Nailed it

Guy Cipriano, the fearless leader of Golf Course Industry, shared a thought on social media about a month ago that might be the single best post he’s ever created. Guy wrote on X, “One of the many, many, many beauties of the golf industry is everybody can be a consultant. Everybody can inspire, help and inform a peer. Everybody can call, text or email a peer for guidance. Not many industries boast this type of support network. Embrace it.”

In today’s fast-paced world, it may seem counterintuitive to write about a social media post. The concept of today’s news really is an old-fashioned one because if you wait a few hours the next newsworthy thing will come along. And sometimes the wait only requires a few minutes before you are yesterday’s news.

I submitted a piece to the first Turfheads Take Over issue in 2016 about the benefits of GCSAA membership. I wanted everyone in the business to understand we are stronger together, and although some may choose to go at it alone, life is just better when your friends and colleagues are along for the ride.

Guy’s words were so poignant because annually this very issue of the magazine embodies that spirit perfectly. Turfheads Take Over provides a platform for industry folks to write about whatever they want. That alone is a powerful concept, but when your peers use that given platform to inform, motivate and inspire rather than boast we all are motivated come each December.

Social media can be depressing with the volume of negativity, but if you know how to sift through the litter, you can learn and be inspired by numerous examples of the uplifting nature of this industry. In late October, a severe storm off the east coast of Scotland caused damage to golf courses. The hardest hit was Golspie, as it suffered coastal erosion and vast amounts of debris deposited on the course by the storm surge.

Did you know the day after the storm there was a massive cleanup effort? Yes, the members of the club came out to assist Muir Ross and his small greenkeeping team, but so did members of the local community. And so did other greenkeeping staff members from nearby courses Tain, Brora, Royal Dornoch, Skibo and even Durness. Folks willingly donated their time and pitched in to help a neighbor in need.

Or how about the devastation in Arizona caused by the javelina? I must admit I didn’t know what a javelina was until I saw the horrific video shared on X by Seven Canyons Golf Club assistant superintendent Emily Casey on Oct. 22. The video had recorded over 33 MILLION views at the time I penned this column. Talk about going viral. And although the video did spark some debate about golf courses, land use, natural resources and habitats, there were other folks who reached out with ideas and assistance for the problem at hand.

Want more proof? How about the toy drive in memory of Michael Breuer’s son Grady. What a tragic yet inspiring story and life lived by the young boy. #Gradystrong will continue to inspire long after social media is a distant memory. I know he continues to inspire me each day. When the day finally arrives that I get the chance to meet Michael, I have a big hug waiting for him.

What about The Superintendent Network? Brian Laurent’s son was horrifically injured, and the network (pun intended) rallied in support. The Wee One Foundation has been supporting members of the golf course industry for nearly a decade, providing money for families and loved ones at a critical time in their lives.

I could go on, but I think by now you get the gist. We work in a unique industry where everyone across the nation and around the globe shares a common bond. And when a colleague has a need, the call to action is as natural a response as daily course setup procedures.

Keep grinding when the season requires and keep sharing. You are inspiring others and making a difference, even if you didn’t know it.

Guy nailed it because that device we sometimes struggle to pull ourselves away from connects us all just like the soil under our boots. And in this period of giving to others, I wish everyone a safe, healthy and happiest of holidays.