One of Minnesota’s first certified golf course superintendents (CGCS), White Bear Yacht Club’s recently retired golf course superintendent John Steiner has created a lasting legacy within the local golf community as a scientific turf agronomist, manager and mentor. Upon graduation in 1976 from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Horticulture and Turfgrass Science, Steiner was hired as WBYC’s assistant golf course superintendent. Three years later, he was promoted to golf course superintendent, a position he held for 44 years. His proficiency with a microscope in diagnosing turf diseases and willingness to share his pathology expertise with colleagues and turf students alike, as well as his prodigious work ethic at WBYC, were just a few of the considerations in him receiving the MGCSA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2021. Steiner, 71, lives with his partner, Michele, in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, and has four daughters and two granddaughters.
