G lf C urse
CANINES
From chasing geese to greeting members, club dogs
play an important role on many Virginia courses
by JOAN TUPPONCE
F
OR GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS, DOGS ARE MORE THAN A BEST
FRIEND. They’re also working for the course, helping to drive away geese and pests
that can present a safety hazard and damage greens.
Having a dog at work is a popular trend for superintendents, says Angela Hartmann, se-
nior manager of corporate communications for the Golf Course Superintendents Associa-
tion of America.
“Each individual course sets its own rules about having dogs,” she says, adding that border
collies and labs top the list of favorite breeds but these golf buddies can range from Brittany
spaniels to Chihuahuas.
The GCSAA produces a Dog Days of Golf calendar each year and usually gets about 100
submissions from superintendents. “People are passionate about their dogs,” Hartmann says.
“The dogs have become really popular as public relations tools for the course. Pets become the
star of the course. That’s wonderful for our members because it makes a connection for them
with the golfers.”
We discovered that golf course superintendents in Virginia were eager to talk with us
about their at-work buddies.