In 2024, Christian left Cordillera for a pretty incredible opportunity — becoming Course Superintendent at Loraloma Club in Spicewood. There, he got the chance to do something most agronomists only dream about: build a golf course from the ground up. Christian gained tremendous experience overseeing the construction, grow-in and opening of the course while also building and leading the Agronomy team, managing significant construction and renovation projects, implementing new agronomic technologies, and helping establish Loraloma as one of the best-conditioned golf courses in Texas. 

Looking back on his time there, Christian said it was an experience that made him better in just about every way. “My time at Loraloma between gigs at Cordillera was super special — I was able to build a golf course from the ground up and grow it in. The things you work through and the experience you get from managing a project of that magnitude makes you stronger in many ways — as an agronomist growing a golf course from scratch, as a professional creating a department from nothing and as a leader building a brand-new culture for your team,” he said.

Before his first stint at Cordillera, Christian spent more than three years at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney as Senior Assistant Superintendent. There, he gained valuable experience preparing for the AT&T Byron Nelson and managing a variety of playing surfaces, including bentgrass and zoysia.

Christian is a 2018 graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass, and yes, he is still very much an Aggie: “Definitely still an Aggie! That will never change! But hoping the football team can figure out their issues soon…!”

We’ll just leave that one there!

He is also a graduate of the Syngenta Business Institute, but throughout our search for the right person to lead Agronomy, it wasn’t just Christian’s resume that stood out. It was his leadership philosophy, his passion for the profession and, perhaps most importantly, his understanding of what makes Cordillera Ranch special. Christian believes great golf course conditions begin with great people and that building a team that takes pride in its work is the foundation for delivering exceptional results.

He says this is something that is already a major strength at Cordillera. “We have many young men who are pursuing a career in the turfgrass industry. Typically, you might have a couple at any given time in a department, but over the last year or so we had seven guys that either enrolled in turf school or enrolled in a turf internship elsewhere. Brandon Fuchs (superintendent), Wes Komick (assistant superintendent) and Nick Menger (water manager) have all done an amazing job of fostering this culture, showing these young guys what our industry has to offer and encouraging them to take their first steps in establishing careers around golf/turfgrass,” noted Christian.

It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that golf played a role in Christian finding his way into agronomy. He began playing in junior high after some friends introduced him to the game, and became more serious in high school when he played competitively. As his appreciation for golf grew, so did his interest in what went into creating great playing conditions, along with a little inspiration from home. Christian shared, “I loved playing golf and growing up, my father was obsessed with having the best yard in the neighborhood. I noticed how great the turfgrass quality was on the golf course, and my dad and I would discuss it. Eventually it led me to getting a degree in turfgrass science from Texas A&M.”

Then there was the role golf played in his personal life. “So, I met my wife, Kennedy, at a golf course. She may or may not have been a cart girl while I was a turf intern… Haha! I always get a kick out of telling that story!” A few years later, this young family has grown to include Adeline who is 4.5 years old, Grayson who is 2.5 and baby Camden at just 8 months old. “Funny enough, their birthdays all fall within a few days of each other: January 17, 18 and 21!! January is a busy month for us!” laughed Christian.

Christian is returning at a busy time of year, jumping right into fall maintenance and the work that sets the course up for success in the seasons ahead. And while fall and winter are when much of that important work happens, spring is when Christian says the payoff becomes especially rewarding. “Spring is absolutely my favorite time of year. Every year we’re all dying for the fall/winter after a hard summer but I find myself ready for warmer weather just shortly after the temperature gets cold. Seeing that first bit of green up on the golf course in early spring is always super encouraging and tends to get everyone excited for the season to come. Additionally, our bentgrass greens really shine in the spring, so that is always fun and rewarding, too!” he said.

When he puts on his golfer’s hat, however, his favorite hole at Cordillera is #3, explaining, “There is so much danger on that hole, both sides, and in my opinion the hardest bunker shot on the golf course short of that green. You can choose to try and go long with the driver or play it safely short. I always opt for the driver!” His second favorite is #11. “I love the approach shot into the uniquely oriented green that makes it a challenging shot, sometimes working with just a couple yards of green.”

As Christian settles into to his new role, he and his family are also excited to be back in the Boerne area, saying, “We love Boerne! It’s a special town and I think it’s a blessing to be able to live here so we are ecstatic.”

After getting to know Christian the first time around, seeing the experience he has gained since leaving Cordillera, and hearing his perspective on leadership, agronomy and the future of the operation, we’re excited to welcome him back. We conducted a thorough search for this important position and believe this makes him an outstanding choice to lead our Agronomy operation into the future.