In the balance

Golf Course News, Jun 2004 by Walsh, John

PLANNING AHEAD AND HIRING COMPATABLE ASSISTANTS CAN HELP SUPERINTENDENTS ACHIEVE STABILITY BETWEEN HOME LIFE AND WORK

Q Explain your typical day and work week.

I typically divide the year into two seasons-the off-season and the in-season. During the in-season, I wake up just before 5:00 a.m., and arrive at the course about 5:30 a.m. I live only a mile from the club, but I like to stop and get a cup of coffee and enjoy some private time before I get to work.

I don't believe I do anything atypical of any other superintendent. We have many projects going on at one time. I have a terrific staffof 17, and have two interns with us for the summer. I enjoy assigning the first task in the morning. We use a large board where jobs are listed and expectations are posted. I believe at least 70 percent of the daily work is completed with in the first four hours of the day, so it's important I set that tone. I delegate more to my assistants as the day goes on.

The work week can be flexible with effort. I can do a lot of family activities by taking off and coming back later to make up the time from being off property. The job offers a certain degree of flexibility. Typically, I work Monday through Saturday, I try not to come in on a Sunday unless a tournament or the weather dictate I should be around. Saturdays are usually spent meting with members and being more visible.

In-season, we come back after hours several days of the week to do jobs that might interfere with play, such as pesticide applications, in-line irrigation repairs or getting a few extra acres of rough mowed, or when we want to be less intrusive. When I arrive early, it doesn't translate to leaving earlier, it usually just adds that time to the total day. I estimate I put in about 50 to 55 hours per week. During the off-season, I will adhere to a more traditional schedule and stick to 40 hours per week. Off-season days are full, similar to in-season, but without the intense pressure of getting things done now.

Q How do you manage your time?

I usually don't like to deviate from routines. I like to keep the staff focused and on task. After assigning the morning's first assignments, I will head back to the office to check e-mails and then tour the golf course. As mentioned before, as the day progresses, I delegate more through the assistants. I tend to return all nonurgent phone calls during one or two periods during the day.

We try to be efficient. We have a new maintenance facility, which is four-seasons old, that was designed with a conveyor-belt-type system, meaning it allows moving forward. I'm always saying little victories lead to big victories. I like to accomplish a lot of little chores first then tackle the more time consuming jobs next. This builds positive momentum. Examples of this could be checking irrigation heads. We will focus on the small, mister-style heads first, knocking off 20 or so at a clip, then tackle the larger leaks later. Another quick example is mulching or weeding flower beds. We start with the smaller beds first and progress to the larger ones second. In general, people feel better with themselves if they accomplish something during the day. Again, it builds momentum. I share my philosophy, never preach, and we go on.

Q Do you consider your job stressful? How do you handle stress?

For me, there's an ebb and flow as it relates to stress. It all revolves around the greens. When the greens are healthy and ball roll is acceptable, life is pretty good. As the temperature and humidity rise, so does my stress level. I tend to internalize most of it.

Admittedly, during the past two seasons, I've struggled a bit. I began to question programs we had in place and the time they were taking to materialize. So I hired a turf consultant, Ed Etchells of Golf Turf, for a review. He has helped reduce my stress level. I solicited advice from others often. When Ed leaves, I feel good. He gives me peace of mind. I have a touch of insecurity that keeps me motivated. These turf consultants are often negatively perceived, but I believe if used right, they're a great asset. I remind superintendents that the consultants work with you not for you, so be prepared for some blunt talk.

I created some self-inflicted stress by following Tony Savone. Tony was the superintendent at Quaker Ridge for 27 years and maintained this golf course as the standard for the area. During the transition, the membership also wanted me to transition the golf course to play differently-lower heights of cut, less water, lower fertility-all things you're "not supposed" to do. What followed were disease outbreaks that included Anthracnose. This devilish fungus created havoc for a few seasons on the turf. During this time the membership was tough, patience was tested, and rightfully so. I informed them with as much information as possible and gave progress reports. Other superintendents in the area were also dealing with the same problem, so communication among each other was vital for me. I really shook things up. I'm hoping for a less stressful summer this year.