Rule #6-Strive to develop character and ability rather than status and power

Who you are, not what you are

The golf course industry has a unique aspect, especially in America. When a young person decides to go to school for turf management and work on golf courses, it is immediately assumed they want to become a golf course superintendent/director of grounds. The golf course industry in America has put an unfortunate label on anyone who gets into the industry and doesn’t become a GCS/DOG—FAILURE! I don’t think it’s intentional, but I don’t think anyone has tried hard to keep it from happening.

I’ve thought about this passively over the years, and I can’t think of another industry in which anything but reaching the top of the employment ladder is deemed a failure. I think this is pretty sad, and it has ushered many hard-working, intelligent people away from our vocation.

This top-heavy view of employment in the industry has created an environment in which status and power are often valued more than character and ability. When becoming a GCS/DOG is the only goal, people will chase it in a way they wouldn’t if there were plenty of landing spots along the way. I’m going to attempt to explain what I mean.

When someone decides to get into golf course turf, the chorus quickly becomes: “You need to plot your path to the top.” To reach that goal, choices are made: a school is picked, internships are chosen, and a path is laid out. The trouble comes when the path laid out isn’t about building the foundational elements of the job but rather getting to the top of the industry pyramid.

Young people are eschewing opportunities to practice and learn the foundational elements because 1) they don’t understand the importance of foundation to success, and 2) they think a big name on the resume is more important than time spent building a foundation.

The hiring practices in this industry aren’t helping. Where did you work, what was the ranking, how many championships have you worked? These are the priorities during the hiring process. Foundational skills and knowledge are being passed over.  

Throughout my career, I genuinely loved every aspect of the job. I’ve done it all, always trying to learn each thing at the highest level. I’ve dug up irrigation lines, looked at a break, tried to figure out what was wrong, gotten that wrong, fixed it poorly, and had to dig it back up. I’ve made application mistakes, used the wrong math to figure out how much of a product should go in a tank, and then faced the consequences of my mistake.

Of course, you don’t love every minute of trying and failing, but you develop character and ability that never goes away. In doing so, you learn how to fix, mix, and determine what is wrong with a piece of equipment. Using such wisdom, you can pass along wisdom to new equipment managers like: “Anytime someone says something is wrong with their machine, bring fuel because 75% of the time, they’re just out.”

I didn’t get to where I am today because I was passionate about being a GCS/DOG; I got here because I was passionate about whatever I was doing. I wanted to be a GCS but didn’t prioritize it over simply getting better. I was always trying to be the best at getting better. Even today, I’m trying to be better than anyone else at getting better.

Another way I might say this is that if you concentrate on developing your character and ability, you can achieve status and power. However, focusing on achieving status and power will leave you short on vital character and ability. Stop and think; I bet you can think of an example of each person. Which one of those people do you want to be?