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| There are many challenges facing golf courses today, and for golf course superintendents in particular, challenges, coming from many directions: Mother Nature, witness the damage done by hurricanes in 2004; disease, wear and tear because of traffic on the course. |
| Fortunately, organizations such as the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the United States Golf Association, work through research and education to help overcome the challenges. The reality is the golf course is a living body, and the body needs medicine and rest when weakened.Still, these are challenges facing the GCSAA's 69th president, Timothy T. O'Neill, elected to the post at the association's recent annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. O'Neill, a certified golf course superintendent at the Country Club of Darien (Conn.), as president, has general charge and supervision of the affairs and property of the association. He also represents the group in green industry and allied golf events, and serves on the board of trustees for The Environmental Institute for Golf (the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA). |
| O'Neill, a member of the GCSAA board of directors since 2000, has been the golf course superintendent at the Country Club of Darien (Conn.) since 1981.A 23-year GCSAA member, O'Neill was first certified in 1988. A native of Pawtucket, R.I., O'Neill, 47, is heavily involved in golf initiatives in the Northeast region of the country. |
| BoardRoom magazine recently had a chance to sit down with O'Neill to discuss issues facing the profession, the association and the game: |
| BoardRoom Magazine: We know there are challenges facing golf courses, what are some facing superintendents as they work
to maintain courses?
Timothy T. O'Neill: Superintendents - and facilities as a whole - will always face the challenges thrown at them by Mother Nature; disease; and wear and tear due to traffic on the course. |
| Other traditional resource challenges include finding enough qualified labor for the course management staff and having the quantity and quality of water to provide high acceptable conditions. Regulatory and legislative measures limiting the options available for superintendents have been a fact of life and I predict this will continue. Contrary to what many may think, providing an environmentally-friendly golf course is not an unwanted obstacle, however getting the golfer to understand what this means for their golf course may be. That dovetails with another on-going challenge that is not likely to go away - high expectations. Again, there is nothing wrong with having high expectations. I have those as well. But superintendents must manage those expectations in a manner so that they are realistic. |
| Perhaps the "newest" challenge for superintendents is what I mentioned earlier. Superintendents must change their way of thinking that they just manage turfgrass. That may be too simple of a statement. Superintendents will need to be facility-focused. That means keeping expenses in line and doing what they can to increase revenues. |
| BR: How much autonomy should a superintendent have?
O'Neill: The superintendent should have complete authority over the golf course, but not at the expense of the long-term health of the facility. The golf course superintendent is the most qualified professional to make decisions regarding the golf course. No other staff member should be making decisions on fertilization programs, bunker management, etc. But it is important to have that "business" perspective whereby any course management decision should not have a significant detrimental effect on the vitality of the facility. Likewise, the superintendent should have the authority to implement actions that would have the ability to enhance the financial status of the facility. Obviously, having authority does not mean making decisions in a vacuum. The superintendent is part of the team. The best decisions are made with a complete understanding of all the issues involved. |
| BR: What is GCSAA and how does it benefit private country clubs?
O'Neill: GCSAA is the acronym for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses currently has 21,000 members in 72 countries. The nature of associations is that they provide information, representation and education for their members. That is the Reader's Digest version of GCSAA. |
| Private clubs benefit from having their superintendent a GCSAA member primarily because the association provides the support needed to optimally manage golf courses according to the expectations and resources the club allocates for golf course maintenance. Such support comes in the form of cutting edge education including a respected certification program and other professional development training. In addition, membership provides direct access to scientific applied research, Golf Course Management magazine (a source of information for all aspects of golf course and facility management,) rapid response information, market data and a vast network of members who can provide feedback and input on issues that may be similar to those facing a particular club. It is much like a computer with the Intel brand Pentium chip inside providing the power and knowledge to make the computer function. GCSAA provides the power and knowledge for the superintendent to make the golf course superintendent function. |
| GCSAA also provides the members a "big picture" perspective of the whole industry. When it comes to facility management, this perspective is invaluable. The association has made an effort to communicate that a successful superintendent cannot solely limit him/herself to what happens inside the maintenance building. Superintendents must take a facility-wide view in terms of what can be done to increase speed of play, make more tee times available, return the course to playability after bad weather, etc. Like any businessperson, superintendents should focus on reducing expenses and increasing revenues. GCSAA member programs and services take that perspective. The return on investment of having a GCSAA member greatly outweighs the dollars a club will invest in membership and education for its superintendent. |
| BR: What role would GCSAA see for an elected greens chairman?
O'Neill: The green chairman should be an individual that can facilitate success for the superintendent and the facility. Again, that may sound simple, but it creates a clear vision for all involved. The superintendent at a private club works for the members, so the green chairman is the conduit to that membership. Therefore, clear communication is a key aspect of the superintendent-chairman relationship. I suggest the communication be regular, but not so overbearing that it hinders operations. That communication should also come in the form of having the superintendent part of regular committee meetings, the budget process and long-term planning. I don't think it is wise for any club to expect a green chairman to become an amateur agronomist. It is wise, therefore, for the green chairman to understand the nature of the superintendent profession. I believe the green chairman should read reference materials on the subject - such as GCSAA's Golf Course Management Magazine. I also believe a green chairman should attend the Golf Industry Show with their superintendent. Because of the learning curve, I think most clubs would benefit by not turning over a green chairman on an annual basis. Currently, GCSAA is working to understand how this association can be more relevant to employers and facilities in general. I believe the green chairman can be an integral link in providing the added value. |
| BR: What qualifications should a board look for in hiring a superintendent?
O'Neill: First, any hire should be a GCSAA member. I think I have stated the reasons for that earlier. Secondly, there is value in experience and ongoing education. GCSAA offers a certification program for superintendents. I think clubs should consider looking at certified golf course superintendents in their applicant pool. |
| Then it becomes a process of matching your needs with the qualifications of the candidate. I think you can use the broad classifications of talents for evaluating candidates on the basis of agronomic, business management and communications skills. Some candidates are just better than others based upon education, experience and talent. But this is also where GCSAA membership is vital. The association provides the resources for members that make them quite adaptable to their employment situation. If a candidate ranks high in a variety of measures, but lacks private club experience, that should not eliminate that person. GCSAA offers the resources and network that will allow the person to assimilate into the setting with relative ease. That is also why you see superintendents who may have years of experience in northern climates with cool season grasses be successful in the south with warm season grasses. The resources behind the member are significant. |
| Lastly, there are the general qualities that are critical to most employers, but may be even more relevant to a superintendent. Those include punctuality, team-focused approach, attention to detail, leadership and motivational skills, etc. It is important for a club to determine well in advance the key attributes of the position, then measure applicants against those. When that is determined, any club or facility can utilize the GCSAA employment referral service to find a qualified superintendent by calling 800-472-7878. |
| BR: What is the Golf Industry Show?
O'Neill: The Golf Industry Show was staged for the first time this past February in Orlando. It combines the trade shows of the GCSAA and the National Golf Course Owners Association. In 2007, the Club Managers Association of America trade show will become part of the event in Anaheim, Calif. Presently, the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Golf Course Builders Association of America and the National Golf Foundation are supporting organizations of the Golf Industry Show, but I predict more partners will sign on in the future. The show will rotate from the east to central to west corridors of the nation, with Orlando - New Orleans - and ultimately San Diego being the host cities. |
| The respective associations also conducted education events concurrent with the Golf Industry Show. Though managed independently, there were several sessions that appealed to all or a majority of attendees. At last year's show, there were 22,723 attendees, including superintendents, owners, general managers, green committee members, golf professionals, builders, architects, developers, appraisers and other industry professionals. There were 826 exhibitors covering 270,760 square feet of exhibition hall space, featuring products, services and information on all aspects of facility management. GCSAA education seminars attracted 7,329 attendees. So based on a numbers perspective, it was a huge success. |
| The focus of the Golf Industry Show falls in line with that of GCSAA. We are providing our members exposure to the entire golf industry and the complete infrastructure of the golf facility so that they can become a more valuable employee. The reality is that a large percentage of GCSAA members are performing duties over and above that of a traditional superintendent position and many others are assuming general manager roles. It all goes back to the facility perspective that I mentioned earlier. |
| But the value extends beyond the superintendent attendee. The feedback we have received from all groups is that the Golf Industry Show was definitely greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is for that reason that I see this as a venue where all of the professionals at a facility will continue to attend. Some feel a combined show only caters to the owner, the general manager attendee. There is no way a general manager can absorb the entire show and participate in education, then take that back to his facility for the benefit of the entire staff. |
| In reality, exposure to the GIS will showcase the complexity of the profession and highlight the professional requirements of a successful superintendent. The superintendent, the club manager, the owner and other appropriate staff can all benefit by attending so that they can keep current and add their expertise to the "team" approach of facility management. At my facility, my supervisors clearly see the value of teamwork and my attending the Golf Industry Show. |
| BR: What is your vision for the future role of the superintendent?
O'Neill: I'll be repeating some of what I said earlier. I don't want it to seem like I have a crystal ball, but if you look at the industry trends and listen to the industry leaders, it is obvious traditional golf course facility management is or will be giving way to a business approach. We are starting to see facilities use marketing tactics that have never been considered before. That includes a wide variety of pricing structures, alternative course set ups, non-golf amenities, etc. |
| Golf course superintendents will need to take that perspective as well. In fact, I am seeing that happen among many of my peers now. As I noted earlier, superintendents will be looked upon to be leaders and provide increased revenue opportunities such as getting people around the course quicker - increasing the speed of play. This is an issue that has plagued golf forever; I believe superintendents can have the most direct positive impact on speeding play by how the course is maintained and set-up. |
| Superintendents have generally been characterized as being low-key or behind the scenes. I'm not suggesting we make the profession out to be cheerleaders, but I believe the nature of the business will necessitate that superintendents be more visible at facilities. At the same time, I think that past characterization may have caused some to think superintendents are not a creative group. |
| Actually, superintendents are among the most resourceful and creative people I know. We encounter many challenges on the golf course for which there is no prescribed solution. It is then left to us to devise a remedy. If you look at the new grasses, the new equipment and the new application of technology that have appeared on the scene, the impetus for that has been the golf course superintendent. We identify an issue, work with industry and organizations for solutions, test the alternatives, and then implement the new product or service. Creativity will continue to be a key trait for superintendents. |
Timothy T. O'Neill, certified golf course superintendent at the Country Club of Darien (Conn.), is president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. For more information, contact your local superintendent or the GSCAA at 800-472-7878 or at www.gcsaa.org. |