The Penultimate

There may be a handful of you who know, though I actually made the decision back in June: After five-plus years of being blessed with the opportunity to share my thoughts, experiences and opinions with you readers, I am stepping away as a regular columnist with Golf Course Industry. That is right, I am stepping down as America’s Greenkeeper — but I am keeping the sash gifted to me by Matthew Gourlay, CGCS, MG!

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for reading. Thanks for sharing, commenting, interacting and helping facilitate conversations that resonated within our industry. As a writer, the hardest part is sometimes not knowing if the message is getting across. But your feedback — on social media or via a text or call from those who have my number — has always been appreciated.

And thank you for inspiring. So much of what I have written came from your experiences and our conversations. Many of you out there are doing a phenomenal job and you are inspiring others, even if you are not aware. Just keep doing it.

So why am I stepping away from my side hustle at this time? Similar to the column I penned last year about career changes, it is time. I cannot put into words how I know, but I just know it is time someone else receives the opportunity to express themselves like I was given.

Ironically, next month will be the anniversary of my first Golf Course Industry contribution. That is right: the annual Turfheads Take Over issue is how I got my start with the magazine. In 2016, I wrote a piece singing the praises of the GCSAA and talked about how my GCSAA membership, which started as a student at Virginia Tech in the late 1990s, helped me along my career journey that brought me to where I am today.

In 2017, I took to the keyboard again to voice my displeasure with my industry peers. I still do not understand why it is when we host our fellow superintendents during industry golf outings, we try to show off and set up the golf courses too hard, leading to long rounds and frustrated folks who were just excited to get away from their property for a few hours. I still think this was one of my best rants.

I remember looking forward to the December edition each year as it presented the opportunity to write about whatever you want and have it published. If you have never done so, I encourage you to contribute to Turfheads Take Over in the future. It truly is your publication and the team at Golf Course Industry does a wonderful job each year making sure your voices are heard.

Turfheads Take Over is like a mini superintendent meeting in your hand. When I served on the Carolinas GCSA board of directors, I recall Danny Allen saying that folks want to hear from other superintendents. All the seminars we produce with academic instructors and other industry leaders are great, but the best-attended classes and lectures are always the ones led by our peers.

So, I am stepping away from monthly contributions. Part of the reason is I think I have said about all I have to say. When I started my blog at my previous golf course, I noticed over the decade-plus of posts that the numbers declined. Part of that is trying to avoid being repetitive amid the seasonal nature of our business.

But part of it, too, I am certain, is just the nature of things. Will I ever find inspiration in someone or something and take to the keyboard? I am sure I will, and if I am inspired enough to actually bang something out on the keyboard, I will email it to Guy Cipriano before you can say Turfheads Take Over.

I don’t know what is going to happen to the back page, but I do know I look forward to turning there straight away and see what the folks at Golf Course Industry have in mind. I am sure whatever or whoever occupies that space will be a great addition and this greenkeeper can just fade into the distance.

Thanks for letting me be a part of your day and thank you for your support.

Until next time.