Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lakes Golf and Tennis in Muscle Shoals.
That was around the time the City of Muscle Shoals took over ownership of the club some 13 years ago. Puckett became golf superintendent but had a larger role.
“I became a de facto employee of Parks and Rec,” Puckett said.
He later added to his Auburn degree in agronomy and soils with a concentration in turfgrass management by obtaining a master’s in business from the University of North Alabama.
Puckett then went on to work for Decatur in the Parks and Recreation Department, which owns Point Mallard Golf Club.
Today, Puckett has a new role. He has been named superintendent at Lake Guntersville State Park.
The title is new but surroundings familiar. He had been assistant superintendent for six years and acting superintendent for six months.
He will become Northeast district superintendent, in a role that oversees operations at Buck’s Pocket and Desoto state parks.
Puckett said he likes the atmosphere at Lake Guntersville.
“It’s a special place and I would say 90% of our employees have that as the main reason they work here,” he said.
Puckett believes he is well prepared for his new role.
“I have been exposed to all operations of the park,” he said. “We’ve had a lodge manager who oversees the day-to-day operation of the lodge, but the superintendent is involved in personnel, budgets and projects.”
Puckett, who is the first Lake Guntersville superintendent to not come from a law enforcement background, wants to improve the park trails and make the park more of a mountain biking destination.
“We attended a trail building conference and we realize we have some work to do,” he said.
Puckett said the park system’s trails crew and volunteers do an excellent job maintaining its trails, and he is pleased with the programming it offers.
“We recently completed a cart path project on the golf course that will allow us to stay open even when it rains,” he said. “You just say cart path only.”
