TurfNet Superintendent of the Year 2008
Finalist Profile:
Barry Strittholt, CGCS, Brown's Run Country Club, Middletown, Ohio
 In Barry Strittholt's 50 years in the turf maintenance business, never before have the challenges been as great as they are today.
Golfer expectations at Brown's Run Country Club in Middletown, Ohio, are running at an all-time high. So is the pressure on his budget.
Yet, at age 65, Strittholt, CGCS, whose first job in the business was mowing greens at a nine-hole course 50 years ago, has no intentions of giving in any time soon.
"I am going to go on as long as my health allows," Strittholt said. "And as long as my productivity meets the expectations of the golfers."
Ask any of the members at Brown's Run, and they'll tell you that they hope that time does not come any time soon.
"We at Brown's Run Country Club are very fortunate to have such a dedicated employee," wrote club member Dr. Walter Roehll in his nomination letter. "If and when Barry decides to retire, he will be sorely missed and most difficult to replace."
In fact, you can ask a lot of non-members, and they'll say the same thing. Strittholt has served at Brown's Run for 31 years. And his contributions to the industry since climbing aboard a mower at age 14 are many, as evidenced by the 31 nominations for superintendent of the year that were submitted by members, non-members and several superintendents from other courses in the area.
"Barry has been the superintendent for almost four decades. In all candor, to have been in one position that long shows the respect Barry has at the course through all the different generations of members who have been part of the club," wrote USGA Green Section agronomist Stan Zontek, who has consulted with Strittholt on several course-improvement projects in that time. "This tenure speaks volumes about Barry, his relationship with the club and his staff."
In the face of a shrinking budgets and heightened expectations, Strittholt has excelled.
The downturn in the economy has led to a 30 percent reduction in Strittholt's annual budget. At the same time, a restructuring of the management system at Brown's Run, coupled with advancements in the maintenance industry, have led to increased expectations. Strittholt meets monthly with the management team and board of directors to review what are known as monthly benchmarks. Among those benchmarks are minimum standards for conditions of the greens and fairways, the latter of which must be firm enough to resist ballmarks and not impede ball roll.
To manage some specific areas of the course to exacting detail, Strittholt manages landing areas differently than other parts of the fairways.
"We've had to cut way back on water," he said. "That has led to (the crew) spending more time on the course, and we have had some wilt in some areas, but we make it work."
Prior to arriving at Brown's Run in 1978, Strittholt managed the turf at Golden Tee Golf Center near Cincinnati and the Hamilton Elks Golf Club.
A man of his word, Strittholt worked at both the Elks and Brown's Run simultaneously for several months in 1978 until his contract at the former expired. His time there has not been forgotten.
Ron Patterson, CGCS at Hamilton Elks, worked for Strittholt as a high school student in the 1970s. He became head superintendent there three years later and has had Strittholt on his speed dial ever since.
"After becoming superintendent, I consulted Barry often," Patterson wrote.
"It was from him I learned my hands-on work ethic, importance of treating employees fairly but firmly when needed and meticulous attention to detail."
His staff of 11, which includes him, an assistant, mechanic and another eight seasonal workers for whom overtime is not approved, not only manage the golf course, but all common areas as well.
'We have to be everything to everyone," he said. "We strive for perfection, but we never achieve it. We overcome any problems by communication and staying in front. We meet and deal with things before any situations arise and get blown out of proportion. It's easier to head things off than it is to deal with them after they've happened."
Aside from the usual demands of his job, Strittholt finds time to conduct regular seminars to educate members on agronomy and plant and tree maintenance for their home lawns and landscapes.
For every superintendent there comes a time or two when their skills are put to the test due to extraordinary circumstances. Strittholt had one of those moments in 2008.
Dealing with disasters caused by tropical weather is not limited to golf courses in the southeastern United States.
In mid-September, the remnants of Hurricane Ike, which dealt a devastating blow to the Houston area just days before, leveled hundreds of trees at the course about 25 miles north of Cincinnati and left more than 1 million people in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio without power.
Remnants of the storm blew through on the weekend of Sept. 13-14. Strittholt and his crew had the course cleaned and reopened in a matter of days - and before electricity to the club had been restored.
"Trees were down everywhere. Even the entrance was covered in trees and debris. We cleared those out on Monday," Strittholt said. "We cleaned nine holes out by Wednesday and the other nine by Thursday. By the end of the week everything was mowable, although we did have a lot of sand erosion."
Members like Joel and Marilyn Schmidt, who have been members for 16 years, have come to expect Strittholt and his staff to regularly rebound in such a manner. And they have rarely failed to measure up to such a standard.
"During that time we have seen weather extremes from drought to soaking rains to destructive winds that are very challenging," the Schmidts wrote. "Barry Strittholt has consistently met these conditions with vigor and has provided a wonderful course for us to play. He knows what to do and how to get the job done quickly despite budget restraints."
The Superintendent of the Year award, sponsored by PrimoMAXX® from Syngenta, is presented annually by TurfNet to one outstanding superintendent selected from among those nominated by club officials, course owners, members, casual golfers, or staff members.
The winner will be announced at GIS in New Orleans, and will travel with a guest to Ireland for a week-long golf course tour, courtesy of Syngenta.
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