Golf Nirvana

       I have been to golf heaven and its name is Royal Porthcawl! I am in the UK with the Bernhard Company this week. While making the trip over the pond a few of us decided to head over a few days early and get in some golf in Wales. After a 36 hour marathon that would make the men on the Deadliest Catch proud, we had 15 holes of golf at Celtic Manor and a few pints as a warm up and finally some sleep. Saturday was to be the something special. As we headed to the town of Newport, will full rain gear in tow, we were all looking forward to a chance to play the home of the 2014 Senior Open Championship (by the way  here it is not the British Open as we call it in the states!)

       As we arrived we were met by the PGA Professional, who could not have been more welcoming. He told us to make ourselves at home and head to the clubhouse for a pint before our round. This is where it got good. The members after a kindly reminder of hats indoors equals to you buying a round of drinks, we were welcomed into their club. The golf talk began and it was became clear that playing golf was not what makes this incredible place so special. From the questions about the US Open at Merion to some home course knowledge tips, you could not have asked for anything more! As the round went on, my golf may have been bad and the 20+MPH winds not helping but it was a day I will never forget! From the incredible views to having one of the members from inside come over as we were on adjoining holes to see how we were doing, just really an incredible experience.

       As we finished up and headed into the clubhouse there were still two members finishing up their drinks. As we talked some more golf in a room filled with photos of past club Presidents and Captains dating back to 1891, I truly believe I have been to golf heaven and its name is Royal Porthcawl!

 

WJC

 

 

That Is Pretty Cool

       This past week our sales group held a training event. While we covered many topics, one of the primary reasons we got together was to talk about our allied lines. While Toro products is what our distributor spends the majority of our time representing, there is still a boat load of other products out there that don't get the attention that the main product lines do but can be time and money savers.
       The hard part for allied products is to stay in the conversation but when you hit the trade show trail this fall think about spending a few more minutes walking down those side aisles. Some of the pieces that we rep for that are really worth a second look come from Seago International, True-Surface and Bernhard & Company. Scott Sweeney from Seago does a great job scouting the globe for products that fall into the "that is pretty cool" category. From the Atom Cart Path Edger to the Hover Trimmer, they have some things that might make you think about changing how you have always done your maintenance practices. True-Surface has the vibratory rollers and multi-option cassette heads. With some independent research on their side, the use of vibratory rollers to work in topdressing will be a process that should be more common in the future. And another product we represent is Bernhard Grinders. While your grinders seem to last forever the difference in a 10+ plus year unit grind and a new unit is worth thinking about. Even just adding the use of a rapid facer into your reel maintenance practices could help to improve your turf's health.
       While these are only three of many, it really is worth the investment of your off season time to do some research on the products from some of the smaller companies. You never know what you might find that just might make your job a little easier!

www.SeagoInternational.com
www.True-Surface.com
www.Bernhard.co.uk

WJC

Moving On Up

       I recently spoke with a Superintendent who had been approached by his club to take on a larger roll. It is an interesting trend that seems to be happening more often. When making the move from Superintendent to General Manager/Superintendent there  are obviously many variables that need to be considered. While being an excellent manager of the most important and profitable asset for the club, in most cases, few Superintendents have the food and beverage background.
       From talking to those who had made this transition, the key seems to be to do your home work. With many Superintendents already putting in long hours, the thought of having to be required to be at the club at night too is not something they are looking for. So how do you do it without living there 24/7? The common thread seems to be the same thing that makes a very good Superintendent, the ability to surround yourself with good people and the ability to delegate.
       With one of the main suggestions in career advice articles being to make yourself the go to person at your facility, the transition to GM/Superintendent seems to be a logical move. It is an interesting trend to watch as clubs evolve.


WJC