Join me as a chat again with Paul MacCormack, author of the Mindful Superintendent blog here on TurfNet.com. Paul is the general manager and golf course superintendent at Fox Meadow Golf & Country Club in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the smallest Canadian province.
We chat about routines and taking advantage of them to expend mental energy in positive ways... working smarter rather than harder... and procrastination as a greenkeeper's demon.
Frankly Speaking is brought
Several weeks ago, I had lunch with the vice president of Arccos Golf, a startup company that has developed technology intended to help golfers improve their games. The system they came up with allows the golfer to use the data created by each swing of the golf club (sensors are attached to the club) to identify weaknesses and strengths -- among many other useful data points -- like quantifying the percentage of time that your approach shots miss the greens to the right or to the left of the fla
One of the comments I hear from my grounds crew is that I jump around on projects too frequently. While I see some truth to this observation, there is a reasonable and desired effect from this job-jumping. Having lots of tasks -- especially broad efforts -- lined up, allows for at least one to always be practical. If factors outside my control (weather, budget, and organizational objectives) or factors within my control (scheduling, training, crew morale, etc.) put a damper on one, I have anothe
Yesterday, as the Rockbottum crew enjoyed snow, high winds and cold, a famous Golf Course Superintendent called us from San Diego and taunted us with tales of warm sun, ocean breezes and 83 degrees.
To be polite, we pretended to be envious. But the real truth is the endless parties, black-tie galas and ballroom dancing associated with attending GIS runs counter to our simple philosophy.
(Also, we hate hot weather, prefer snow and don't own any top hats and tails.)
But to show there'
Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all. -- Buddha
As superintendents we are subject to a great deal of scrutiny on a daily basis. The seesaw of praise and blame can be incessant. If we are not careful it can suck us down into a ten inch deep aerification hole of constant judgment. An important part of our job involves working to rise above the pitfalls of these two evil twins and arriving at
Join me as I am joined by Adam Charles, golf course superintendent of The Preserve at Verdae Green in Greenville, South Carolina. Adam has taken a unique approach to managing labor with a progressive approach to managing a large riparian zone that weaves through the golf course. By accommodating this important environmental area, he is creating habitat, reducing labor costs, and speeding play -- A Triple Bonus -- or some might look and see a big patch of weeds.
Progressive talk from leading
While producing training films for Special Ops at Fort Bragg, I learned three important facts about training:
1. You must show the trainee the proper techniques and procedures required to accomplish the mission.
2. The trainee needs to see the negative outcome of not following procedures.
3. You must add something unexpected, even goofy, to the training film, or the trainee will not pay close attention.
(In the military, lack of attention to detail was usually the result of
Join me in the first episode of 2016 as I chat with Dr. Kimberley Erusha, managing director of the USGA Green Section.
Presented by DryJect and True-Surface by Turfline.
Join me in Episode 16 of TZP as I gives some tips on GIS Survival and then chat with Paul MacCormack, The Mindful Superintendent, from Fox Meadow Golf & Country Club on Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes.
Paul's unique perspective on being mindful is something that I believe everyone growing grass should hear. His blog on TurfNet.com is on my list of required reading for all Turfheads.
The Turfgrass Zealot project is happy to be sponsored by Klingstone: Proven Bunker
It is recommended that last week's blog message entitled, "The Indispensable Role Of The Chapter Executive Director" be reviewed before reading the blog message below.
Appropriate job descriptions for a chapter Executive Director define the job as a COO (Chief Operating Officer) level assignment. (See Jan. 18th blog message.) However, be cautioned that hiring at the COO level is one of the more challenging personnel assignments throughout the small business and corporate worlds because it re
The following is a Ydnar Vengeance Bedtime Story rated For Golf Course Superintendents only.
Of all the complex problems the GCS faces every day, most can be solved by studying how others have handled that particular problem. But, once in a career, along comes a problem so difficult, it requires advice from seasoned professionals . . . or the act of a madman.
Once upon a time, 40 years ago, Dad got entangled in the Artie Hoosemun Incident, and to this day, I still have not figured out h
Episode 15 features an experiment into something new! The tables are turned on me as I let a special guest have control!
This episode of the #TZP could end up being the start of something new. I toss caution to the wind and let a guest host have at it. And the result is a fun and engaging conversation.
The Turfgrass Zealot Project is sponsored by Klingstone. Proven bunker performance for over 15 years. www.klingstone.com
The purpose of this blog message is to identify the appropriate role of the chapter Executive Director, which is concisely stated within the following model chapter Executive Director job description:
Chapter Executive Director: General Duties & Responsibilities
The Executive Director shall serve as the chapter COO . . . .
The Executive Director's fundamental responsibility is to act as a "steward" of his chapter's mission statement in the following ways: to ensure the chapter ha
Cousin Ludell expounds on his theory "The Sissification of The American Male Golfer", while Dave tests his prototype 'Rain Skirt for Golf' and Roy brilliantly figures out how to increase golf participation by not just thinking outside the box, but getting rid of the box.
When I was a new Grounds Supervisor working at Alexandria Hospital in Virginia, I would take a monthly walk through campus and generate quite a lengthy punch list of ALL the work I needed to do. Truth be told, most of that work never got done. It rolled over, or simply fell out of my sphere of concern. I dont need to tell any of you how many concerns/problems we Grounds Managers see whether we are looking or not.
I don't need a list for what needs to be done NOW, or when someone important th
A new year is upon us, and I thought it would be a good time to review some things in tech that we can start out fresh with at the beginning of this year. The key with using technology in your job is to not let it overtake you and keep you from managing the course properly. With a few of these suggestions you should be able to harness the power of tech without many of the side-effects.
Wunderlist
The first step for most people to get organized is to start making lists. This solution could
The purpose of this blog message is to demonstrate that a chapter without an effective mission statement is like an airplane flying without a navigation system. Nobody knows how to get to where they want to go; and missions fail accordingly.
What Is The Status Of Chapter Mission Statements?
Appalling, because the reality is that about half of GCSAA chapters do not have a mission statement and the mission statements of the remaining half of the chapters are too vaguely worded and miss identi
In an effort to attract younger employees to Rockbottum, (we're all over 50) we have abandoned the traditional written job application/background check/blood test (no one could pass those tests anyway) in favor of a newer, hipper, more "with it" kind of social media internet inspired video employment test.**
If you're up to it, take the Rockbottum Pro Shop Employment Video Test and see how you do. Questions are worth 25 points, with a bonus question weighted at 50 points.
**Note: This
The holidays are one of my favorite times of the year. There are a wide variety of reasons for this, but one of best parts for me personally is time given over to reflection. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year's celebrations, there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting quietly and thinking about life in general. Most of the time there are no great revelations, just me simply taking time to reflect and recharge. But this season one theme has been nagging at me a bit more th
Agronomy! Join me as I talk with Turfgrass Researcher and Scientist Dr. Micah Woods.
Micah Woods is Chief Scientist and driving force behind The Asian Turfgrass Center. You'll get to hear how Micah was nearly born into the golf business. And follow his journey along the way. Dave and Micah dig into some deep discussion on soil testing and soil test interpretation. Getting famillary with Dr. Woods is essential if you want to keep up with what's happening and new in Turfgrass Science.
In t
I need help. No, not the psychiatric kind, too late for that. I need advice from the most innovative problem solver on the planet, the Golf Course Superintendent.
For over a year, I've been engaged in a bitter struggle with my neighbors, an inconsiderate group of loudmouth, sex-crazed members of the Order of Anura. What a bunch of toads.
Some durn fool constructed one of those waterfall ponds--yes, the kind I've been trying to ridicule out of existence in the golf world for 25 years--
Our first Christmas with Dad as a pure Golf Course Superintendent was a little lean. After several years of serving as a Pro/Super, the debt load was suffocating him. At Dinky Little Fake Country Clubs--we survived four DLFCC in four years--the Pro/Super often had to finance the pro shop inventory, F&B, and golf maintenance supplies of a time-sensitive nature.
(The DLFCC business plan typically delayed non-essential items like fertilizer, irrigation and mower parts, while demanding tim
