Jump to content
  • entries
    135
  • comments
    134
  • views
    532,549

About this blog

Paul MacCormack, Fox Meadow Golf Club, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Entries in this blog

Thanks a lot...

I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment. -- Henry David Thoreau   Last week I was fortunate enough to turn the big 4-0. Leading up to the day people asked how I felt about this milestone. My tongue and cheek response was usually the same, its better than the alternative. The line was said partly in jest, but in reality I secretly mea

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

The Joy of Greenkeeping

A few weeks back a good friend, Michael Vessely (Culver Academy) reminded me of someone special who has had a profound effect on my life. He was not someone I ever met in person, but nonetheless always felt a deep connection with. This person had that kind of effect on all those he touched, met, and taught. I’m speaking of cultural icon, instructional painter, and humanitarian, Mr. Bob Ross - creator and host of The Joy of Painting television show that aired for many years on PBS. You

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

A Shift is Happening...

It was no more than a whisper for years. But thanks to the courage of more and more people willing to speak out, the hushed tones are growing into an audible conversation. People who you never would have suspected are opening up to a new narrative. Those who have always felt strongly about it are speaking their minds and sharing with each other openly.  Mental well-being, stress management and mindfulness are beginning to take root in the turf industry.  This movement towards a more ho

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Things I'm pretty sure to be so...

In everyone's life they have a few core things they know in their heart of hearts to be so. I hesitate to use the word truth, because it can so often get twisted and deformed. One person's version of "truth" can be vastly different from someone else's, so for the purpose of this piece, we will leave that word alone.   In our industry there are also things that appear to be so. These things are not dogma, nor are they written in stone anywhere. They are simply things that I have noticed over th

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Hero’s Journey...

Like many of you I sat transfixed as Tiger Woods made his way to his unprecedented fifth Masters title. It was hard not to be swept away by the culmination of this archetypal hero’s journey and cheer him down the 18th fairway. It was great to see him don the green jacket once more, but more importantly it was really nice to see him happy. It wasn’t until after a recent conversation with my dear friend (a former Assistant Superintendent of mine) Robert McGregor a few days later, that the arc

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Back of the House

There has been a theory forming in my mind for a while now. It’s one of those connections that I have been subtly observing for a while now, but it wasn’t until this spring that it has emerged fully formed. The idea explores the overlay and the similarities between turf departments and restaurant kitchens. It may seem like an odd theme for a blog post but bear with me. Over the last couple of months our kitchen staff has suffered tremendously. We have been dealing with devastating personal

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Quiet Place...

Most supers I know have at least one special spot on their properties that is their quiet place. It usually has a nice view, is set apart from the line of play, and generally brings with it a sense of peace. I happen to have more than a few spots like that (I like to pause often) and I recently found myself in one of the more unique spots reflecting on this post. The spot I speak of is actually on an adjacent property to the golf course, but is used to be part of our operation. This propert

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

The “F Word”...

As I was scrolling through Twitter the other day I stumbled across this quote. I read it through and thought, hmmm, that makes sense. Then I foolishly realized that I had said it during an interview with my esteemed colleague and friend Frank Rossi earlier in the week. I don’t relay this to sound uppity or anything, just to make the point that even when one knows something to be so, they don’t always recognize it, even when it comes from their own mouth.  Frank and I were discussing a few d

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack in Introspection

Innie or Outie?

A couple weeks back our intrepid Maestro penned a thoughtful piece (Information overload and sensory flashbacks...). It was full of a lot of the wisdom and down home honesty that we have come to expect from Peter, but for me, it was also interesting to read between the lines a little.    I have been picking at a fascinating book called The Introvert Advantage, Making the Most of Your Hidden Strengths, by Marti Olsen Laney, Phy.D. The basic premise of the book is that once those who crave solitu

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Changing the View

“There is nothing so stable as change.” — Bob Dylan In our lives there isn’t much that’s predictable. The only thing we can count on for sure is that things change constantly. On many levels change is imperceptible. Thatch accumulation underneath a green surface, a tree growing a few inches at a time, a change in a belt notch or a hairline receding. The hum of daily life keeps these things in the background, hidden by our toils and troubles, joys and sorrows. Once in a while we all exp

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Safe Passage...

Take a moment to reflect on a major journey that you have embarked on. It could be anything at all really; from pursuing a lifelong dream or goal like growing and mowing grass for a living, conquering a  fear or barrier, or facing headlong into a major health crisis. You may even be in the midst of the journey at this very moment.  Allow yourself to pause and let the reflection permeate your consciousness… feel it in your bones and sit with it for a spell.  How do you process the idea

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Less is… Space

I’ve been thinking about less a lot lately. Exploring the idea of subtraction, but more so about the notion of addition by subtraction. Our culture seems bent on development, expansion and constantly adding to what already exists. Opposition to this idea can leave you in the company of a very small minority, but what about the virtues of simplicity, unlearning and removal? How many times in your life has taking something away left you with something far more precious and manageable? How many tim

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

New beginnings...

New year, new digs. A time for grabbing life by the horns and doing something that you've never done before. How about expanding the mind, breaking down thought barriers... that is what this blog is going to be all about. It will serve as a utility cart full of ideas, and not necessarily all new. Maybe some are the same ones you used to think about when you were a young lad or lassie walk mowing greens or hand watering for what seemed like forever. You know what I mean. We have all had thes

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack in Introspection

The devil is in...

I was fortunate enough to take a few days off last week and take a fall trip with my extended family. This trip has grown into an annual family ritual that we all enjoy. This years edition took to the beautiful town of Mahone Bay, located on the south shore of the province of Nova Scotia.     While it was great to get away and recharge a wee bit, there was something else that caught a great deal of my attention while in this town. Mahone Bay is an old town with a rich shipbuilding heritage.

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Support System ...

The practice of yoga has always fascinated me. The breath work, the mind/body connection, and the way it can absolutely destroy you without you leaving your mat.  Yoga has had a profound effect on my body and my well being. A key yoga lesson which has stayed with me over the years is that of support. A wise teacher once explained that when doing a pose, the primary source of strength doesn’t always come from the main body part you would assume it would. Instead, much of the strength and sta

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

A Grateful Pause...

I’ll start this post with a healthy dose of honesty. I’m tired. This year has been one chock full of a very many things, a lot of goodness, hardship, tough conversations, and wonderful connections. Now one could say, “well, that’s life”, and that is true… but 2019 was a solid one. As I sit down to write the last post of the year, I simply cannot deny the fact that the cumulative fatigue of the year has caught up with me.  When I find myself strung out, writing is tough. The flow of ideas an

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Only the Essentials...

“You must experiment. You do things in which you eliminate something that is perhaps essential, but to learn how essential it is you leave it out. The space then becomes very significant.” — Henry Moore A few weeks ago I was afforded a rare opportunity to step away from everything that I deem essential in my life. Work, phone, social media, my friends, my family (by far the most essential one… basically my life as I have come to know it. I wasn’t on a vacation per se, rather an intentional

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

The Year That Was...

“Don’t turn away. Keep your eyes on the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you.” — Rumi As this year that has felt like a decade draws to a close, it’s been interesting to watch and listen to how people are relating to it. The chorus of “good riddance”, “so done with 2020”, “2020 dumpster fire”, and “can’t wait for 2021” appear to be ringing out in unison. It seems like most people simply can’t wait to discard the year that was so we can “get back to normal.” It is incredib

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Forgive and forget...

"One forgives to the degree that one loves."  Francois de La Rochefoucauld    I had planned on a different post this week, but the recent death of Nelson Mandela changed my mind. I am not sure if there has been another person in my lifetime who has effected as much positive change as he did. He was many things to many people; a revolutionary, a saint, a shrewd politician... but for me personally his greatest lesson came in his ability to forgive.   Mandela spent 27 years of his life imprison

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Speak No Evil...

The words we use every day have a direct impact on how we think about things, and consequently our general outlook on life. Consider the following quote:   Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. - Mahatma Gandhi   Our language also directly affects others, in both good and bad ways. Words can be helpful and encouraging, but sometime

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Looking up...

The mentors in my life have been a strange lot, coming in all shapes and sizes. Some have been quiet, while others never shut up. Most of the lessons were of the hidden sort, revealing themselves over time rather than cracking me upside the head. They have all played a part in shaping my life thus far and, if I am lucky, will continue to do so.   As superintendents we all have had teachers and mentors along the way. They taught us the nuts and bolts of the turf industry and, if we were fortuna

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Easing In...

If you were to poll most superintendents and ask how they’ve fared over the last couple of years in this profession, no doubt the responses would be as varied as the different grasses we all manage. It’s been a mixed bag of never ending issues and demands, many of which are brand new to us. It would be safe to say that most have dealt with one or more (or all) of the following:  Furloughs and temporary closures  Deep labor issues (related to and independent of the first point)

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack in Introspection

For a limited time only...

This post may sound like a bit of a rant. Okay, it's a flat out rant a Wilberesque "if it did not happen in a research trial, it did not happen"-style rant, if you will.    My kids were asked by someone the other day if they were ready for school. It wasn't even August (unlike some parts of the southern US, here in the Maritimes we don't return to school until September). My youngest daughter was perplexed by the question and asked us afterwards why adults ask kids such silly questions. Unfort

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

The Real Deal...

The Ryder Cup was many things to many people, but for me it was the opportunity to see something up close that I have thought about a great deal. This blog has touched on many things and has hopefully created a balanced framework for many of us to look toward. But it wasn't until I got to spend a week at Hazeltine with Chris Tritabaugh and his crew, that I finally found what I have been searching for: a truly Mindful Superintendent. Chris embodies all of the traits that one would aim for if

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack

Open Week...

"Embrace the vulnerability of being human as a source of strength." -- Pema Chodron No, it wasn't this past week. It was actually the week before. One of our members took a serious health turn on the third hole and his playing partners brought him back to the clubhouse. It was one of those emergency events that you prepare for, hope never happens, and one that both my staff and I won't soon forget. We promptly called 911 and went into action responding to the situation, all the while keepin

Paul MacCormack

Paul MacCormack


×
×
  • Create New...