Power of the Superintendent

When Guy Cipriano asked Agronomic Advisors to contribute a column to Golf Course Industry, we couldn’t say “yes!” fast enough. We immediately thought this was an excellent conduit to share experiences, philosophies on various topics and possibly even stimulate some debate. We look forward to our new tenure as monthly contributors.

So, who are Agronomic Advisors?

Agronomic Advisors is comprised of two former golf course superintendents at premier country clubs: Dave Delsandro and Jeff Corcoran. Dave spent the majority of his years as a superintendent at Oakmont Country Club, while Jeff spent his time as superintendent at Oak Hill Country Club.

We both had unique opportunities to acquire vast experience during our careers and had always been in contact with each other, discussing various aspects of the golf course industry. During one of those conversations, we realized that we were both at a crossroads in our careers and understood that we wanted to venture outside of being superintendents. This initial conversation planted the seed that ultimately grew into the creation of Agronomic Advisors.

Agronomic Advisors is a consulting company that assists and advises superintendents on every aspect of golf course management from daily agronomics and operational management to construction planning and supervision to team building and everything in between. In essence, Agronomic Advisors is the vehicle that will allow us to impart our acquired knowledge to other superintendents that was gained by managing golf courses at the highest level.

This monthly column is just another avenue for us to share it with fellow superintendents. Because this is our first article, we thought it appropriate to introduce ourselves first. However, because we have just recently taken on an entrepreneurial endeavor and stepped away from our careers as superintendents, we recognize that there are many other superintendents at a crossroads in their own careers and that it would be a good time to recognize the Power of the Superintendent.

What do we mean by the Power of the Superintendent? Well, the superintendent of any golf facility is generally the most versatile employee, especially if he or she has been there for any period of time. During their duties, they have acquired a myriad of knowledge and experience. Superintendents have accounting skills, they are project managers, they are recruiters, trainers, agronomic experts, irrigation technicians, purchasers and estimators. The list is extensive and it represents the Power of the Superintendent — a multi-faceted skill set that is valued and transferable to many different career paths.

Many superintendents are also facing their own career crossroads. The long hours, stress, weekends and holidays spent working, demands of members and owners, and time away from family get people pondering whether they want to continue the path of being a superintendent.

What holds a superintendent back from taking their skillset to another undertaking? We think it’s primarily fear. We know we had our own fears and trepidations when stepping away from being a superintendent. Fear of what? The fear comes in many ways, including fear of financial stability, fear of leaving the security of what you know, fear of failure and fear of scrutiny by others.

The writer and director Suzy Kassem said, “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will,” and it’s certainly true. Superintendents possess all the skills needed to be successful in almost any endeavor they choose. But the fear of the unknown inhibits us from taking the chance of betting on ourselves.

If you have put in your time as a superintendent and find yourself facing the crossroads in your career, bet on yourself. You have a vast array of skills that employers are seeking and the skills to pursue the entrepreneurial path. We have experienced the good fortune to meet many superintendents in our careers who have ventured out to do something different. To an individual, they have all been successful. It’s overcoming that initial fear of leaving what they know, what they are good at, and utilizing their talents in a different application.

Are we encouraging people to leave the superintendent industry en masse? No, not at all. We’re encouraging individuals who have worked hard to acquire valuable expertise to recognize what they have and to not sell themselves short when looking for a different career path. When we say a different career path, we’re not even indicating they move outside the industry. There are so many non-superintendent careers within our own industry that need individuals who possess the skills that most superintendents possess.

Embrace fear, bet on yourself and enjoy your success.