Mike McCall is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which is where he first experienced playing golf. After graduating from Hampton High School, Mike pursued his other interest, the military, by enrolling in Purdue University on a NROTC scholarship. Upon graduation he married LeeAnn Livesay of Greencastle, Indiana and reported to his first duty station, the USS Independence CV-62 in San Diego, California as an engineering division officer. A homeport change for the ship took him to Yokosuka, Japan for two years. He was then assigned to Surface Warfare Officer’s School in Newport, Rhode Island where he taught new commissioned officers steam engineering principles and administrative programs. Knowing that the time away from family (up to six months at a time) was not something he could live happily with, he set out to follow his dream of owning a golf course.

After speaking with many individuals in the golf industry about possible careers as a golf course architect, golf professional and golf course superintendent to prepare for ownership he agreed with them that knowing how to take care of the greatest asset was the best path to follow. It was then a matter of finding the best way to become a golf course superintendent. With absolutely no experience in agronomy formal education was a necessity. That meant finding the best university program in the country. Having kept his residency in Pennsylvania while in the Navy is was an easy decision to choose The Pennsylvania State University. However there was just one problem. One of the requirements for admission into the Two Year Turfgrass Management Technical Program was a season of work experience at a golf course. Mike then made a deal with a local golf course Green Valley Country Club to work for free for the upcoming season in return for as much experience as he could get. Once accepted into the Penn State program he went on to serve his internship at the prestigious Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, win a Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Scholarship, and finally become the valedictorian of the class.

Mike wanted very much to work at the Purdue University golf course that Pete Dye was about to renovate. Unfortunately, the Purdue golf course superintendent did not like Pete Dye telling him to hire Mike so it was not to be. With every window that is closed a door is opened. Mike was offered a job as an assistant superintendent at the renowned NCR Country Club in Dayton, Ohio where he helped prepare and host the 1998 United States Mid-Amateur Championship.

With a child on the way Mike and LeeAnn wanted one parent to stay at home. If Mike could not obtain a head superintendent position before the child was born he would be the one to stay home due to his meager wages. Fortune smiled and two years after he started at NCR he won over the board of directors at Champaign Country Club in Champaign, Illinois. After spending two years at Champaign dramatically improving the playing conditions, and having their second daughter, an opportunity opened up at Casperkill Country Club, formerly IBM Country Club in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Mike served as the golf course superintendent of Casperkill Golf Club for two years before IBM sold the property to a high end developer. The developer kept Mike on as superintendent where he earned the distinction of Certified Golf Course Superintendent and a year later promoted him to General Manager. Mike oversees the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course, a 22 station driving range and a small restaurant and bar.

While Mike has not given up his dream of owning a golf course he is unwilling to make the sacrifice of time away from family at this point in his life where he has two beautiful daughters ages 6 and 8. His only goal is to continually improve upon the golf course’s conditions, service, and operations whatever that course may be.