the equipment.
Ely, our administrative assistant, is
also very important, as she handles
so many significant behind-the-
scenes items."
And when it comes to motivation
on the job, Conlan said it may sound
cliché, but doing something that he
loves is the most satisfying reward.
"Getting up at 4 a.m. might not seem op-
timal for most people, but for me, it's a part
of my life," he says. "Seeing the sunrise
every morning is very rewarding; smelling
the fresh-cut grass and spending quality
time with my staff and co-workers is some-
thing I look forward to every day."
TEAM
EFFORT
Director of Agronomy
Jonas Conlan and
staff help keep Indian
Wells in top shape
MEET THE TEAM
