Member Clubs
SCOTT MAULDIN
Old Dominion Golf Course Superintendents Association
Managing four different grasses on one property : Bentgrass greens , Bermuda grass over seeded with ryegrass and Fescue . The turf care staff is always growing or re-establishing since some of the grasses are cool-season grasses while one is warm season . The Bermuda grass fairways are over seeded with rye from September to June . This allows for a nice full and green canopy for the golfers to play from during the fall , winter and spring months while the Bermuda grass is dormant . The rye grass will burn out as the warmer temperatures start to favor the Bermuda grass during the late spring . The fescue and bentgrass are maintained with strict guidelines to prevent decline and or death through the summer months , since they are cool-season grasses and prefer cooler temperatures .
SCOTT CORNWELL
Shenandoah Valley Turfgrass Association
Appeasing the golfing membership at a private country club with a small budget : That affects staffing ( no mechanic ) and attention to detail … we ’ re basically just mowing grass as opposed to improving areas that need improving . We need more members so we have tried some different types of memberships hoping to attract new ones .
Filling or not filling divots / raking bunkers / fixing ball marks : Cornwell will be using Twitter and Facebook to post videos on the proper way to deal with these never-ending issues . He will show the proper ways to fill divots and why it is important to fill divots properly .
“ An overfilled divot will be mowed and will dull the [ mower ] blades as well as it being a playability issue . Some people don ’ t know they have been doing it wrong . Because of a limited staff , we don ’ t get to machine rake the bunkers every day ,
and it could be only 2-3 times a week . If someone doesn ’ t rake or does a poor job raking , it could still be there tomorrow . I ’ ll show how to properly rake a bunker and why it is important to take some pride in your own rake job .” He ’ ll do the same with ball marks .
SHAWN GILL
Greater Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association
General communication with guests at our facility : Being the superintendent at a daily fee , public golf course , I see plenty of the same faces on any given day . But due to the nature of pushing them out and around as fast as possible , I have very little interaction with them personally . … I hear through the clubhouse staff about compliments , comments and complaints but seldom do I get the chance to discuss any of these issues with the golfers themselves .
Those who have taken the time to stop and speak with me personally know that I am more than happy to listen and give pertinent and thorough feedback to their concerns . This is actually one of the parts of the job I enjoy the most … [ to tell them ] those several very tough pin positions were there to spread the wear on the greens away from those areas where traffic and water are funneled so that they can have the smooth , quick putting surfaces they desire day in and day out all year long . It is communication that can help you be a better superintendent by learning what players find important .
SEAN BASKETTE
Virginia Turfgrass Association
Declining number of golfers : One of the biggest concerns in the Southwest corner of Virginia [ and all over ] is the declining number of golfers . Many clubs , both private and public , have slashed prices in an effort to capture rounds . The problem is , now there is less revenue to maintain courses and services to what is expected . When conditions and services drop , people stop coming to play . And the cycle continues .
Everything ’ s green on TV : Another big challenge is one that I think we as superintendents have brought on ourselves . When you watch TV on Sunday and are watching the final round of a tournament , the announcers always talk about the speed of the greens , courses that do not have a blade of grass out of place … and GREEN . Limited budgets , especially in this part of the state , have made obtaining these conditions day in and day out a bit of a task . We often try , but sometimes to the detriment of the turf and even our staff . Communication with members and golfers is key to combating this . Healthy greens are much better than fast and dead . A little brown grass is not always a bad thing , and we do what we can with resources available to us .
PETE STEPHENS
Tidewater Turf Association
Time : Spring time is extremely busy for superintendents . It is the time when the new seasonal staff starts and training begins , both safety and technical training for the golf course and grounds , in addition to customer / member relations training . Spring is also when several agronomic practices begin and will continue throughout the season . Many of them occur simultaneously . In addition , there are seasonal projects on the course or in the office that have to be completed .
Keeping up with environmental and governmental policies and or laws : They are ever changing to protect the environment and the safety of employees , members / guests / customers as well as employers . We have to stay abreast of current governmental affairs regarding everything that has to do with our profession .
A longtime sportswriter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch , author Arthur Utley is a regular contributor to Virginia Golfer .
vsga . org M AY / J UNE 2016 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 11