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
The story of how TurfNet.com came to be comes to life as I interview founder and creator, Peter McCormick.
In a day and age when new things that actually work are rare, Peter McCormick talks about how TurfNet came to be. It's a great story in thinking way outside the box. It also shows what not worrying about what everyone else is doing can do for creativity. If you haven't heard Peter's entire story, this podcast will give you the 411 on one of the most influential people in the Turfgrass B
Superintendents No.1 Asset: Their Work Ethic
Ask the average golfer, or the country's many superintendents themselves, "What is the golf course superintendents' Number One Asset?" The answers that come forth cover a wide variety of skills (communications skills, technical expertise, quality greens, etc.) all of which with the best of intentions miss the mark.
A consensus of industry-wide opinion suggests that what separates the core of golf course superintendents' performance from virtually
On December 20, Rockbottum CC Films will be ten years old.
For the last few weeks, we have been holding a virtual film festival to display a few of our favorite films.
Today we present "Golf Techno-Phobia", as our grand prize winner. This film not only summarizes the Rockbottum Theory of Golf, but manages to stir in our fear that technology has run amok and brought a new level of "sissification" to golf.
I have often repeated the wise words of A.W. Tillinghast regarding "the ideal
Outreach programming is the most vital service an organization can provide its employees or members because it redirects careers, stabilizes families and ensures that there will always be "career hope" through the most difficult of times. Outreach programming permeates the corporate and military worlds of employment for a good reason.
DEFINING THE CONCEPT
Outreach is a counseling program provided by employers, or their affiliates, where trained counselors support employees in the following
Join me as I interview Golf Course Superintendent Josh Lewis and talk about the 2015 US Open.
Episode #12 of the TZP goes deep diving with Josh Lewis. From starting out in the business in Oregon, working at the famed Bandon Dunes Resort, moving on to Pasatiempo CC and then to Chambers Bay... the site of the 2015 US Open, we cover Josh's footsteps. And we go deep into the backstory of Chamber's Bay.
Josh has an easy style. And we think you will love this interview as much as he loves the
Golf course architect Jim Urbina is one of those people that has been making it happen for 25 years in the industry. Jim's no nonsense style and dedicated study of the classics of golf course architecture make him one of the most interesting people in the world of golf design.
Jim talks about his growing understanding of the relationship between golf course designer and golf course superintendent. His care for restoration of classic design is spiced with his care for the maintenance of the p
Rockbottum CC welcomes Oscar The Yellow Lab to the TurfNet family.
Meet Oscar in this short film that also questions the credibility of internet science.
Most people are already well aware of several areas that landscaping is used for the common good. Most landscapes are interested in planting trees, shrubs and flowers in order to support their surrounding ecosystems. Landscaped areas, certainly including golf courses and sports fields, are well known for their ability to decrease pollution and other environmental benefits. The mental well-being of visitors and patrons can be much improved by exposure to the natural environment we all work in and
Andrew Hardy is one of my favorite communicators in the world of turfgrass. Drop in on a great and personal conversation with me and Andrew as we turn some stones!
Online dating for Superintendents? Check. GrassGoober Catfishing? Check. Owners causing the business grief? Check. Andrew and I get to a bunch of great conversation. If you don't know Andrew this is one of those people you need to know. Check out his Blog here or follow him on twitter @byandrewhardy
And don't forget to follow
The best minds of TurfNet have recently converged on the AGCS/Workforce problem facing golf, determined to offer a solid solution.
High-powered brains like Chris Tritabaugh, Dave Wilber, Brian Nettz, Matt Leverich, Ken Thompson, Brian Benedict and his ownself, Peter McCormick, have all stepped into the fray.
With the sharpest minds we have working hard to create a productive dialogue, it's only fair we should allow the dullest mind to weigh in . . . sort of a neural counterbalance.
A long-standing axiom that is consistently noticed by knowledgeable sports fans and beyond states that established NFL coaches have the equivalent personal skill sets as Fortune 500 Company CEOs.
Accordingly, in this hypothetical world, it is believed that proven NFL coaches are equipped to successfully manage the worlds most dynamic companies given the same preparatory educational opportunity the CEOs have had.
Informed golf industry watchers familiar with the above premise consistentl
This is going to be the second installment in a series that I meant to finish a couple of years ago (I can't actually believe that it has been that long). The irony of this delay will soon become very evident.
The second demon that we are going to deal with is a sly one indeed. Most times this behavior becomes so habitual that we don't even notice that we partake at all. It can cause untold amounts of worry and anxiety, and can tear at the fabric of our confidence. Many of us that have this
In October, the FAA announced a drone operator had been fined $1.9 million for "reckless" operations.
Drones will now be registered, so the FAA will know who to send to Gitmo when some doofus flying a drone in restricted airspace knocks down an airliner.
I know this is entirely possible, because for several years prior to the birth of the stabilized quadcopter, I experimented with various remote control (RC) aerial camera platforms. As a registered doofus, (RD) I crashed them all, into
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, I chat with Professor Scott McElroy of Auburn University about herbicide resistance concerns for golf turf management and annual bluegrass control in particular.
To download this episode, click here.
Join me and Armen Suny as we take a deep dive into the world of job searches and job interviews.
Episode 10 of The Turfgrass Zealot Project is not short on passion. Both Armen Suny and I really want you to succeed in your career goals. Handling the job search and the job interview is key to making that happen. Learn some incredible techniques and be reminded of some very simple things that could put you in the position you want to be in. There's a lot of mistakes being made out there
