By Jeff Day
EASTCHESTER, N.Y. (December 21, 2011) – Leewood Golf Club in Eastchester, N.Y., is home to GOLFWORKS alumnus Herman “Trapper” Van Dunk, who has been the club’s head superintendent since 2006. In 1994, Van Dunk was one of twelve students who participated in the inaugural season of GOLFWORKS, the MGA Foundation’s student intern program, which at the time had just six Met Area clubs participating. Eighteen years later, GOLFWORKS is flourishing, with 240 deserving high school students working at 78 Met Area clubs.
Van Dunk was part of the first GOLFWORKS graduating class and the first to pursue a career in the golf industry. He served his internship at The Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., and is now affording the same opportunities he was given to explore careers in the golf industry to the GOLFWORKS interns he has hired at Leewood, including Danny Saywack (left) of the Bronx, who worked as a mechanic for Van Dunk last summer.
A 2011 graduate of St. Raymond’s High School for Boys, Saywack can always remember having an interest in cars and envisioned himself becoming an auto mechanic. Greg Scott, the MGA Foundation’s GOLFWORKS recruiter for New York City, worked with Saywack with an interview and landing a job at Leewood under Van Dunk.
“Working on maintenance equipment is fitting in nicely with my career goals,” says Saywack, who furthered his passion of mechanics through golf. “I’ve worked on cars before, but never on big machines like these.”
Saywack likes his job, which includes assisting Leewood’s head mechanic, Ralph “Butch” Montesione, with daily upkeep and repairs on lawn mowers, riding mowers, carts and other maintenance equipment. “It might be hard, but it’s something I like doing,” Saywack said. Saywack had fun during his internship and his work ethic has garnered the attention of more than just his supervisor.
“The members are very appreciative of having a second mechanic in here,” said Van Dunk. “Danny helped out a lot and it was noticed by me, the membership, and our greens chairman. It was a pleasure bringing him onboard. He was always on time, and was always more than conscientious and courteous to everyone. Overall, he worked out great.”
Strong words from Van Dunk, who asks a lot of his large and diverse staff as he oversees a multimillion-dollar renovation at Leewood. Van Dunk also realizes that he may be opening Saywack to a career through GOLFWORKS, much like the program did for him eighteen years ago.
“GOLFWORKS gave me the opportunity to view the golf course and the club in a way I may have never considered,” said Van Dunk. “It gave me confidence and the access to people who could help me realize my dreams. This may or may not be for Danny, but I’m encouraging him to become a mechanic at a golf course because I think he’d be great at it.”
Whether he chooses to stay in the golf industry or not, GOLFWORKS is providing the foundation for a career path for Danny Saywack.
