JOIN US IN SUPPORTING STEVE GREGORY BATTLING STAGE 4 CANCER

SUPPORT Steve Gregory - Our Dedicated Golf Superintendent at the Madison Club Battling Stage 4 Cancer

Dear friends, family, and golf enthusiasts,

We’re reaching out to you during a challenging time to support a remarkable individual - Steve Gregory. Steve is our beloved golf superintendent at the Madidon Club who has devoted his life to maintaining beautiful golf courses and has touched the lives of many in our community. Recently, he has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and we want to rally around him during this difficult journey.

Steve is not only a dedicated professional but also an incredible father, husband, and friend. Known for his passion for golf and commitment to excellence, he ensures that everyone who comes to play enjoys the best experience possible. His hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and he has always put others before himself.

THE CHALLENGE

This stage 4 cancer diagnosis has brought immense challenges to Steve and his family, both emotionally and financially. As he undergoes treatment, the medical expenses are going to add up and we want to ease this burden. Steve deserves to focus on his health and spend precious time with his loved ones rather than worrying about financial stress.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We have set up this GoFundMe campaign to provide financial support for Steve and his family during this tough time. Your contributions will go directly to covering medical bills, treatment costs, and any other expenses they may incur. No amount is too small, and every dollar makes a difference.

JOIN US

Let’s show Steve how much he means to us as a community. Please consider donating and sharing this campaign with your friends and family. Your support, love, and encouragement will mean the world to him.

Thank you for your generosity!

BACK STORY - STEVE GREGORY

Born July 5, 1962 in Kansas City, Missouri

Graduated High School: Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS. 1980 played on the varsity golf team Junior and Senior years, finished 3rd in 6A regional qualified for State 6A tournament my Senior year.

Took up my career in Golf in 1981 at the suggestion of my girlfriend’s father who at the time was serving as President of Indian Hills Country Club, Mission Hills, KS. Started on the grounds crew April 1981. Fell in love with every aspect of golf course maintenance by October 1981 made a goal to go to college and start a career. In 1982 a group of members led by former owner of the Kansas City Royals,

Ewing Kauffman gifted me $ 7000.00 to begin my education at University of Massachusetts, in Amherst MA. Graduated May 1984 with AS in Plant and Soil Sciences Turf Management. Started my career in Kansas City area working as an Assistant Superintendent.

In 1988, my big break came when I was hired as Assistant Superintendent at Shadow Glen Golf Club in Olathe, KS. Shadow Glen was a new construction project designed by Jay Moorish, Tom Weiskopf & Tom Watson. In 1989 Shadow Glen was awarded

“Best New Private Golf Course” by Golf Digest Magazine. I broke a big barrier at the age of 30, landed my first Superintendents job in 1992 and was promoted to Head Golf Course Superintendent at Shadow Glen Golf Club. In 1993 I moved to Springfield Missouri to build a new golf course for a private owner called Millwood Golf and Raquet Club. In 1994 I accepted the position of Golf Course Superintendent at Hallbrook Country Club in Leawood KS. Hallbrook was developed by the Hall Family and designed by Tom Fazio, which started my association with the Tom Fazio Design team. The Hall Family founded Hallmark Cards, and the club Hallbrook was the top club in Kansas City Metro area.

I had a great ten-year tenure at Hallbrook, career growth in Kansas City was at an end point, so to continue my career and expand my knowledge of turfgrass and Landscape I had to move from Kansas City. In 2005 I accepted a Golf Course Superintendent Position in Borrego Springs CA. a new construction remodel designed by Tom Fazio. Then in 2010 the funding for the course Rams Hill Golf Club ran dry, the course closed went fallow and I was out of a job. I bounced around from Medford, OR. back to Kansas City and in Fall of 2011 I got a phone call from the Fazio Design Team about an Assistant Superintendent job at The Madison Club in La Quinta, CA.

In January 2012 I started as The Assistant Superintendent at The Madison Club working under Golf Course Superintendent Eric Puls. The position was a step down in my career and I worked for a third of what I had been paid elsewhere. It was a new beginning for me at the age of 50. However it was the greatest experience of my life, Eric taught me how to mange a difficult property with enormous challenges I learned more in the two years at the Madison than I ever expected, it wasn’t about turf and landscape it was about people. All the wonderful people that work and play at The Madison and how gracious the membership is, what and awesome experience. I took all the lessons back to Rams Hill in Borrego Springs when I was asked to return and bring the property back to life in 2014 under new ownership. We won many awards for golf course conditioning the final award was ranking # 1 in the United States according to Golf Now which was awarded to our CEO on live T.V. at the golf show in Orlando on The Golf Channel in February 2016. March of 2017 my wife Laurie lost her mother to cancer her sister Gayle had been living with Laurie’s mother. Gayle is a special needs adult who can function however she needs help with reading, writing and personal finance. She has been on the spectrum of autism her whole life and suffers from severe scoliosis which requires her to have a pain pump to be refilled every six months. I made a promise to Laurie and her mother when the time came, I would help take care of Gayle with Laurie. Living in Borrego Springs with Gayle was not a very good option Borrego Springs is a very remote area and lacks health care facilities, we would be forced to drive an hour and a half minimum to get Gayle to her doctor appointments etc. An opportunity arose in Omaha, NE. it made sense at the time with cheaper cost of living and exceptional health facilities, so Laurie and I made the decision to move to Omaha, in September 2018 I accepted a position in Omaha at a club that was privately owned and operated. Fast forward to 2021 that year I was working in Kansas City Monday-Friday driving back to Omaha every Friday afternoon, living with my sister during work weeks and living at my home in Omaha on weekends with Laurie and Gayle. In February 2021 I got a call from Eric Puls about a potential change in leadership in the golf maintenance department at Madison Club which ended with Stu Rowland moving on to Texas. In March I flew out and interviewed with General Manager David Kirken. Roy Chase and David Kirken knew my background and history at Madison Club the interview went well but the hiring process was put on hold. On a warm summer day late July 2021, I was out mowing my lawn in Omaha I noticed a missed call from Jim McPhilomy who is Discovery Land head agronomist and another missed call from Eric Puls. I returned both phone calls to discover that The Madison needed someone to lead the golf maintenance department immediately. I told both Eric and Jim I could be in my car within a few days and be at The Madison ready to lead on August 4, 2021. Just to help until they found someone to permanently take leadership of maintaining the property and the department of golf course maintenance. We agreed on a monthly contract amount with temporary housing the next couple of days I was in my car driving to Madison, I was graciously received by Roy Chase who went out of his way to buy some groceries and stock my refrigerator with food. A gesture that has led to an incredible relationship and friendship with Roy.

DK and Roy must have liked my work in September/October 2021, they offered me the position of Director of Agronomy at The Madison Club. What a wonderful experience this has been. Now I face the biggest challenge of my life Stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma, I will keep the same determination and spirit that I have my whole life, never give up hope, that is what led me here to The Madison Club.

My family which consists of three older sisters one of which lives in Mayland two in Kansas City One older sister and a paternal twin sister Susan Sites, My Son Spencer Gregory, two stepdaughters and seven children who call me Grandpa 3 girls and 3 boys in Kansas City ranging from ages 2-8 years old, and finally newborn granddaughter born August 30, 2024.

My family here include all the hard-working dedicated staff in the golf maintenance department, the entire staff at Madison Club, the wonderful members at The Madison Club, sister-in-law Gayle, my wife of 15 years Laurie Gregory, two stepdaughters and One grandchild named Josephine Mae who will be turning 2 in January 2025.

God has given me so much!! Humbled and grateful for everyone and everything he has done for me and given me in my life.