Miguel Escobar moved to America, worked his way to the big time and became a golf course superintendent. Photo by Casey Shepherd
Miguel Escobar arrived in the United States from Guatemala, learned how to speak English and grasped a dream in the golf industry.
That was quite a while ago when his journey began. At age 12, Escobar moved to the U.S. with an uncle. Escobar stayed, aged and got busy. Others counted on him.
“I started working, trying to earn money to help my parents,” he says.
Escobar since has earned a place in the golf course superintendent ranks. The 38-year-old was hired last year to oversee The Villages at Country Creek in Estero, Fla. “Took me 14 years to achieve my dream,” says Escobar, a six-year GCSAA member.
Reaching this point started 18 years ago. He joined the maintenance crew at Miramar Lakes (Fla.) Golf Club. Another stop was The Landings Yacht, Golf and Tennis Club in Fort Myers, Fla. In 2017, Escobar went to work for superintendent Jeff Price at The Colony Golf & Country Club in Bonita Springs, Fla. Price is grateful that Escobar entered his world.
“The most important thing about Miguel is work ethic. He’s smart. He’s driven. I wish I had two or three more Miguels. The world would be a better place,” says Price, a 28-year association member.
Escobar, who in America earned a high school diploma, later enrolled in Penn State University's online turfgrass science program. He also was named foreman by Price.
In 2021, he moved to Esplanade Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla., as an assistant superintendent. Three years later, he accepted the challenge to be a superintendent at The Villages at Country Creek, an 18-hole, par-61 executive course.
Escobar oversees The Villages at Country Creek in Estero, Fla. It’s his first job as a superintendent. Photo courtesy of Miguel Escobar
So far, so good. “I have a lot of things on my plate. I try not to get overwhelmed,” Escobar says. “I worked for so many golf courses. Good thing I have learned. It may be raining, may be hot. There are tasks to do every day. Just take it easy. If something is wrong, we’ll fix it.”
Is it important for him to be a hands-on superintendent? “Of course. My message for my crew is that I am a simple employee like one of them, but different role,” he says. “A title doesn’t change my philosophy. I gain respect through action, not just authority. Showing up early, working hard as they do, prioritizing safety and staying organized — I think that sets the standard for the team.
“I make sure my message is clear of the importance of setting up the course every single day with a high aesthetic level of play and reminding them to take pride in their hard work. I always invest in their growth, learning opportunities of the industry and promote them internally before hiring externally. I give them projects and hold them accountable so I don’t have to micromanage each one of them. I review their task after it’s done and communicate how their job contributes to this course or the expertise they have gained.”
Escobar is from the town of Aguacatan in Guatemala. He visited his parents for the first time in 20 years earlier this year. It filled him with emotions, and he relived stories of his childhood and how his parents “taught me the great values of a Christian family and the success of hard work,” he says.
Escobar, wife Martha Jacinto and son Biron have settled in nicely in Florida. “Coming from another country isn’t easy. God carried me through all these years,” he says. “It was rewarding. Members are happy, and that’s amazing. We make improvements every day, little by little. How it looks makes me happy.”
Howard Richman is GCM's associate editor