This is a confession: I have been the curmudgeonly, gruff old guy relentlessly holding on to the traditional, classic elements of golf. I have resisted the latest trends, marketing fads and new technology since the appearance of the golf cart. I fought the insanity of growing bent in The South, battled real estate course design, azalea overdose and the maniacal pursuit of stripes, checkerboards and argyle patterns burnt into bermuda choking overseed in lines so straight that astronauts notice
I recently had the good fortune of attending the movie The Giver with my oldest daughter, Maria. We had both read the book a couple of years back and were excited to see the show. Thankfully we were not disappointed. The story examines the basic human condition and how we go to extreme lengths to shield ourselves from pain and suffering. The lasting impact of this is that whenever we work hard to shelter ourselves from the pain of our emotions, we also end up cutting ourselves off from the best
Recently I have been working with the MetGCSA in rebuilding their online presence and ran across a great article from their award-winning Tee to Green publication archive. It deals with how technology has both saved and added time to the duties of the golf course superintendent.
This started me thinking about the daily routine of today's superintendent. Due to my work I am almost always in front of a computer all day, every day. I see a new technological advancement as saving me time. But f
Possibly, the two most consistent patterns I have noted through the years when participating in candidate interviews as a consultant to employing clubs have been:
Candidates devote roughly 80% of their submitted documents and interview presentation times to focusing on their past job performances.
Unfortunately, this leaves these same candidates only 20% of their interview time to effectively advise what they would do if selected for the vacant job; i.e.- the most vital information a search
The bad news is that due to inexperience many job applicants are not comfortable taking the initiative through the interview process. They are not used to talking about themselves nor of their value to others. Accordingly, they generally pay a price for this shortcoming.
However, the good news is that this is a correctable situation. Interviewing can be a stress-free process that candidates can learn to control from start to finish.
There are two separate approaches to quality-controllin
Each year I grow in respect and admiration for golf course superintendents as professionals. They are problem-solvers, perfection-seekers, nature-lovers, or avid golfers with interest in producing a golf playing surface. From Florida to Vancouver, Portland to Portland and beyond the border in Canada, Europe, Australia and South America, golf course superintendents are getting it done.
As an homage to my superintendent pals, I see trends in management and golfer demands that bug me. I know fo
Time for some agronomy. Talking and thinking about bent/poa or poa/bent greens here.
Maestro McCormick gave me a pointer to a good discussion going on in the TurfNet.com Forum. Here it is. And a special shoutout to topic starter Chuck Barber. Being brave enough to post your thoughts is how one gets max advantage out of this whole thing. I don't love lurkers. Posters get kisses. Topic starters who actually engage with real thoughts are big time crushes of mine. What I love is the diversity of
Mike Young is a golf course architect gifted with a realistic view of the golf business and a straightforward manner guaranteed to make the various alphabet organizations uncomfortable.
Mike's common sense approach will be familiar to a number of TurfNet members who lean toward a pragmatic, grass-roots sensibility in dealing with the current hysteria surrounding the health of golf.
"Straight Talk and Common Sense" is a Rockbottum CC series aimed at countering the storm of ad agency propa
Throughout my 25+ year career only about one in four of the 100+ plans of action I have reviewed for my client clubs through the years passed muster and earned their job applicant authors short-list hiring consideration.
Yet, all 37 candidate superintendents (i.e.- 100%) that I have personally counseled through the job application process and who submitted quality action plans were hired -- competing against fields that averaged +/- 35 job applicants. How does this universal record of succes
I have been puzzled in recent years why so many job applicants have consistently failed to include definitive "career mission" statements within their documentation (cover letter, etc.) when seeking a new job. I believe the fundamental reason for this consistent oversight has been because candidates fail to see the role taking the initiative must play within a successful job application process. (See June 26, 2014 blog.)
"Candidate initiative" which starts with a take-charge cover letter (se
I was recently given the opportunity to sit down for an interview for a podcast on career materials with fellow TurfNet member Randy VanderVaate. Randy is currently the Vice President of Agronomy at Century/Palmer Golf and creates a weekly podcast to provide superintendents with a discussion on varying topics that will help grow their lives and careers to the next level. I've known Randy for years now and he is always trying to help those in the industry and give back where he can, so I was happ
To my continuing surprise, a vast majority of the country's golf course superintendents are working today without a definitive job description - not realizing that working without a comprehensive job description is a high-risk venture. This is because superintendents' jobs remain undefined without a job description, which means they can be held accountable and become job vulnerable for work they were never assigned; i.e.- a problem that surfaces mostly when either the position of green committee
Now that all the business magazine experts have pronounced golf dead and shoveled dirt upon us, the powerful intellects sequestered at Rockbottum CC will weigh in with a little actual common sense.
Here at Fox Meadow we have what I am sure is not a unique problem. Back when the course was built the original owner had a vision for a grand clubhouse and grounds. No expense was spared including a large number of elaborate gardens, a beautiful fountain feature, and a fantastic view of the Charlottetown harbor. Undoubtedly it makes a great first impression of the property, but not much forethought was given to the cost of long term maintenance.
Fast forward 15 years. Our program to mainta
It should be abundantly clear that engaging attorneys for counseling purposes, or to gain access to the courts of law essentially has been a futile exercise for golf course superintendents from Day One because superintendents will:
Always have difficulty finding, engaging and affording qualified attorneys.
Always be facing the likelihood of defeat in any serious legal entanglement because employer clubs will always be able to comfortably out-wait and out-spend them.
Always have difficulty mov
In this short film, Mark Hoban discusses test plots and Elly May biscuits.
Robert Womac of Golf Agronomics drops by to educate me about invisible topdressing and also knocks Ken Mangum off his "Best Hair In The Golf Industry" throne.
I love reading Frank Rossi's blog.
I don't always agree, but I love the way he invokes thinking and the way he passionately grabs information and makes total slaw out of it. It's an immaculate process.
His latest blog post on TurfNet.com is just such proof. And for the record, I would love to have been the guy carrying the camera cases for these two so they could invoke the Ancient Italian Art of Talking With Hands. I know Dan Dinelli. I spent a day with him a few years back and my head
The issue of 'confidentiality' discourages many employed superintendents from seeking new jobs because they are fearful of putting their present jobs at risk any time they apply for a job despite submitting their applications on a 'confidential' basis. And rightfully so! Where does the problem originate?
The blame for disclosure does not generally lie within the various search committees because they are consistently made up of private sector business people used to routinely working with an
