Member takes on golf advocacy in New York

Among the attendees at the CNYGCSA August meeting was Ian Daniels from Teugega CC in Rome, New York. I had visited Daniels in June and we had discussed his becoming a Grassroots Ambassador, a role which he later accepted. I learned on the Monday of the CNYGCSA event that his visit with Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-22 NY), once cancelled, had been rescheduled to the following day. I offered to join Daniels for his visit, and he seemed happy to agree.

It didn’t take long to learn that Tenney was an avid golfer from a family of avid golfers, multiple year club champion (nine years) at nearby Yahnundasis Golf Club, and even one time club champion at Daniels’ own Teugega CC. While much of the meeting revolved around golf and area golfers, Daniels touched on the Grassroots Ambassador program and his role as a resource for the Representative Tenney and staff on issues facing our industry now, and in the future. WOTUS and labor items in Tenney’s leave-behind package were discussed. Both items are important to Tenney and we shed light on the significance of each to GCSAA members near and far. Tenney stated that she was a co-sponsor of a bill which would enable seasonal workers on permits to remain in the U.S. if they could retain employment with another sector in need of seasonal labor. It was a very good visit with a congress member who supports our sport and industry.

Daniels did an excellent job interacting with Rep. Tenney, and will undoubtedly be more effective as he works with the congresswoman and staff moving forward. Soon after the meeting, Daniels followed up with a thank you letter to the Congresswoman and her staff. Rep. Tenney responded with a sincere and thoughtful note remarking on her appreciation for the game of golf, the carefully managed landscapes on which it is played, and the character traits it instills in all who enjoy the game. She was very appreciative of Daniels proactively reaching out to connect and discuss issues important to superintendents and looked forward to future interactions.

And that is precisely why GCSAA’s Grassroots Ambassador program was developed – to establish critical working relationships between superintendents and members of Congress.

Impacting our communities through outreach and education

In my travels around the Northeast and throughout the country, I’ve noted that the status of the golf industry continues to be a hotbed topic of conversation. As an industry, we are continually addressing issues related to the environment, player growth, agronomic practices, regulatory pressures and many others, but we have always been united in our support of outreach and education. Our commitment is evident in countless community and national programs and strengthened immeasurably by the involvement of every golf professional, facility and allied organization.

The success of the 2017 National Golf Day exemplifies the value of collaboration within our industry and the progress that can be achieved by working together. While this massive undertaking every year encompasses all the allied groups we are most familiar with: CMAA, GCSAA, NGCOA, PGA TOUR, The PGA of America, USGA, U.S Golf Manufacturers Council and the World Golf Foundation, it is important to understand that they are not the only ones benefitting or advocating for our game and turfgrass management.

Below is a small collection of initiatives that too often fly under the radar but with further support, could be even more amazing and beneficial to all of us who love the game.

Wee One Foundation

The Wee One Foundation was founded in 2004, when friends of Wayne Otto, CGCS, banded together to financially assist him in his battle with cancer. Wayne was a pioneer in the turf industry, always searching for new and better ways to produce a finer playing surface. As Wayne learned more about his disease, he applied those same pioneering principles to overcome his illness.

Through the perseverance and hard work of several of Wayne’s friends, a mission was developed to help those in need. Founded on the principle of assisting golf course management professionals (or their dependents) who incur overwhelming expenses due to medical hardship or who are without comprehensive insurance or adequate financial resources, the Foundation has evolved into a cause that goes way beyond its initial reason for existence.

Since its inception, the Wee One Foundation has gifted over $1,000,000 to those in need. The foundation raises money through its membership, golf outings and sponsorships.

If you need help or know someone who does, visit the foundation's website. 

The First Green

The First Green is an innovative environmental education outreach program that uses golf courses as environmental learning labs. The program has extensive resources for golf course superintendents, including online lesson plans, and facilitates connections between golf courses and local schools and science/horticulture teachers.

Golf superintendents, course staff and/or local industry representatives (such as regional associations and members) host students on field trips, where they test water quality, collect soil samples, identify plants, preserve wildlife habitats, assist in stream-bed restoration and learn about the ecology, conservation and environmental aspects of golf courses. The kids also visit the practice green or hit balls at the driving range – giving them their first taste of the game.

First Green has been providing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning labs since 1997. To learn more about The First Green, or to read about a 2013 field trip, visit The First Green or the Connecticut Clippings newsletter.

Project Evergreen

Project EverGreen is a national non-profit organization committed to creating a greener, cooler earth by supporting the creation, renovation and revitalization of managed recreational and athletic green spaces that result in healthier, happier people. Initiatives include GreenCare for Troops, SnowCare for Troops and “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.”

Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops and SnowCare for Troops programs provide complimentary lawn and landscape services, and snow and ice removal services for the families of currently deployed military personnel, as well as post 9/11 disabled veterans with a service-connected disability.

Studies confirm there is significant value in having children spend time outdoors playing, and Project EverGreen’s “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” has its sights set on restoring and revitalizing green spaces, including sports fields and parks, for children to play, exercise and connect.

To learn more and find out how you can participate, visit the Project EverGreen website.

The Grass Roots Initiative

The U.S. National Arboretum's Grass Roots Initiative is a four-year, in-depth look at the science behind this familiar, but often misunderstood landscape plant.  

The exhibit opened in October 2014 with 12 interactive displays, and two more were added the following year. Each section provides information about the uses of turfgrass, its importance to modern society, its history and best management practices for maintenance. Among the displays are a compact golf hole, sports fields, lawn areas with swards of six warm-season and four cool-season turfgrass species, more than 30 different ornamental grass species, and a rain garden showing the ability of grass to absorb water and nutrients.

Learn more about the National Arboretum’s turf display.

Please understand that this is not a plea to support each of the above initiatives. In some form or fashion, GCSAA already has a relationship with these groups, so you as members do too! This information is offered simply to keep you informed of the resources available to you and benefitting you. 

Should you need help as you get started growing the game by hosting a local school, or working to benefit a local service member, just understand you are not alone. There are resources and people ready, able and quite willing to assist you in achieving your goal. Now you know who and how to ask!

New Jersey’s king of hospitality

Ken Kubik, CEO of Grass Roots Turf Products, was an integral part of last week’s 2017 U.S. Women’s Open for many hard-working individuals.  Kubik oversaw the grounds department hospitality, ensuring meals, uniforms, housing and many of the day-to-day needs for more than 80 people were met.

“I used to be called chairman, but there was no one under me, so we dropped the chairman,” explains Kubik.  The ten-to-twelve previous months of planning have been filled with soliciting donations from vendors, rounding up volunteers, and eventually overseeing the grounds hospitality area during the event.

When asked how Kubik became involved with the Women’s Open, Trump National Bedminster Director of Grounds Rob Wagner explains, “we’ve been friends for a long time.  I don’t think either of us asked each other.  It was just assumed.  Not, ‘hey do you want to do it?’, but, ‘when are we starting?’”

Wagner says Kubik’s efforts made a tremendous impact on the success of the grounds department.
“He’s got a ton of experience doing this.  The direction, keeping the timeline and moving [the process] the way it’s supposed to.  If he wasn’t around, everything would have been last minute.  We would have put the golf course first.  He took a lot of the angst off of us.”

This is the tenth time that Kubik has managed the volunteer and hospitality operations for a large tournament.  He enjoys doing it more now than ever because “I get to utilize all the experience I’ve gained doing this over the last 20 years.”

With nearly a full year of hard work involved in preparing and executing the hospitality duties, it leads to the question: why do it?

Kubik’s answer is simple: “The hospitality area is meant to be a ‘thank you’ for these guys for the enormous sacrifices they make by being here.  Besides their skilled work [and] the horrible hours they put in – before four in the morning to up to ten or eleven at night – they volunteer to do this.  They don’t get paid.  The fraternal nature of this industry is a big attribute.”

The "thanks" don’t end there.  Kubik puts a big emphasis on ensuring that the vendor sponsors are secured early, and get as many accolades as possible all year long across as many forms of media as possible.  Sponsors are the key. “If we can’t make expenses we wouldn’t have this extraordinary hospitality area.”

Wagner had a unique opportunity that he used to thank his hospitality leader. “He (Kubik) went on vacation and was gone for quite a while.  He hadn’t been home yet and I wanted to surprise him.  We had an opportunity to go and visit Marine One in a hanger somewhere and I know he loves stuff like that.  I asked him, ‘I need you for something, can you come over?’ Before he even went home to see his wife, he came right here no questions asked.  That’s the kind of guy he is.”

Kubik’s reaction, “it was awesome.  We were told we could take pictures but couldn’t tell anyone where or put them on social media until Monday [four days later]. That was so cool that I told them I’d even wait until Tuesday!”

While the structure of this event offers no financial assistance from the host organization, dollars from previous hospitality endeavors not spent have been donated to area turf and golf foundations, including the EIFG. Through Kubik’s efforts, the hospitality donations have exceeded $100,000 in total over his years of service.

The Northern Trust – formerly The Barclays – will return to Ridgewood CC in Paramus, New Jersey during the 2018 season.  Will Kubik be back in his role as “Mr. Hospitality” (so named by Baltusrol’s Director of Grounds Mark Kuhns, CGCS)?  That remains to be seen.  But if I were a vendor in New Jersey, I would be looking for sponsorship information in my email inbox right after the 2017 Women’s Open champion holes out her last putt on Sunday!

Welcome to the Maine event: Pesticides

While Montgomery County, Maryland, continues to stay in the national pesticide-ban spotlight, the battle persists for the use of pesticides in the state of Maine. One of only seven without statewide preemption of pesticides, the state has seen environmental advocates continue to march town to town with their message. Amid all the meetings, emotion and noise, one well-placed voice was heard. That message started the next chapter in the Maine pesticide saga: legislation for state preemption of pesticides.

Information began flooding email inboxes on a Friday, stating that there would be public testimony to the Maine legislative state and local committee on the governor’s bill LD 1505. This preemption bill would give the state the sole authority to authorize pesticide application.  The messages noted that the meeting would be on Monday. How did this come about? Would the very quick turnaround be a good or bad thing? Two questions that could only be answered in Augusta on that Monday.

The one voice that led to the governor’s bill was indeed well-placed. We all learned that Jane D’Andrea, wife of GCSAA Class A member David D’Andrea at Sable Oaks GC, was the person who wrote a letter to the governor asking for assistance. A follow-up from the governor’s office and further connections with David led to LD 1505.

South Portland City Counil's first reading of its pesticide ban ordinance, which was later amended to include the AI Certification carve out for Sable Oaks GC.

The quick turnaround assisted tilting the number of attendees in favor of the preemption legislation. Many Maine GCSA members were in attendance, including Jesse O’Brien, MGCSA pesticide affairs committee chair, and David and Jane D’Andrea. D’Andrea’s testimony was very important, as Sable Oaks GC in South Portland, Maine, is the only non-municipal golf facility currently covered by a town pesticide ban ordinance. A portion of his testimony tells the story:

“The property sits on about 100 acres of land in what is ultimately one of the most, if not the most developed area in the state. It is a lush and green habitat that is home for a surprising amount of wildlife. The birds and animals that live there are thriving and safe from all things including hunters, cars, and pesticides. The water that meanders through our property is clean and heavily monitored by the Long Creek Restoration group. The only opportunity that the City Council gave us to maintain our regular care of the course, which does include safe and proper use of some pesticides, is to become a Certified Audubon Sanctuary. This is a very involved and expensive task and much more complicated than it may sound. It is, however, likely that we will be able to achieve this designation by the end of the year 2018, thus enabling us to maintain the course properly.”

The committee held two additional work sessions, where no further comments could be given.  Despite the best efforts of the attendees and public testimony (like D’Andrea’s) in favor of the legislation, Maine’s strong desire to preserve self-rule over state sanctions carried. The committee voted unanimously that the bill “ought not to pass.”

Maine GCSA vendor member Jesse O'Brien of DownEast Turf testifies in favor of state preemption of pesticide application.

With approximately 30 individual town ordinances covering pesticides to some degree, the failure of preemption and the persistence of ban advocates will no doubt continue to muddy the regulatory water. Just as likely, members of the Maine GCSA will fight for a seat at the table, engage where possible and stand by the environmental stewardship of the golf industry.

Take advantage of the opportunity to get involved

If there is one consistent part of our industry, it is transition.  Seasons change both environmentally and within the business of being a superintendent.  We are transitioning out of a busy education season into facilities opening, handling staff and weather challenges, and chapter meeting and events.  Just because golf begins doesn’t mean education is put on hold.

In a conversation with one superintendent, he told me that attends almost every meeting and plays golf when he attends.  “I always try to take three things back to my facility from every meeting.”  He explained that through education offerings, conversations with peers, and paying attention to the maintenance practices on a colleague’s course, the fact is, he never struggles to find three items to justify his attendance.  He also makes a point to discuss what he learned with his employer.  “We host a chapter education event every year, so my boss understands there is more to our job than standard agronomic practices.  He sees that we learn from each other.”

I have seen meeting attendance increase slightly at chapter events across the region in the last couple years.  Chapter boards continue to look for a magic bullet to drive you, the members, to meetings.  If there was one, they would have been using it! I’ve written about it before in this newsletter: all attendees are a resource for others.  The value to all members is increased by your attendance!

That point was driven home at a recent chapter strategic planning session.  This chapter will be looking to engage members who they have not seen at a meeting or event in a while.  It will not be an easy goal to achieve.  The board is convinced that members who attend a meeting find more value in their association, and are more inclined to engage other chapter events.  The board understands that they must reach out, and actively promote and invite members to attend.  Has anyone done that for you lately?  Would you come to at least one more meeting if someone asked directly if you would attend?

Another colleague spent a long portion of a visit telling me how golf course superintendents need to play the game of golf.  We should understand the rules, be aware of course markings, engage our customers and members and discuss the sport on every level.  We are employed because of the game of golf; explain to those you answer to how important it is to attend meetings and play

There will always be one or more reasons to not go to a chapter meeting.  If you attend regularly, thank you.  I know I have benefitted because you were a part of the event.  If you have not made a meeting in a while, please consider breaking that habit even just one time this year.  Someone will benefit from information you share, and I am willing to bet that you will gain a lot from being there, no matter where “there” is!

Two magic words

As a parent of nearly 17 years, I have advocated for my children to understand the reason for, and utilize, two simple words: thank you. While they may use those words to be polite, or recognize a small token or gesture, it makes me as a parent proud to hear them verbalized. My hope is the person receiving the thanks appreciates it as well. Two people benefitting from one simple recognition. Is it really as simple as that?

It might just be. Think of your prior supervisors and think of the way they recognized you and others. There are a million different ways to operate, lead, and interact with those around us, but my guess is that we think first of the person who had a positive impact on you because of the positive culture they provided. I often pontificate about culture, and will not do so again this time, however I do want you to think of the number of times those impactful leaders utilized the words thank you. One supervisor who made a tremendous impression on me during my (many) college years made it a priority to use both “please” and “thank you”. So much so that you had to notice. Working third shift cleaning university buildings was nearly as thankless as it got, except the supervisor made it a point to recognize the efforts of the staff at every turn.

Recognizing your staff with simple, respectful use of “please” and “thank you” may go a long way. We are always striving to improve our facilities, and our staff plays the most significant part in achieving those improvements. Asking staff to be mindful of trash, use caution while turning equipment due to environmental conditions, and requesting they stay longer to complete tasks that will make improvements are often inherent requests in our daily duties. They may even know the communication is coming. If it comes following the word “please” and, upon completion of the task, is noted with a “thank you” in recognition, we get back to the previous notion of two benefiting from one simple verbal effort. Did you appreciate that they completed the task? Will they be glad that it was recognized? If the answer is yes, then your words made a significant difference.

While pizza, swag, and time off are often viewed as exceptional recognition of a job well done, don’t overlook the power of well-intentioned words. Note the “well-intentioned” portion of the previous sentence. While sticks and stones may break bones, words given in a tone less than genuine can change your recognition from positive to negative in a hurry. Those words may end up hurting you. Being polite builds respect, and recognition is a driver of employee motivation and success. Make it a priority and let me know how it works for you!

To those who allow me to write in this newsletter, and all of you who read my newsletter content, thank you. I truly appreciate the opportunity to contribute and hope you enjoy the content.

2016 ramblings

Typically, my newsletter offering is an article on one particular topic. I’ve covered a lot of topics through my tenure and have your newsletter editor and board to thank for the opportunity. Of the many outreaches I make and member needs that I address or forward, my newsletter input garners the most member feedback! Full disclosure: I have low standards. When I am told, “I see your mug everywhere,” I take that as a compliment and add that to the “I like your newsletter input” column. While that might be a stretch, it is the column that is always full. I have gotten requests from members about topics, and have written about them, so if you have any topic you would like covered, please let me know and I will do my best. This particular issue is more of a rambling: some small topics that I have come across that might not warrant full-page attention.

Researchers continue to deliver valuable information on turf types that can make a positive impact on our courses and environment. “Tolerant” and “resistant” are words that make pathologists worth their weight in gold, and get the immediate attention of superintendents. If sociologists could study how to make club members and golfers more tolerant and less resistant, we might have a good thing going! Superintendents in the region dealt with a very difficult 2016 turf season, and I take my hats off to you all, but overwhelmingly I am told that it was communication that got them through. The tools that were used may have been different, but the result was nearly always the same: the less water being used on the turf, the more communication it took to manage the important decision makers at the facility. Congratulations to those that did both well.

All politics are local. That is not an earth-shattering statement. But 2016 brought more and more political pressure, aimed at golf specifically, around the region. Water has been in the limelight, but nutrients, pollinators, and pesticide issues have been prevalent as well. Superintendents have worked to educate on each item across many fronts. Bob Searle in Maine, Ken Lallier, CGCS and Kevin Komer, CGCS in Vermont, Greg Cormier, CGCS and Peter Rappoccio, CGCS in Massachusetts, Jim Ritorto in Rhode Island, Peter Gorman and Scott Ramsay, CGCS in Connecticut and many more superintendents and valued vendors have worked hard to push back against regulations and legislation that would make our day-to-day jobs more difficult. Times have changed, and with that, so has our role in the golf industry. We all need to be vigilant and advocate in support of our role as environmental stewards. For all of you that have gotten involved at any level, with efforts big or small, thank you.

Finally, I want to add this last note. It was something that was not in my original article but having heard this from another superintendent, I thought it relevant. Superintendents and many facilities graciously offer our peers in the profession the opportunity to play golf for free. This is a privilege, not a right; no facility is forced to do so. Our industry operates using a code of ethics. The GCSAA has them as part of membership and you attest to having read them when you join. Many local chapters maintain a code of ethics standard as well. Having to contact the host superintendent to alert them that you will be on the property is part of these codes. This does not put the host superintendent into a position to alter his daily routines, change management practices, or ensure that every putt a colleague makes go in. What it does do is offer the simple courtesy of alerting your host that you will be there. I have never heard that an outreach to a colleague has led to rose pedals being placed at the visitor’s feet upon making their way to the first tee. What I have heard many times is the extreme frustration of a host in finding out that a colleague has been on property without notifying the host. Please consider this when making plans to visit another golf course. While the upside may be small, the downside could may make an impact on how you are viewed by your peers. Golf is a sport of integrity; ensure you keep yours intact.

A rewarding internship program

It was a pleasure to join the Baltusrol Director of Grounds and GCSAA past president Mark Kuhns, CGCS, along with his staff, Upper Course superintendent James Devaney and Lower Course (Championship Course) superintendent Dan Kilpatrick for the 2016 PGA Championship. I found my eight days to be extremely busy, fun, and very rewarding. While I hope my tasks were helpful to the grounds leaders and staff, I would like to explain more about the people involved than the challenges of preparation on the course.

Kuhns is not unlike many long time superintendents in this industry: He has touched the lives of many professionals through the years and developed a turf family tree of sorts. Most of those on the grounds team for the 2016 PGA Championship were members of that family. While stops at Laurel Valley, Oakmont, and Baltusrol may lead you to believe building this tree has come easy, I can say with certainty that has not been the case.

Kuhns and his senior staff work hard to populate a very rewarding internship program. They must engage universities and students, try to offer great benefits and opportunities, and deliver an experience that will enable those who take part to be successful in the future, just like many of you strive to do. Kuhns is a Penn State graduate (and very proud of it). It is a relationship he utilizes. The GCSA of New Jersey has a tremendous relationship with Rutgers, which he uses to recruit. Kuhns is an active member of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA), so he strives to engage turf students from across Canada to join him for the summer. None of this happens without lots of time and effort. Believe it or not, he continually struggles to fill his intern staff year after year.

How might his program differ? Kuhns makes continuing education a priority for his interns. They attend the annual Rutgers field day, building on their turf school knowledge. Kuhns engages local affiliates to provide beneficial information to his interns on site, adding to those educational offerings. He and the staff cross train the interns on as many on-course duties as possible, broadening their hands-on knowledge base as much as possible.

Offering opportunities like these to your intern may take resources that are not available to you, and that is understandable. Housing, travel expenses, and the loss of a valued staff member for critical times during the summer season might be beyond your facilities ability. Are you focusing on what you can offer? Could you engage your affiliates for educational opportunities at your course? Is it possible for you to take your intern to a UMass or UConn field day? What about an opportunity to introduce your intern to peers at a chapter meeting or other networking event? Can you utilize the successes of your past interns to engage potential new ones? Do you keep in touch with past interns and assist them in furthering their careers, if applicable?

Kuhns success in building an internship program paid dividends at the 2016 PGA Championship. GCSAA documented some of the stories of this success:

• Class in session at Baltrusol
• Major Dan
• Return engagement
• Making her mark

Plan to compost your leaves this fall

And there you have it: the season has changed. Gone are the 90-degree days and 80-percent humidity, and now come the days with moderate temperature and cool and frosty nights. Of the many seasons in New England, this one seems to be the favorite of the golf course superintendent. With mud season, black fly season and syringe season in the past, now begins leaf season and the challenges it brings. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when considering your leaf management strategies:

What do you do with the leaves you harvest off of the golf course? Leaf litter can be added to other course debris to make an excellent compost material. Shredded leaves with untreated grass clippings make an excellent start, with many other options that may be available.

The sustainability session at the 2016 Golf Industry Show was an excellent opportunity for superintendents to trade ideas, one of which was composting. (Side note: Utilizing waste from the food and beverage and on-course containers was an initiative undertaken by one presenter). While actively managing a compost pile will significantly decrease the time needed to achieve a nutrient rich product that can be utilized on your property, even an unmanaged process will eventually be beneficial. Think of the yards of leaves you manage to maintain playability returning to the course as deep rich compost! Site selection and protection of water resources also play a big role in mindful composting. It would be a great project for an ambitious assistant or incoming intern. For more about composting, visit the UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment resources page on Organic Waste Management.

While composting may not work within your leaf management strategy, one item to be aware of when blowing leaves to tree lines or property edges is the environment that this litter establishes. Often researched as a wonderful overwintering site for annual bluegrass weevils, it may also be contributing to an increase in tick populations. Last year, Joellen Lampman, School and Turfgrass IPM Extension Support Specialist with the New York State IPM program, reached out to golf courses in her region to study the effects of different leaf management practices and the relationship on the tick population. An unseasonably warm winter in 2015-2016 led to an explosion in the tick population this year, and hopefully some additional research will assist golf courses to develop strategies to manage both leaves and ticks successfully! If you think your leaf litter strategy might be creating increased spring tick population issues, Lampman included some information on testing your site for ticks in her Community IPM fact sheet. Keeping ourselves, staff and golfers safe is always a priority and easy.

Whether blowing, mowing, or picking them up, leaves create an additional labor constraint on our budgets and inconvenience to our golfers. By developing a sustainable composting practice, the property could benefit greatly from the reuse of an otherwise undesirable byproduct. With research, we can also gain a better understanding of the implications of our management strategies on non-desirable species. Best of luck with leaf season, and as we have all come to learn here in New England, keep your eyes on the cars around you when on the roads. Leaf peepers make very poor drivers!

Work-life balance: yesterday and today

Hopefully at this time of year you are enjoying some much needed time off, followed by a stretch of workload that falls well below the typical summer stress line. The nature of this profession allows us to build a seasonal quality of life that often leads to a matching imbalance. Experienced superintendents and industry workers have developed a network of supporters and a system of routines to deal with the nature of the job. How did you accomplish those tasks? If you are like me when I was new to the industry, you worked hard for a very long time to adjust, and those closest to you, friends and family, needed to adjust with you to strike that balance. What about your new employees, who is assisting them to find a balance? What steps are being taken to at your facility to help employees be as successful outside of the workplace as they are within?

There are often similar steps taken to acclimate new employees into the team at your facility. Training and encouragement bolstered by proper compensation and benefits are basic tools to get the process moving. Recognition and empowerment by you and staff can increase the likelihood of a new employee succeeding as part of a team within the workplace. What steps are taken to help with the work-life balance beyond the out-of-bounds stakes?

I continue to hear of younger, talented professionals moving out of the industry to different careers. While lack of upward job mobility may well be a reason, don’t overlook the difficulty of work-life balance. Traits of the younger generations do little to mirror the needs and historical workload of our industry. How would you describe the hours you put in at the course when you began? Would all day-every day be accurate? Time and flexibility are a priority to the employees entering our industry. As much as we value our personal time and family needs, the younger generations entering the workforce most likely will have to have it. Flexibility may well be the key to making that happen. Working sun-up to sun-down is more indicative of a superintendent’s passion than a profession. Developing the golf industry as a passion may not happen in the first week, month or year. By then, the work-life balance may well be out of whack. Do you make it clear what the expectations are when they begin? Your recognition of their needs, and their understanding of your expectations should be on the table at the start. Can you be creative enough in scheduling for a promising young turf talent to thrive and attain that passion that drives us all?

Leadership and motivation are important tools of successful superintendents, and understanding generational traits of employees can assist with their use. Encouraging employees to be creative, empowering them to utilize their talents, and respecting them as people will go a long way towards their inclusion as a team member. Just knowing that what they value most could be the one thing that creates success for a new hire. While personal time might be the hardest item to provide, it may just end up being the most critical to your people.

Are you ready to save a life?

I had just arrived at Long Meadow Golf Club for the GCSA of New England board meeting in advance of the nine-hole golf and membership meeting.  I was in a great mood as the facility holds a special place in my past.  I had caddied in the Lowell (MA) City Tournament for a family friend in my youth (about a thousand years ago), and grew up not too far away in Dracut, Massachusetts.  Oh, and it wasn’t far from home.

The buzzing noise going off in the lounge area when I walked in was, well, alarming!  As the door closes behind me, a staff member scurries past on his way onto the golf course carrying an automated external defibrillators (AED).  Another staff member can be heard telling someone on the phone “we have a man down.”  Minutes later, an ambulance can be seen following a utility vehicle onto the property.

I was to learn later that it was a well-liked, long time member who went into cardiac arrest on the first hole.  He was in “touch-and-go” condition when the ambulance finally left. 

My thoughts were with him the entire day, and still are as I write this article, but I am not looking to dwell on the seriousness of the member’s health issue.  What I do want to elaborate on are a few key items that may have saved his life:

The alarm:  There was no doubt about what was happening.  The alarm was indeed to alert staff that there was an emergency taking place. 

The plan: One of the Long Meadow board members joined our group after the meeting portion had concluded and we had a chance to chat.  It was then that I learned that Long Meadow does indeed have a plan for medical emergencies, and that the staff have had drills in the recent past. 

The AED: It was my understanding through comments of those with knowledge of the situation, that the AED was utilized.  What an asset.

I would really like this situation to raise awareness to you and your facilities.  What would happen if this were to occur at your course?  Is there a plan in place?  Are there personnel on staff that are trained in CPR and the operation of an AED?  Is there an AED on the property?  If the clubhouse is an answer to any of the above then please answer another question; who is most likely to encounter a member or patron under medical duress while playing golf, the clubhouse staff or grounds staff?  Are you trained to handle such a situation, is your assistant?  Is the cost of training a question or issue?  If so, what is the value your facility places on the safety of your membership or customers, because you or someone on your staff may very well be the one to respond to a golfer in need of medical assistance first!

In GCSA of New England's October issue of The Newsletter, I opined about the opportunity to utilize the staff to plan for success in the 2016 season.  Perhaps within that SCOR plan development – under “opportunities” – CPR/AED training and safety plan procedures should be added. 

I am truly hopeful that Long Meadow’s alarm, plan and AED provided one of their members a fighting chance today.  My thoughts and prayers are with him.

There's a lot to like at Trafalgar

I always enjoy visiting members at their facilities.  The passion they utilize on the job always shows through.  I always learn a lot and often get the opportunity to share that information with other members, in newsletters or on my blog. 

One such visit occurred recently and offered some insights into one member’s efforts to grow the game.  15-year GCSAA member, Mark Prieur, at Trafalgar Golf Club in Milton, Ontario, has undertaken several initiatives.  I learned quickly that my visit took place on Ladies Day.  Flag sticks were wrapped in pink VinylGuard with correlating cup liners.  This simple set-up is enjoyed by the members, and was inexpensive to accomplish.

Another area of the course has seen quite the buzz lately, too.  Prieur has had past experience with beekeeping and has resurrected the practice at Trafalgar.  While this is not unique to golf facilities, it was my first up-close experience with a hive.  The hive will help pollinate the clubs small vegetable garden and is located next to an adjoining farm.  Prieur explained that the hive should produce nearly 100 pounds of honey in the fall.

Growing the game long term begins with engaging children.  Prieur and the staff have developed a six-hole loop that is tailored perfectly for children.  The loop includes a “road hole” finish, at a grueling 29 yards long!  The loop utilizes unused space adjacent to the first tee. The pins are cut down to approximately five feet tall and sunk into cups into the middle of push-mowed greens.  Tees are marked using old rope stakes with hole yardage stenciled on the side. 

The space is packed on weekends, with member’s children and grandchildren utilizing the course.  The users need to be shorter than the flagsticks and often are slightly taller than the fescue areas that surround the fairways.  Maintenance takes very little time and labor, and the returns have been great!  Trafalgar now offers camps for children five years old and up, utilizing parents as caddies.  Offering the program to non-members has turned the small, once overlooked space into a revenue stream for the club.  Growing the game, and the bottom line! 

Feel free to reach out with questions. I can also connect you with Mark Prieur. 

If you have successful ideas or initiatives that others might enjoy, let me know and I will do my best to share.

Growing your staff this spring

With the two weeks of spring now out of the way, summer has practically set in.  This is the transition season that superintendents have waited for all winter. For those who came into the golf season in great shape, the course is set and standard practices are underway. For those less fortunate, the recovery process is in full swing, and often more aggressive cultivation and agronomic practices are dominating the job board.  No matter the spring outcome, this part of the season is dominated by stress.  How you handle the stress and pressures of your job will go a long way toward your success, and the success of your staff.

I have recently completed the three-day Applied Leadership Institute offered by the University of New Hampshire’s Professional Development and Training department.  I hope to include many of the topics that were covered in the program here on my blog from time to time.  I will not look to recreate leadership messages you may have heard at educational events, but more to give you items to consider at pertinent times of the season.

Spring time means staffing time and that can be stressful in itself.  Those returning from previous seasons are often relied on to pick up where they left off, with very little training.  Often, changes made in the off-season need to be discussed and put into action.  For some team members, change is looked at as positive and embraced, but not all staff will feel that way.  Will you get pushback?  Will they comply for a time, and then revert back to the old ways?  How will you handle this?  Communication can be used to engage those who are non-compliant, but it may come down to you as a leader making a decision to commit to the change, or to the non-compliant team member.  Will you be ready to choose?

How will your new employees fit into your team and facility plans?  You will tell them, and they will certainly learn what you expect of them.  But what will they expect of you?  Feel free to ask them, you might be surprised at what they tell you!  Proper training and support will be the key to their (and your) success.  Competitive wages are important, but studies often show that financial benefits are not always on the top of the list.  Think of what else might matter.  Job-life balance is often critical to success.  Does your new hire have a wife, family or even just a life outside of work?  These many areas of concern will dictate mood and effort.  Actively working with staff to balance these needs will help ensure team success.  These will be new eyes asking questions about some very standard practices.  Often we get set in our ways and new ideas can lead to improved processes.  Listen, encourage questions and reward creative thinking.  An eager employee is a terrible thing to waste!  Work to engage them with other staff members.  A new job can be intimidating enough when they do not know others around them well enough to socialize.  Your staff veterans will often help answer the questions new hires are too afraid to ask.  Empower them when they are ready to perform duties for you and the team.  Lastly, and above all, respect them through the learning process.  Not everything they are asked to do will be easy, and there will be mistakes along the way.  Show respect for them as a person, and they will respect you for it.

Please let me know if you found this helpful, or if there are other staff related items you thought should have been included.  I would really appreciate any feedback!

Politics are Local Like You!

My guess is this month’s issue of The Newsletter from the GCSA of New England could be called the “Advocacy Issue.”  With the chapter coming off of the first-ever Massachusetts Golf Day on Beacon Hill, and follow-up visits with legislators in conjunction with Ag Day, the GCSANE has engaged in some heavy hitting government relations work.  With a quick recap of high school civics, I will remind you that government has federal, state, and local levels.  GCSANE has put a big fat check mark next to the “state” level this past month.  GCSAA will assist all members in knocking the federal level off the check list on April 15 at National Golf Day with the We Are Golf coalition. 

What about the local level?  Remember the old adage that states “All politics are local”? This was no more evident than at Mass. Golf Day, when I was engaged in a conversation with Christopher Yancich, legislative aide for Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin.  As luck would have it, we had a superintendent from Franklin in the house -- Michael Luccini, CGCS, from Franklin Country Club.  We were able to put the two of them together and it was magic, or at least very productive.  It turns out Rep. Roy is an avid golfer, Yancich plays recreationally and wishes he was better. But more importantly Yancich and Luccini had mutual acquaintances with people who worked at FCC and also talked about the property.  Luccini was encouraged to reach out to Rep. Roy’s office for any issue that the golf industry might need assistance with.  This one interaction could develop a real, local connection that can assist in creating beneficial relationships for the golf industry should future needs arise. 

Consider the following information:

We Are Golf (National)

•       465 Million Rounds Played

•       $68.8 Billion Annual Impact

•        Supporting 2 Million Jobs

ü  $55.6 Billion from U.S. Jobs

•       143,000 Charitable Events Annually

ü  12 Million Participants

ü  $3.9 Billion Annual Impact

 

Massachusetts State Golf Day (State)

  $2.7 Billion – Total economic impact of golf in Mass., including direct, indirect and induced impacts.

• $1.7 Million – Total size of the Bay State golf economy.

·         Nearly 25,500 Massachusetts jobs.

ü  $796.8 Million – Total wage income

• $74.3 Million – Total amount of charitable giving attributed to golf in Massachusetts.

What your facility or company contributes matters to your local legislator too.  Can you fill in the blanks?

Your Facility Here (Local)

·         ______ Rounds Played

·         ______Total revenue generated

·         ______Number of Jobs

ü  ________Total wage income

·         ______Number of charitable events

ü  ________Total number of charitable participants

Mother Nature has dealt the Northeast region another long and arduous winter.  Rest assured, the public will again know the grass might not be greener on the other side of the fence, but it certainly is on the other side of Rae’s Creek.  As the Masters brings our industry into focus, be sure you are focused on the impact your golf facility, or even golf related company, provides to the local economy.  Make sure your members and customers know as well.  With national, state, and local efforts educating legislators we all stand a better chance of changing misperceptions of our industry into the reality that golf is good.

Remember the Buffalo!

As of the writing of this article, the snow blower has just been put away and the snow continues to fall. That does not exactly narrow down the timeframe much around here lately does it? This winter came in like a lamb in New England, and apparently Mother Nature is trying to make up for lost time. Late February may offer superintendents something to look forward to.  In just a short time, many in the Northeast will attend the Golf Industry Show and are very much looking forward to San Antonio. With temperatures in the 60-70 degree range, it will be a welcomed respite from the snow. But as we prepare to visit the Riverwalk, perhaps this is a good time to not just remember the Alamo, but the Buffalo!

Think that is a strange reference? Imagine this:  areas of Massachusetts have recorded more than 60 inches of snow in the last four weeks. The folks just south of Buffalo recorded that in just two days, with some spots in the region topping off at 7 feet in just four November days. I had the pleasure of visiting four Buffalo-area superintendents the same day winter storm Juno began to dump snow on the greater Boston area.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. It was scary,” was the opening salvo from Drew Thompson, superintendent of East Aurora CC, and 20-year-member of GCSAA.

Thompson was the winner in the snow total sweepstakes, having accumulated 6 feet at his home and 7 feet at the course. Joining Thompson were superintendent colleagues Gale Hultquist, CGCS, of Wanakah Country Club and a 37-year GCSAA member; Robert Kelly, CGCS, of Orchard Park CC, a 24-year GCSAA member; and  Eric Tuchols of Harvest Hill GC, an 11-year GCSAA member, all of whom put their course totals at or near 5 to 6 feet of snow.

The weather event was confined to a narrow path and began on Monday, Nov. 17. The final snowfall stopped during the afternoon of Nov. 21. A rare weather pattern of very cold air moving across the warm water of the Great Lakes created the flow of moisture. The fact that the wind direction hardly ever shifted kept the bulls-eye on the area just south of Buffalo.

No epic snowfall at the Tuchols residence in Amherst, NY.
(Photo by Eric Tuchols)



Getting around during the event was a challenge. Tuchols got 3 inches of snow at his home less than 20 miles from Orchard Park, the golf course location.

“I got a dusting and when I drove into it, it was holy cow,” he said.

 

He notes that he stayed off major highways and was stopped by police and the National Guard on his way to the course. Thompson’s description of his commute to the club on Wednesday was a little more colorful: “It was apocalyptic.  There were abandon cars all over the road, it was eerie.”

Kelly didn’t get to Orchard Park CC until Friday morning.

“I woke up on Tuesday and the snow was up to the door handles of my truck,” he said. “My GM called me because he wanted me to come in, but they hadn’t done my cul-de-sac.  I could have got to the end of my driveway but there were four or five feet of snow there too.”

Removal was equally challenging. The initial snow was extremely wet and heavy making plowing nearly impossible when more snow piled on top of it.

“We stayed on it from the time it started until the time it ended,” Thompson said while noting cars using the cleared out club entrance created issues. They got one truck stuck avoiding the vehicles, which they eventually removed, only to get it stuck again later in the storm.

It took a loader to reach the clubhouse at Wanakah.
CC in Hamburg, NY. (Photo by Gale Hultquist)

“It was a storm for big pay loaders not little trucks,” said Hultquist.



Hultquist was fortunate enough to gain the services of two such pieces of equipment. One contractor asked to park his low-boy trailer at the club, which was a short distance from the property he was hired to maintain. That individual made a pass through the club, and another contractor working for area members also made two passes through the club property giving the staff a critical start to the clearing process. In all, Thompson got both his plow trucks stuck, and a staff member at Wanakah got his stuck too.

 

Mother Nature delivered these superintendents some one-of-a-kind issues as well. Thompson and East Aurora operate a pump that is designed to regulate the water table in an adjacent wetlands area. In addition to keeping part of the property from remaining under water for the entire spring season, the pump keeps part of the Village of East Aurora from incurring water related damage. So what happens when seven feet of snow shows up? The monitoring software showed the pump station has faulted. The location is on the other side of the golf course and plowing in was not an option. Knowing that a large melt down was imminent, Thompson had to walk in with snow up to his mid chest.

“I thought I was going to die,” he said. “You are walking through it (snow) and your feet aren’t even touching the ground, it is like quicksand. I sat in the pump house for an hour and a half. I called the guys at the shop on the radio and told them they had to bring the loader in to rescue me. My wife reminds me all the time that I say that pump will be the death of me.” 

Kelly was in the process of installing a new pump station at Orchard Park CC, and the intake was not in place. He was faced with working to empty his irrigation pond again after the snow melt filled it to capacity. Kelly had to buy 400 feet of drainage tile to divert the water away from neighbors, rent a 6-inch pump and run it constantly for four days.

Tuchols was very nervous about not having his snow mold
protection down.  Easy to see why! (Photo by Eric Tuchols)

Tuchols faced challenges at Harvest Hill as well.

“I had no snow mold protection down when the storm hit,” he said.

With a course buried under nearly 6 feet of snow, that had to be a sick feeling. Fortunately the rapid melt down began on Sunday following the storms at which point Tuchols knew he would get his chance. Most of the course melted off naturally and after two days of shoveling the shaded greens off, the final application was made.

The towns south of Buffalo saw temperatures spike into the low 70s following the epic snowfall, and as quickly as it came, it was gone. They also missed the predicted rain that would have created massive complications due to flooding. These days, New England continues to get pelted with snow and constant low temperatures.  Stories of the challenges faced by others won’t do anything to lighten the mood. What it might do is shed some light on the perseverance necessary to not only survive, but to thrive as a golf course superintendent in the Northeast region. While I hope to see you in sunny San Antonio, I definitely don’t look forward to the shoveling I will probably have to do upon my return.

What is all the buzz about?

From Europe to Washington, D.C., to Washington State and nearly every place between, the plight of honey bees has been on the main stage. After attending the Pollinator Summit (presented by the New Jersey Green Industry Council) and Dr. Daniel Potter’s keynote address at the New York State Turfgrass Association Turf and Grounds Exposition, I have come to learn a lot about the critical role pollinators play in our world. Like turf, there are internal and external stresses that can upset the balance of the hive and industry. Oh and there are politics, lots of politics. There is also science, emotion and a host of other factors involved in the discussion. While the issues continue to swarm, let’s take a quick peek at golf’s footprint in this issue.

What role does turf play in the pollinator discussion? Neonicotinoid class insecticides (neonics), often used as a preventative for white grubs, have been shown to have adverse effect on pollinators. The degree to which they affect the beneficial insects often has more to do with which side of the political issue you wish to argue. While this situation is unfortunate it definitely can create disruption in turf right here in the Northeast region. Just this past year alone, legislative measures took place in New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Maine to ban the use of neonics. Beekeepers in Vermont joined one superintendent at the committee hearing to assist in educating the legislators as to the minimal role neonics play in pollinator issues. Stephanie Darnell, technical development manager, Bayer CropScience, cited a survey of beekeepers that placed pesticides as the seventh most important stress factor to those in the bee industry, with varroa mite at the top of the list.

While none of the above mentioned legislation efforts were successful, it opens up the “what if” discussion. Without this useful tool, turf managers could be pushed to use more volatile chemicals, such as organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, to control the same pests. These options are much less environmentally friendly, more costly and potentially more harmful to non-target pests.

What can turf managers do with regards to our friendly pollinators?

Develop stewardship practices: Learn about our role as land managers and the stresses regarding honey bees. Develop spray programs with the sensitivities of pollinators in mind.

Support research: Emotion and regulation can often outpace research needed to answer vital questions, and this issue is no exception. Remain vigilant regarding the latest research, and adjust your practices as needed.

Be part of the solution: It is so often overlooked that the golf industry undertakes environmental initiatives simply because it is the right thing to do. The changing landscape is often a negative impact on pollinators, leaving open green space that includes pollinator friendly vegetation as a critical part of the solution. Whether you choose to work with industry partners on specifically developed pollinator friendly programs, or become conscious of areas and plantings that you could incorporate on your property, avenues are available for our industry to be part of the solution.

I encourage GCSAA chapters to reach out to your state apiarists as a resource for information. Invite that individual to a meeting or education day to spread the word about pollinators in your area. The more you learn about the role your facilities play in the issue, the better chance you have at being part of the solution.

The Joe's of yesterday...

I have the opportunity to spend time with GCSAA members and great people in the industry as part of my duties as your field staff representative. One such interaction more than a year and a half ago has stuck with me, and has been thrust back to the forefront of my mind for reasons both fortunate and unfortunate. 

This particular event was the Finger Lakes Association of GCS Elmer J.Michaels Scholarship and Research Tournament. I had the pleasure of spending the day with Joe Hahn, a legend in the golf and turf industry in New York, and a true gentleman. If you were to spend some time researching Hahn’s background, you would undoubtedly be impressed. I distinctly remember a tweet I sent out stating “our industry is where it is today because of the Joes of yesterday”.

Why do I reminisce of such an event?  The GCSA of New England takes the opportunity to recognize the members who have molded their association over the years at the Chapter Championship. Recognizing each retired participant, complete with first-tee-at-Augusta style bio, is a tremendous gesture and one that is obviously appreciated by those in attendance. In addition, the golf portion of the day has a category to decide the supremacy of the retired division. I’m sure if I were to look at the Past Presidents list or Distinguished Service Award winners, many of those at the Chapter Championship would be on one list or both. 

 

GCSA of New England President Mark Gagne recognizes the retired members at MCC.

The overwhelming reason I wanted to write about these particular events is the recent recognition of a long-time member of the Northeastern GCSA, Mark Printsky. Printsky retired from his role as superintendent for McGregor CC in Saratoga Springs, and returned shortly after to “work” with the staff doing facilities maintenance. In all he was at McGregor CC for more than30 years. Printsky went to sleep on June 8, 2014, and never woke up. His friends, family, and colleagues held a memorial event in his honor Aug. 23, with nearly 100 in attendance. Mary Beth Printsky likened her husband’s occupation as superintendent to that of firefighters, “more like a brotherhood, not a profession.” She told the group of the love Mark shared for the chapter and all its members, and the passion for the profession that bound them all close.

Northeastern GCSA President Brian Goudey announces the adoption of a chapter scholarship in memory of Mark Printsky.

The state of the industry, and most associations, is not what it was back in the day. The superintendents charged with leading the profession at any point have had to make changes and adapt to any number of challenges. Consider recognizing them for their accomplishments before it is too late. Remember, the industry and profession is where it is today because of the dedication and hard work they all did for us yesterday.