“I’m tired,” he confessed.
“Then do something else.”
“I don’t know what else I would do,” he shrugged.

I’ve heard the same thing from so many other superintendents over the years. People who are burnt out, ready for something else, but convinced there isn’t anything else they can do. They begin to feel stuck. And so, every season, the cycle repeats.

I’ve got to call BS on that. Being a golf course superintendent is a career choice, and not an identity. Sure, for some, the career seemed to choose us or we decided to embrace the identity as our way of life. But it was still a choice. If you’re tired of the lifestyle, you can choose to live another way.

If you’re a successful superintendent it’s because you’re good at a lot of things: time management, people management, problem solving, event planning, great work ethic, agronomic knowledge, the love of the outdoors, and the ability to maximize your budget.  Look at what you do every day--you’re so much more than a grass grower!

If you’re a successful superintendent it’s because you’re good at a lot of things...

Guess what? These are skills that are valued and marketable in nearly every other industry and profession out there! You could be successful in nearly any field you choose with this set of skills.

It's the actual leap that holds a lot of us back. The financial logistics, the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, or the fear of being judged or doubted or ridiculed. You’re going to have to face these fears eventually—they stand in the way of your success.

It helps to have a dream, or a vision, to guide the leap. Start by looking at your strengths and your passions. What do you really love to do?

Come up with a plan and set goals. Write them down and make them real. Share them with others and get them to hold you accountable.

Create a circle of trust. Reach out to folks in the industry that you respect and ask for some guidance. Measure that guidance and come up with your own plan, and not what someone else thinks is best for you. Remember, this is your dream.

My advice to you: stay the course, believe in yourself, embrace your strengths, and double down on your convictions.

Believe it or not, the leap is the easy part. Next comes the roller coaster of emotions, some good and some not-so-good. My advice to you: stay the course, believe in yourself, embrace your strengths, and double down on your convictions. If you have heart, grit, talent, and a good work ethic, you will succeed no matter where you go or what you do.

It’s been a wild 15 months for the Garr family. 2023 saw me walk away from a salaried position and back onto a golf course making $22/hour, with little more than a dream and vision to guide me, and absolutely no roadmap on how to get there. I just knew that I had more to offer this industry than just growing grass or pushing product.

The only way I got where I am today was by taking that leap. And now that I’m here, I get to live out my dream every day.

At times, it might seem that way. An increased number of ball marks, divots, cart traffic, unraked bunkers, and golfers behaving badly in the last four years have pushed superintendents—and, at times, their sanity—to the tipping point.

Poor etiquette on the golf course is nothing new. For as long as golf has existed, there have been people who don’t abide by the rules. The infractions are just more amplified now, as superintendents take to social media for the “airing of grievances.’

In this episode of Trailing Thoughts, I travel to Gettysburg National Military Park to hike through the Valley of Death, and to ponder the question: “Is etiquette truly dead?”

Following in the footsteps of the confederate army in 1863 through the Valley of Death, I argue that etiquette isn’t dead. What we really have is a communication problem with a new segment of golfers and the very unrealistic expectation that every golfer must abide by the rules, even those that are unwilling, unable, or haven’t properly been introduced to the game.

Let’s face it, the further we get into peak season, the more time we end up spending on the golf course, and away from our centers. We become off-balanced the more the course calls to us louder than our family, friends, and passions.

In this episode of Trailing Thoughts, I drives into the heart of New York City on a picture-perfect Friday morning to visit Central Park, an 800-acre greenspace in the busiest city in the United States. Along the way, I offer tips on how to help recenter yourself and find that balance when the golf course is demanding so much of you.

If we spend too much time looking for problems, we run the risk of getting mired in the negative. The job starts to feel like “work.” It begins draining us of our energy. We forget what drew us here in the first place.

If we spend too much time looking for problems, we run the risk of getting mired in the negative... We forget what drew us here in the first place.

We must remind ourselves to LOOK UP. Find something that takes you back to that moment you first fell in love with turf management—a sunrise, the dew glistening on the green in the early morning, or perhaps the sound of mowers humming in the distance against a quiet backdrop.

On this month’s episode of Trailing Thoughts, I take on the Maryland Heights trail overlooking Harpers Ferry, WV, a trail once considered so difficult that even President Lincoln was forced to turn back.

With the infamous “100 Days of Hell” fast approaching, remember that life is always better when you LOOK UP.
 

The best turf managers are able to identify those diamonds on their teams. These leaders take the time to develop them, start trusting them with more challenging assignments, and they give them the experience and tools to succeed. What ends up happening, is it that diamond begins to shine brighter than ever before, and it makes the entire team more valuable. It’s true, some diamonds need a little more polishing than others, but a diamond is still a diamond in today’s stretched labor market.

I’ve also worked at places where the superintendent never saw the sparkle in front of them when there was someone with true talent and drive on their team. Maybe it comes from a place of inexperience, or low self-esteem, or even ignorance. Whatever the case, these leaders took these diamonds for granted, or they left them unpolished.

Eventually, someone will spot a diamond in that overgrown rough and take it from you. And then you really have no one to blame but yourself.

Eventually, someone will spot a diamond in that overgrown rough and take it from you. And then you really have no one to blame but yourself.

Look at any of these job postings today for Assistant Superintendents. Why are we so hung up on education requirements? Does it show a commitment to the profession that no one else on your team already has? I know plenty of people with turf degrees who sell cars now or work in an office. I also know people without turf degrees who can work circles around someone with a college education.

Chances are, you already have someone on your team that could easily move into an assistant role with some polishing and development. Plus, they already know the people, the property, and the routine. What happens next, is you begin setting a precedent—it shows everyone on your staff that with the right attitude and the right effort, there is a possibility for advancement. This is how you build a stronger team and drive better results on the golf course.

Chances are, you already have someone on your team that could easily move into an assistant role with some polishing and development.

I’ve been fortunate to see a few diamonds pass through my team over the years. Not all of them were destined for a career in turf management, but they all went on to do great things in other walks of life. But we were lucky to cross paths for a summer with a very driven young man, and now he’s doing fantastic things as a superintendent in Northern Michigan at a very cool club.

Look around the room during the next morning meeting. Is there someone with that sparkle, that tiny glint in their eye, that has a little more enthusiasm and drive than everyone else? It might just be a diamond in your rough. And if it is, then I think you owe it to that person to shine them up.

(image credit: Benton Hodges)

I had to ask. “What’s with the covers?”

“I’m not ready for the season to start,” the superintendent replied.

Normally I’m not one to be lost for words, but a long silence followed. I could see the superintendent was dead serious.

“What do you mean you’re not ready? The season’s started. People are already out playing golf at other clubs!”

“I just need another week,” the superintendent said. “Then I’ll be ready.”

This head-scratching moment left me chuckling for a good part of the day. Ready or not, the season was here. There was no point in denying it, unless the goal was to pursue another line of work.

Ready or not, the season was here. There was no point in denying it, unless the goal was to pursue another line of work...

Look, I get it. The season is long enough as is. Who wouldn’t want to steal another week of winter to spend time with family? But probably not advisable to do that at the expense of your employer.

As a superintendent, I always looked forward to springtime. The smell of fresh cut grass in the air, shiny new accessories finding their way back out on the course, and the excitement building around the Masters Tournament. More than anything, I was happy to see my team come back to work after a long winter. It’s such a satisfying feeling to see the golf course come alive again and members back out there enjoying themselves.

The season waits for no one. Sometimes it starts early, and sometimes it starts late. It all evens out, I suppose. Whatever the case, I know the days don’t feel long enough for everything you’re trying to get accomplished. Best to take it a day at a time and just enjoy the journey.

As I write this, it sure feels like spring is here. Hopefully it finds you more ready than not. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to snag a pimento cheese sandwich from this little place I know down south.

Perhaps the most iconic location at Antietam is Burnside’s Bridge. For more than three hours, General Ambrose Burnside repeatedly sent his men to attack a fortified position across a narrow bridge against a much smaller force. His stubbornness to reconsider his tactics resulted in hundreds of deaths and many more wounded.

Stubbornness is a damaging human trait, especially when it comes to relationships. In today’s age of social media, it’s easier than ever to get on the wrong side of someone.

The bridge you burn today might be a bridge you need to cross tomorrow...

In this episode of Trailing Thoughts, I tie together lessons from history to my own experiences in the turf industry, including addressing one of the bridges I burned down years ago, and the steps I took to rebuild it.

Standing in the middle of Burnside’s Bridge, I end this episode with a message of hope: as long as both sides are willing to meet in the middle, then there isn’t a bridge out there that can’t be rebuilt.

Yes, my voice cracked. Yes, my chin quivered. Yes, a tear fell. I think what hit me the most were their faces. The shock and the sadness were reflected back at me in all directions. 

Then came the sense that I was letting them down. It was this nagging, guilty feeling that wouldn’t go away. I knew that no amount of explaining would make anyone feel better, including myself.

A day later, one of my guys stopped me on the golf course. He was the first person to congratulate me and say that he was happy for me and my family. He told me it meant a lot for the team to see me in a moment of weakness. He reminded me that my compassion for the people who worked with me, was why they returned year after year in the first place.

He told me it meant a lot for the team to see me in a moment of weakness...

This conversation helped me move forward. It didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to my work family, or to a property I had spent a third of my life working on, but it provided me some comfort. I was reassured knowing I was leaving things better than I found them. I was proud of the relationships I made while I was there, and I would leave carrying friendships that would last for years afterwards.

So what happens when it’s time to say goodbye to a global Fortune 500 company on your own terms? Well, it’s not the same warm and fuzzy feeling I had leaving my first golf course. In fact, it feels a lot like getting fired.

My company phone was shut off almost immediately and I wasn’t permitted to contact any of my customers. My car keys were taken away. My computer was confiscated and email access was denied. My future competitors were warned I would be going up against them before I was legally allowed to announce I was leaving. And this is before I was threatened with stiff legal penalties should I still possess any company proprietary information.

I guess this is to be expected when a company asset like me becomes a company liability overnight. I was told it was nothing personal, and that this was “just business.” It doesn’t feel like “just business” when people you worked with for 7 years won’t even reply to a text or email anymore, or when a manager you considered a friend stops sending you Christmas cards. It sure as hell doesn’t feel like “just business” when you’re on the receiving end of a corporate goodbye.

It sure as hell doesn’t feel like “just business” when you’re on the receiving end of a corporate goodbye.

I recently said goodbye again. This time it was at another golf course, where I spent most of last year working while I started up my business. It was great getting my feet back on the turf again, but now with the grow-in experience behind me, it’s time for me to see if this business of mine has legs.

Once again, saying goodbye proved a little harder for me than expected. I’m going to miss seeing these guys every day. But relationships were formed, friendships were made, and this is less of a goodbye and more of a “see you later.” I’m excited to see this team succeed this year, and while I’ll be watching from the cheap seats, I’ll still be cheering as loud as if I were still on the bench.

Personally speaking, I much prefer the golf course goodbye to the corporate goodbye.

As demonstrated by the 2023–24 Detroit Lions, building a winner begins with the complete buy-in from the team’s high performers. The team’s core shares the same work ethic, attitude and goals of the organization. While this Lions team came up a little short of their goal, they remain poised to be successful for years to come as long as they remember the core strengths that got them there.

The best teams in golf course maintenance are built like a successful NFL team. A superintendent should strive to surround themselves with a core of high-performing staff, who share the superintendent’s vision, attitude, and goals for the team. It takes an entire team to reach the finish line; a superintendent can never realize their full potential without the support of the team.

In this episode of Trailing Thoughts, we take an urban adventure into the heart of Detroit. The city is still reeling from emotion after watching the inspiring Detroit Lions claw their way to a bitter defeat in the NFC Championship Game. During a walk along a reclaimed green space known as the Dequindre Cut, we draw parallels between the revitalization of a team and the renewal of a city by its people.
 

If your morning meetings are preceded by awkward silence, or if your staff stiffens up the moment you appear, then it might be a warning sign that you’re coming up short on building a winning team culture. People who want to be there engage in conversation, they ask questions, offer suggestions, and point out the little details they noticed the day before. A winning team culture is interactive and it has a pulse. Otherwise, all you have is a bunch of people doing a bunch of jobs with nothing much holding them together.

...if your staff stiffens up the moment you appear, then it might be a warning sign that you’re coming up short on building a winning team culture.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have visited hundreds of operations over the years. The most successful operations have nailed the concept of building a winning culture. A winning culture consists of establishing a core group of high performers who buy into the values and the goals of the organization. High performers are invested in the operation and will help you keep some of the other staff in line behind the scenes. They will make you better. In return, you need to pay them what they’re worth, listen to them, and fight to get them the items they need for the operation to be successful.

Building a winning culture begins by listening to your staff and being approachable at all times. Have you ever taken a moment to ask them individually what tasks they like to do on the golf course? Don’t be afraid to solicit feedback. It’s only going to help you put people in positions to succeed. A staff member is going to be a lot more productive if they’re doing a job they enjoy and take pride in. Listening and asking for input from your staff builds a lot of trust, and this should be a high priority when building your operation. Furthermore, your assistants—who are a reflection of your team culture—should be equally approachable and good listeners.

Be open with your plan. Team members are genuinely interested in the what and the why. Don’t wait for them to ask. Supply this information in the morning meeting when working through the job assignments. Educating your staff about the what and the why may benefit you also, such as when a golfer asks one of your staff why a certain agronomic practice is taking place that day. An educated team is an invested team.

Nothing is more important to a team functioning properly than clear communication. No one—and I mean NO ONE—likes having three supervisors give them three different sets of instructions for completing a job assignment. It creates confusion, resentment, and frustration, and it makes management look inept. Make sure everyone is on the same page with projects before the shovel hits the ground. “Begin with the end in mind,” as they say. Learn to be a great communicator. It takes time and practice, but every successful superintendent before you has taken the time to master the fine art of communication. 

Nothing is more important to a team functioning properly than clear communication...

When asked, most golfers will tell you they value consistency more than anything when they’re playing the course. We work so hard to give them consistent green speeds and bunkers. A superintendent must also be consistent with managing people. Treating everyone equally goes a long way with the team. If you’re going to reign holy hell on an operator for smashing a reel into the side of a bridge, then you better have the same reaction when your assistant does it. Nothing loses the respect of your staff quicker than allowing one person to get a “pass” on mistakes.

The superintendent and assistants should strive to set the example for the rest of the team. For instance, if you want your team to respect the equipment, then be prepared to practice what you preach. Set the example by keeping a clean cart, a clean office, and washing off equipment when you’re finished with it. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming a “do as I say, not as I do” type. Organization always begins with the superintendent.

Remember that time your sibling spilled juice all over the dining room carpet and then blamed it on you? How did it make you feel when your parents made you clean up someone else’s mess? I’ll bet you weren’t too happy about it. Now think about how your crew feels when someone trashes a piece of equipment or ruts up a fairway and they’re asked to clean up something they didn’t do. If you want to create a winning team culture, then you must hold people accountable for cleaning up their own mess.

Don’t sell tickets to your own hero party. Your team doesn’t need to know how “hard you fought” to get them something, whether it be it a raise, new rain gear, or lunch from the kitchen once a month. Actions always speak louder than words. You are being judged by results, not on the effort. The sheer act of handing out new rain gear says a lot more about your commitment to the team than words ever will. Don’t expect a pat on the back. If you can deliver results, then you will gain appreciation and respect.

Do you recall that telephone game we played in grade school, when the teacher whispered into one person’s ear and the message got totally distorted by the time it made its way to the last classmate? Unless you want ten people raking bunkers ten different ways, it’s best to leave all that training to an assistant or a high performer of the staff. If you are going to task an hourly employee to train a new staff member, then consider rewarding them with a $25 gift card or pay them time and a half for their effort. You’ll create a situation where an employee is more motivated and invested in doing a good job training someone. Training should be a coveted task amongst the crew and not viewed as a chore.

Working on a golf course isn’t an easy way to make a living. Your team has bills, debts, and all the headaches outside of work that you do, except they’re trying to do it making $17 an hour. Don’t tell a high performer that they aren’t worth $20 an hour or they’re maxed out for their skill set. Be empathetic. Sit down with that employee and create a pathway to $20 an hour. Maybe it involves getting a spray license, attending a few winter education classes, or taking on more responsibilities around the course. Creating a realistic pathway creates a win-win for both parties. And for the record, $20 an hour in an urban area is grossly underpaying a high performer who adds a lot of value to your operation.

Your team has bills, debts, and all the headaches outside of work that you do, except they’re trying to do it making $17 an hour...

It’s okay to admit when you’re wrong. We’re human and we make mistakes. It’s part of the learning process. If you make a mistake as a superintendent—and you will—then you need to own it. Don’t shift the blame or cover it up with excuses, or worse yet, make an employee think they’re in the wrong instead of you. You’d be surprised to find out how much respect a slice of humble pie every once in a while will get you.

The summer months can be a grind, but a little bit of positivity goes a long way. Make an effort to catch people doing good work out there. Drive over and let Carlos know how crisp those lines looked on the fairway he mowed. Compliment the bunker team on the extra detailing they did on the edges. Thank Jake for coming in on his day off to mow greens. Regular injections of positivity make your team feel valued and appreciated.

Deal with the drama! Don’t hope and wish your problems away. An employee with a bad attitude can do a lot of damage while you turn and choose to look the other way. Never let a poor performer frustrate or chase away your staff because you didn’t want to deal with it, or you will be the one paying the price for it at the end of the season.

Work smarter, not harder. No one likes repeating a project because it wasn’t done the right way or you picked the wrong weather or tool to accomplish the task. Being able to allocate people and resources efficiently is a skill that highly effective superintendents need. Working smarter requires you to combine a lot of skills we previously discussed to accomplish the goal—listen to your experienced staff and ask for input, communicate the goals and expectations of the project, and provide your staff with the tools they need to succeed. Why run through a brick wall when you can just walk around it? Work smarter. Never harder.

THE WINNING CULTURE FORMULA

    •    Listen to your staff
    •    Be approachable and show empathy
    •    Reward high performers
    •    Become an excellent communicator
    •    Share the goals and the plan with the team
    •    Clean up after yourself
    •    Treat all staff and assistants equally
    •    Admit when you make a mistake
    •    Show your dedication to your staff through actions, not words
    •    Deal with the drama
    •    Catch people doing good
    •    Work smarter, not harder

There are a lot of fantastic grass growers out there. But if you can’t grow a winning team culture, then you will never reach your full career potential. Take these insights to heart, look yourself in the mirror, and you too can create a winning culture with enough effort and commitment. You might be the best grass grower in the world, but you are nothing without a team standing beside you.

A year ago, I found myself mired in a job that I found to be morally at odds with my personal values and unfulfilling on a professional level. I traveled to Big Bend National Park in Texas, hoping to unplug from turf for a while and reflect on my career and my life path.

In Santa Elena Canyon I watched the Rio Grande carve its way through rock and sand on its way to the sea, just as it had for millennia. Here I realized that I was in charge of the flow of my life, my personal river, and it was time to change direction.

Within months of this trip, I left a career in sales to pursue my dream. I got back on a golf course with the goal of reconnecting with my passion. I rededicated myself to finding my true purpose in this industry.

Nearly a year into this, am I where I want to be? Not just yet. But I’m finally flowing in the right direction and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.