The golf course superintendent is a professional golf course manager period.

Pietro Longhi: The Charlatan, 1757

Amid the growing talk of mental-health and the golf industry, it doesn't appear that anyone is really getting down to the nitty-gritty of the main issues.  Job burnout, failed relationships, and sustance abuse are real issues in our industrty and the majority of working environmentsare being ignored.  We have a long history of a mindset that if the top facilities are doing ok by the superintendent, then the middle and bottom will naturally rise up, (the rising tide raises all ships).  In my travels, I can tell you, the previous aphorism is false.  It is high time that we change our professions guiding statement.

Lately, I have been lamenting over the willfull delegation of expertise on the part of the golf course superintendent to other golf entities. It seems there are a number of golf course superintnedents whom struggle getting significant "listening to." Like the young man who cried "linda, Linda, listen Linda," the golf course superintendent has resigned himself to outdated equipment, poor shop conditions, unrealistic expectations, and worst of all; no voice. Talk to ten random golf course superintendents and I will almost bet that 8 out of the ten will agree to some extent that the decision makers "dont get it." It is an interesting phenomenon in our industry.  In contemplating the plight of the modern golf course superintendent, I see the Dunning-Kruger effect, a lack of proper messaging, and the devaluation of the profession as predominant obstacles to a brighter future.

The Dunning-Kruger effect....

People play golf, so they believe they know more than the golf course superintendent about running the golf course. I cant imagine thinking that becasue I can drive, I should tear apart my car or tell my mechanic how to fix it. There are certain things you may know a little about and your resulting confidence is high regarding your perception of understanding of the entire topic. This is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.

The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why a little bit of knowledge of a subject over-inflates your confidence in a given subject. Once you learn that a subject is a little more complex, your confidence goes down as you become aware of your own ignorance. When one learns even more about the subject, the reality of the complex nature takes shape and people return to a "normal" level of confidence. These people are the ones who will listen, engage in a meaningful conversation, and can actually learn something from others. The golf course superintendent also needs to take responsiblity for their messaging as well. 

Knowing your audience and speaking in the terms that make sense to decision makers is also a skill that is not taught in turf school.  The articulation of the needs for increased allocations of resources requires time to gather supportive information and data as well as time to contemplate and formulate a clear and succinct message.  A superintendent without those moments are left to simply deliver innuendos or passing statements and hope that they will spark some sort of future change.

Maybe the problem is in the message

The golf course superintendent is doomed to failure in negotiaing certain items if they are unable to propose the right information supporting their desired outcome. I believe this is what seperates the wheat from the chaf and why some superintendents are successful with funding requests. When it comes to personal interactions, I like to say that there is no such thing as stupid people, just those that we have not figured out how to communicate with. Taking time to research and carefully plan a funding request is a very important step. 

The golf course superintendent who says "I keep telling them that the fairway mowers are old and they keep breaking.......but they don't care, or they are stupid,  or they dont get it, ect, ect......believes that they should be listened to just becasue they said so. Golf is expensive and in some opinions, unnecessary.  The process of asking for 70,000 dollars is a big ask, and if you think that those types of decisions should garnish support for just because you say it, probably in an aggrivated tone, well then....good luck to you. In many instances, I feel like the golf course superintendent has taken a back seat in the expertise bus of the golf industry.

Giving your power away......

In contemplating the seemingly large number of facilities that don't consider their golf course superintendent an expert, I can't help but to draw the conclusion that we have given our power away.  The golf course superintendent writes no articles for Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, The USGA publications, National Golf Course Owners Association, just to name a few.  The true influencers seem to always be at least one step away from the superintendent position.  This industry has no lack of so-called professionals that the decision makers believe have a better understanding of their facilities issues, than the person that is steering the boat.  This industry boosts USGA agronomists, PGA agronomists, and University Researchers as experts just to name a few.  Google golf course consutlting and look at the result! 

When it comes to managing the property, there is no person with greater knowledge than that of the golf course superintendent.  If you are a decision maker and you don't believe that it is the case that your superintendent is "the guy," then you better pay, at a minimum, the industry standard compensation and get a skilled superintendent.  Having "experts" that are not on property is going to cost you a lot of money over the course of time and it's just plain inefficient.  

We are the story we tell ourselves.......

When you are sick, you don't go to the doctor and ask questions and then take the advice of some quasi-political association for a treatment plan.  Your doctor knows you and hopefully there is a sense of trust there.  I have a vanity license plate and it is a joke.  The name on the plate is a reference to the comedy of self-branding.  We are the story we tell ourselves.  If the golf course superintendent sits back and lets other associations promote themselves as the authority of golf course conditioning, then it becomes difficult to wonder why your voice isn't heard when you appear to be screaming.  The golf course superintendent has been fed a narritive that they are humble, quiet, haters of the limelight.  The shy schoolboy narrative is not a healthy one for improving the quality of the golf course superintendent's life.  We are human and desire to be a part of something, to contribute, and to be valued.  I believe it is the most primary of goals of a professional assoiciation to speak up and to lead in the telling of the story.  

I will also note, that the story of the golf course superintendent is not only the story of the guy leading a top 100 course (no offense to these guys, thats not the point)......they are part of it, but to exclude the thousands of superintendents at smaller venues is missing a very important and large part of the story.  "The rising tide raises all ships," is a failed axiom and the result has been the disenchantment and possibly the alienation of a large group of golf course superintendents.  

Skilled Professional Labor is never free......

I can't think of a more glaring example of golf course superintendents not valuing themselves than the donation of labor that we provide for professional golf events.  We are valuable and skilled, or we are not. In our industry, we have cheapened ourselves by giving away our skill for free.  We ask industry partners to donate resources that could come back to serve our own membership in order to feed and clothe the volunteers at these events.  Not only are we giving our time away, but resources that could be used for a infinate number of needs.....It is a giant "double dip," and we perpetuate it.  At some point, we all have to ask ourselves, "what role do you play in your own suffering?"  

If a group of indidviuals are willing to work extra hours for zero pay during the busiest time of the year, why should anyone pay them? Why should they be fed? Why should they be recognized?  If your answer has any type of chairitable tone or greater good axiom, I think you are misguided.  This industry is experienceing a wave of "burnout."  Lack of recognition plays a significant role in burnout, and it seems like volunteering some crazy hours so people can knock a ball around for an industy that you play back fiddle in, plays right into the situation of obscurity.  Want to feel good about yourself?  How about having the golf world recognize the skilled job you do and include you to speak at the table of all things relevant to successful golf facilities?  It appears that we don't value ourselves enough to speak up.  

Why are we so desperate for attention that we will grind ourselves into the dirt to get an atta-boy?  I imagine having an adult evening type conversation with successful individuals where I explain how I have to go home early because I am getting up at 3am to volunteer to cut grass or rake sand for millionaires.  Self-respect is a complicated subject, I am not sure what it is, but I know what it is not.  In the above instance when long hours are complicatiing important relationships, there seems to be a great lack of self-respect.  Everything comes at some cost and I guarantee that each of us have someone who loves us and wishes that time we are volunteering away was spent with them.  We must believe that we have all the time in the world to use time in such a manner, unless there is that greater good that is genuinely deserving of such a sacrifice.  I know some may interject the brotherhood or networking discussion here.  The networking that happens at these events is relevant, but those things could also take place without the great sacrifice.  

The plight of the golf course superintendent has robbed way too many individuals of their passion for this great game.  The golf course superintendent knows the game, the spirit of the game, and the intricacies of the needs of facilities where the game is played.  The golf course superintendent is, or should be the champion of the spirit of the game.  The golf course superintendent should have time during working hours to educate themselves, play the game, collect data relevant to their operation, and formulate proposals for futrure allocations of resources.  While I am at it.....the time for the later should have a clean, well organized and lit workspace in which to complete those tasks.

If we want to make the life of the golf course superintendent better, we have to find away to value ourselves first.  We are the story we tell ourselves.  If we believe we are deserving of dimly lit, poorly funded, outdated working conditions, well then........we are, and we will get just that.  However, if we believe that we are the experts, who are skilled and deserving of quality working conditions, well then....our messaging, conduct, and communications will follow.  They say that it all begins at the top, and right now what appears to be at the top, are people tripping over themselves to do a free job for people who can afford to pay.  

I think we can do better....for all golf course superintendents.

Cheers,

Turf

Realistic Expectations, Job Satisfaction, and Operational Standards: A perfect trio

 The original post was a result of my observations during 24 months immediately following my retirement from the position of General Manager / Director of Golf Operations in August 2016.  It was a response to my fear that the golf industry will lose many professional and hard working individuals in the near future.  This loss, which will cost the industry billions of dollars, is almost imminent   Think replacements can be hired at no increased cost?  Good Luck!  There is plenty of information out there.  This commentary I believe is pertinent to any industry that has "pretended" not to take operational resources away from a department.  I say pretended because we seem to be in denial that todays dollar is the same as yesterdays.  If we are not increasing budgets, at a minimum, to the percent increase in the cost of goods which supply that operation, then reducing operational standards equally must follow.  For failure to increase a budget, by a minimum of a well thought out percentage, is reducing it.  

Operating to an unobtainable standard is disheartening.  Job satisfaction of a majority of golf course superintendents appears moderate to low at best.  The common attitude at mid-level to low-end golf facilities seems to mirror a beat dog.  But what is striking is that these individuals love what they do! They live for their jobs, they love the people, the nature, the challenge!!  These are good hardworking people that are simply disillusioned.  They once believed they could do a good job, but now it is failure after failure. It is not they they are failing at any given task in front of them, its more of an existential failure. A perceived failure against foggy and unclear goals. Usually people keep goals vague to avoid failure, but this is an example of ensuring it. The failure is primarily as a result of not being able to meet expectations that haven't been defined from the beginning!


So it seems that there exists a disconnect between resources and expectations. As resources have flatlined, expectations have stayed the same. We could do a better job outlining standards and that would alleviate much undue suffering on the behalf of management.  I believe operational standards would improve job satisfaction, help prioritize labor and capital, improve communication, and clarify expectations.

Expectations, as they seem to me, are predictions regarding a future experience.  They seem complicated and possibly influenced by motivations derived from an individuals personality, past experiences, and fantasies of future experiences.  I was reading about expectations and came across something really interesting.  "Expectations are premeditated resentments," repeats John A. Johnson PhD in Psychology Today.  Wow, I never saw expectations in such a damaging light until I read that.  I am not sure what to do with that just yet, I'm kinda processing it.

There seems to be an identity crisis in golf.  Not all clubs or courses are in the process of finding their identity.  There are many clubs that for a variety of reasons are doing well, I feel that is due much to the successful management of customer or member expectations and a clear vision of what they are and what they are not.  The struggle as it pertains to the others is that they are living beyond their means, in some fantasy of what they think they "should be" and without much justification of why. 

How did we end up this way? Modern golf facilities are tied tightly to a very historic model. Instead of honestly examining what society wants from us, we stuck to a model that was built during a different era and served a different purpose. Unless we want to try and reinstitute some of those old networking and local business loyalties, we may want to reconsider our function and model ourselves to align with it.  


Not too long ago, we experienced something amazing in the golf world, posh facilities for the middle class. For the first time in human history, could the working class have the experience that was once left for only the wealthiest and well-to-do in communities. Country clubs became accessible to people of most socio-economic cultures.  Much of that due to a booming real estate and development market that was positioning itself for catastrophe, but thats a whole other conversation. Anyhow..........

Country clubs were popping up like starbucks, and everyone was jamming.  Flower Beds, grand structures, lavish locker rooms, high end food and drink, man...things were good.  We had money to spend and we could write off dues.  Then, with the passing of the Clinton tax bill, that changed, but all was ok, a majority was making enough money that this wasn't going to affect much just yet.

March 10, 2008 the Dow Jones drops 20%, and things changed.  In the aftermath of the boom, we were left reeling.  Many dropped their club memberships, some changed their membership status.  Whatever the case, "do more with less" became the favorite saying at club board meetings.  Not sure they could afford club dues and feeling pressure, some seemed to look for reasons to be dissatisfied, others noticed diminished amenities or perks that they once enjoyed but now went without due to a reduction in club membership dues. 

Those that were left holding the tab (paying dues) at the club table seemed to have been told that dues would stay the same and nothing would change.  We seemed frozen by fear that telling the truth would result in losing what members remained.  What seems self evident is that a facility cannot function on less revenue and perform to the same standard.  I am not suggesting that people are not "justified" in the disappointment of missed expectations.  I think that is part of being human.  

The part that I think is missing is the contraction that would organically take place if nature were to take over.  If we were to build these places again, would they be as complicated and expensive?  To really consider what this would mean, I think looking at how clubs became what they are today is important to understand what the need to become tomorrow.  What certain clubs will become in the future may be different from what they were.  This means eliminations or reductions of certain services and the addition of others.

Lets consider a brief history........A group of people get together and they decide they want to play golf. How much will it cost and are they willing to pay for that privilege?  If the answer was yes, farm land is purchased, usually near the train, with a house to change clothes, awesome.  Maybe then we need a person to clean the house, tend to things a bit, all in favor?  Great.  Next we decide it would be nice to have lemonade on the porch after, we may need electricity....another vote.  My point is, clubs became what people were willing to divide up and pay for; not a build it and see, they were indeed a pure creation. 

Fast forward and we have a perception of what the country clubs are.  What clubs are, is not based so much on what we want them to be to us as much as what they have historically been.  When what people want or use the club for changes, a contraction of sorts should logically follow.  The available resources are pooled and they are allocated to the new want or use.  We have to prioritize and focus on what is of the most value and let go of those things that are of little value and importance.  When budgets flatline and the cost of goods and labor increases, something has to give.  Are we having those difficult discussions of what operationally needs to change?  And by change, I mean go away or reduce!

Why is change so difficult for us?  The difficulty lies in the execution of the cessation of an amenity.  People are loss adversed, which means that we would rather not lose, than to acquire the equivalent gain.  The emotional cost associated with loss is much greater than the gain of equal amounts.  The taking of things away, even menu items, really freaks people out and all types of catastrophes are imagined.  Take for example facilities where fine dining is the attempt by the food and beverage department.  In order to provide the service associated with fine dining, food minimums were put in place to ensure the revenue was sufficient.  Food and Beverage minimums are contentious subjects at many meetings, yet facilities didn't seem to want to take the necessary steps to eliminate or reduce the minimums, you see, the minimums are only necessary to provide a "type" of service.  Any perceived reduction in service would be viewed as a loss, even though the reality may be a better experience overall.  The corner gas station does an ok job feeding people and getting them a cold drink and you don't have to spend a certain amount if you want to get gas. 

The real trick to job satisfaction seems to include the creation of realistic expectations.  I've read many mission statements that include ridiculousness such as "consistently exceeding customer or member expectations."  That seems to be pure rubbish and is only meant to deflate hard working individuals.  Its no wonder that employees feel dejected and unappreciated, they can't possibly be considered a high performer without sacrificing their personal life by working oneself to death.  One cannot exceed expectations without creating through the process a new higher standard, especially when you have a reoccurring customer as in our industry.  To exceed expectations every time is just not possible because the expectations will increase beyond what we are capable of doing.  One doesn't walk away from a great experience expecting less next time, it just doesn't work that way.

If we care about our employees and want healthy working environments, we are left with the question of how to encourage realistic expectations.  I believe establishing written operational standards that are based on fact is one of the greatest ways to help achieve these expectations.  Lets take the grounds department as an example.

The reduction of labor, chemicals, capital expenditures and overtime, are all things that impact the product that a golf course superintendent can consistently provide.  Establishing operational standards based on the current resources that are realistic and include things like the difficult labor market, are essential to raising job satisfaction scores in golf.  The labor market is tough and turnover is high.  High turnover means more training hours, more money, less productivity and less efficiency.  What your labor dollar provided yesterday is not today.  Knowing how often you can mow rough with the given equipment of a certain age is important.  Most facilities only maintain enough equipment to mow all rough twice per week.  When a property receives 5 inches of rain in five days, and the directive is no overtime, all involved understand and can feel good that they are doing the best they can with what they have to work with.

There are some essential things to keep in mind when creating standards.  When considering standards we have to be realistic regarding labor.  Labor is never 100% efficient and the work is not carried out in the most productive manner.  People stop to talk to other people, they get distracted, they make mistakes and have to go back to a previous task.  Putting a manger in a position to treat people like slaves because the expectation is that labor will perform at 100% all the time is unfair.  Maintenance standards are achieved by tasks carried out by human beings and they need to be allowed to behave like humans if realistic expectations are the goal.   Wages also need to be considered.  Labor purchased at $8.50 an hour is not the same as labor at $17.00 an hour.  If you can't afford high quality conscientious labor, throw the ball washers away......actually, never mind just throw the damn ball washers away.

Written standards aid in equipment assessment 

It is also important to understand your equipment situation when writing standards.  If the bunker raking machine is breaking down and takes four hours in repair for ever hour it is running, well you may not be able to get them done four times per week.  In fact, you may want to just consider a bunker a hazard and allow life to happen.  To the previous point, writing standards can help in making capital purchase decisions and can also aid in discussions considering things like intermediate rough cuts or out of play areas.  The working environment can also be addressed in these documents.  Unless the facility janitor visits the maintenance buildings, then time to make a clean healthy working environment needs to be allotted.  The environment that people work out of can affect their mood and motivation.  Clean, well lit areas are often overlooked in the grounds departments.  I will refrain from addressing the impact of lighting on mood and productivity out of respect for brevity, suffice it to say I think a visit to the maintenance facility would be something.

Written operational standards establish priorities and remove any guesswork.  Without agreed upon priorities, the individual tasked with the responsibility of stewarding a golf course feels an enormous pressure to complete everything.  There are an infinite number of tasks to complete on a golf course.  On any given day, everywhere a superintendent looks, you can see tasks that have been left undone.  Any good superintendent will engage in the exercise of firing themselves every day, and when things are left with a sense of incompletion, it is difficult to feel good about calling it a day.  I always told my Green Committee that they could fire me at any time and to any dismay, I would invite them to ride around with me....."I will show you a hundred reasons."  To that end and now speaking to the frustrated overworked individual.....if not for your decision makers, do this for yourself, so that you can go home at the end of a working day...not at night, at the end of a typical workday and feel good that you are doing the best you can with the resources given unto you, and go home....and enjoy your family and friends.  We go around this rock on time, and your family and friends will be the ones who miss you the most.

Do less with less, or more with more, more with less is a fairytale,

Turf