Morgan Creighton

Like many in her profession, Morgan Creighton pursued a career in turf because she enjoyed being outside. When she was a high school student in western Canada, she took a summer job at a golf course. An assistant superintendent she worked with steered Creighton to Olds College in Olds, Alberta, where she earned a degree in turf and turfgrass management and golf course management.

After several stops at the start of her career, Creighton is now an assistant superintendent at the Woodside Golf Course in Airdrie, Alberta where she works under head superintendent Karen Rumohr.

Appearing on the Wonderful Women of Golf podcast, Creighton tells host Rick Woelfel that Woodside is an ideal fit for her.

“Woodside has been probably the greatest experience that I’ve had,” she says. “(Rumohr) is phenomenal to work for. (The club) itself is a very understanding and supportive environment. I have learned so much more as a leader than necessarily just as a turf manager, which is the direction I wanted to go anyway. The property itself is fun to work on. It’s just a great spot to be at.”

In addition to her duties at Woodside, Creighton is the founder and one of the driving forces behind Women in Turf, which supports women in the industry. She launched the organization in November 2019 after attending a women in golf event earlier that year.

“My goal was to create an avenue where people can start to communicate and build a bond, especially the students coming into the industry,” she says.

Creating a safe environment for other women in the industry is particularly important to Creighton. Early in her career, before coming to Woodside, she was a victim of sexual harassment, which led to bouts of depression.

“It was tough,” Creighton recalls. “I was not a good version of myself. I was not a good employee at the time. I secluded myself from the rest of the group and tried to just go in each day, do what I was told to do, put in my hours, and go home.

“It was a very rough time in my life. Especially being around those people day in and day out. I was able to switch shifts so three days of the week I didn’t see that person, but it’s not easy. I didn’t take a good route with it, I didn’t talk to people, I just internalized it all. That was partially why I fell into such a deep depression, because I didn’t ask for help; I didn’t go for help to the people that I knew could help me.”

Creighton regrets not speaking out sooner.

“It wasn’t a time of my life that I’m proud of,” she says. “I wish I could have handled it a different way. In the moment, it was putting on a face and trying to get through each day.

“When it was happening to me I said, ‘I can take it.’ I can internalize a lot and did internalize a lot, but then I saw this person doing it to a 16-year-old summer student from high school. That’s what made me finally take that step. I don’t like seeing other people going through anything uncomfortable. And I’m way better at helping people than I am at helping myself.”

As ugly as the incident was, it fueled Creighton’s desire to assist and support others and led to the launch of Women in Turf.

“I want everyone I come across to know that they can reach out,” she says. “It doesn’t matter what time, it doesn’t matter what’s going on in my life, I will always be in a place that I can listen.

“Part of the mentor program is allowing each other to have a more intimate group that you start to feel comfortable with and can turn to.”