“ Where else can I be outside all day surrounded by beautiful scenery , have a 160-acre office and bring my dog with me ? Some of the hardest working , nicest and most genuine people are part of this brotherhood that we call the golf industry .”
– Mark Madonna , Ashley Plantation by MICHAEL J . STOTT
Then and Now : Changes in the Lives of Superintendents
ithout a doubt , one of the most enlightening educational experiences I ’ ve ever had was spending four hours with a golf course superintendent . Part instruction , part resignation , and wholly entertaining and heartfelt , I came away with an undying appreciation for the trials and tribulations faced by stewards of the greensward .
Like many Americans , the work life of superintendents has evolved over the years . Improvements in agronomy , chemicals , equipment and labor practices have all contributed to the seismic shift in how these professionals carry out their vocational responsibilities , leading to greater efficiency and better work-life balance . But such advancements can also pave the way for new challenges .
GAME-CHANGING INNOVATIONS
Dick Fisher , a multiple GCSAA service award winner at Lake Chesdin Golf Club , accepted his first superintendent job in 1970 . Since that time , he has witnessed numerous developments , including an agronomic change with turf varieties , enabling them to thrive under more extreme conditions , endure lower mowing heights and varying temperatures , and remain far more tolerant to disease , drought and insects .
This , along with other developments in the industry , is largely thanks to the shared and ongoing research performed by universities and agricultural commodity producers . “ The chemicals we use today , for example , are far more effective and impose significantly less environmental impact than those used in the past ,” Fisher explains . vsga . org J ULY / A UGUST 2024 | V IRGINIA G OLFER
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