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"Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing" |
-Dave Barry |
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 As long as it meets his standards of excellence, of course. His passion for his work and the joys of being outdoors are key ingredients to his success. Here, he talks about what it takes to maintain a golf course and the pleasures of working in an industry he loves. I got involved in the golf business in 1981. I needed an after-school job and applied at a local nine-hole course. At 16, I was too young to work there, according to the owner. So I came back a year later and tried again. I ended up working for him for four years. It's where I began to learn about golf course maintenance. From what I remember and from pictures in the family album, I was around 6 or so the first time I picked up one of my dad's shortened clubs and hit balls into Lake Erie. I love being outside and was drawn to this field first as a golfer. I also knew that there were many activities necessary to maintain a golf course. I had a hunch that if I worked at a golf course, each day would be different from the last. I also was amazed at the things that could be done to different areas on the golf course to maintain them and to make them green. As director of agronomy I oversee the superintendents for the golf courses within Pacific Golf's portfolio, including El Rancho Verde, Shorecliffs, California Oaks and Cascades, which will reopen in spring 2008. While these superintendents are responsible for maintaining their own golf course, it is my responsibility to make sure that their course is in the best possible condition per their resources and company standards. Most of the time everything runs like clockwork, but sometimes an unexpected occurrence takes place and as a supervisor you must react quickly. When this happens it's the snap decision that could affect the golf course, an employee or a customer. You try to be prepared, but when something occurs you need to think smart and not relax your problem-solving skills. After such a long time in this business I think the one thing that has helped me most is listening to my supervisors coming up through the business. Right after college I had the opportunity to work for two experienced superintendents who taught me their methods for being successful as both a superintendent and a person. I spent as much time as I could listening and learning from them, knowing that I could follow in their footsteps if I had the opportunity. Even today I'll call them to get their opinion on an issue that I may have. They say you can't fool Mother Nature, but I enjoy changing the golf course for the better as much as possible. Being able to experiment with certain pesticides, mowing techniques and cultural practices is pure joy for me. It takes a lot of research before these changes are made. You don't want to create a long-term problem that could affect playability - and your career. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. Maintaining and being trusted with a multi-million dollar piece of land is something not everyone can handle. A superintendent wears many hats and it takes long days, hard work and learning from mistakes early in a career to be successful. I have the chance to play every day. But I'm just too busy. Since I don't play that much I'd say a fair handicap would be around 13 or 14. My best round ever was on one of the courses I was working on back in the Cleveland area. Quail Hollow Resort was home to one of the Hogan (now Nationwide) Tour events where the stars of today were no-names in the late 1980s. I shot a 77 on the par-72 layout and I still have the scorecard. I'd have to say my hole-in-one ball that I carded back in Ohio would be my most treasured golf possession. I only have one ace in all my years of playing and I still have the ball, along with the article that bears my name in the sports section. SG |
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