Columns of Steam

As many of you may know already, I am a graduate of Penn State's Turfgrass Science program. In 1994, I confidently marched out of the doors of Penn State with a Turfgrass Science Bachelors degree in hand. I was ready to take on the entire golf course industry to become a top notch Superintendent. Needless to say, plans changed along the way.

One of the primary motivations for quickly exiting the golf course industry was the lack of control that I felt I would have as a superintendent. Let's face it, careers and jobs revolve around people. You may be able to create an oasis of a golf course on a slim budget, but if you rub the wrong people the wrong way (figuratively speaking, of course), your days could well be numbered. Yes, high quality work goes a long way toward keeping one's job. Unfortunately though, there will always be an element of uncertainty no matter how well you do. I doubt there are many of us who don't know of a superintendent who has been dismissed for questionable reasons.

The sad part of it is that I really, really enjoyed the process of maintaining a golf course. There's just something magical about watching the sunrise as the steam rises off a pond right next to the green that you are about to mow for the day's play. Sometimes, the vapors form a column that seems to rise directly to heaven. The phenomenon is short lived, but absolutely gorgeous. I could go on, but suffice it to say, there are many aspects of running a golf course that are similarly unmatched anywhere else.

I just returned from attending the Golf Turf Conference sponsored by Penn State University. As always, it was an extreme pleasure to visit my Alma Mater, connect with old friends, build new friendships and learn about the state of the golf course industry as it is today. It turned out to be an interesting blend. Some of my old schoolmates are doing extremely well, and have built highly successful careers. Many others have moved into other aspects of the industry. Still others had been dismissed from their jobs as recently as that month with no warning, very little severance, and few options. Other conversations revolved around an apparent growing trend of general managers squeezing the maintenance budget ever tighter while demanding even better results.

The business of running a golf course is a grueling one to say the least. I've never actually gotten to hold the reigns, but I've seen it close up. Working over 80 hours a week is not uncommon. Labor Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, July 4th, and many other holidays are all standard work days. Many courses hold tournaments on those holidays, so the Superintendent and his crew actually get an increased workload instead of time with their families. I haven't seen actual studies, but word of mouth seems to point to high use of anti-anxiety medications, smoking, and other methods of combating stress.

Sure, there's no such thing as a perfect industry where jobs are 100% secure, pay is high, and stress is low. It just seems to me that the golf course superintendent is in a particularly unsteady spot. It's really not just about growing grass well. It's about knowing the right people, pleasing the right people, not annoying the wrong people, and knowing who are the right people and who are the wrong ones. That kind of political know-how does not come easy, and is one big factor in separating the big boys in the industry from the smaller players.

I do NOT know if my observations are correct, but I think they're pretty close at a minimum. I do know that I would not have made a very good superintendent. I'm just not the kind of guy to play the political games very well. I far prefer direct interactions with clients. If one client is upset with me, I try to make it right. If they cannot be pleased, I might lose a client. I won't lose my job. That's a pretty big distinction for me. As a business owner, I set my schedule and work to the extent that I feel it appropriate. Sure, I could bang out 80 - 90 hour weeks and build the business much faster, but I'd rather coach my one son's baseball team or the soccer team of the other. I'd rather spend weekends with the family strolling through Central Park in New York City or camping in the woods of Litchfield County, CT. I enjoy getting into the gym 5 days a week without worrying about whether or not the 6th green is going to survive the afternoon sun. Stress is low, income is quite good, family time is plentiful, and I have complete control over where I go and what I do with my life. I do love my career and my work. I just don't want to do it non-stop.

Still, I really, really miss those columns of steam...