Teen thinking

Golf course maintenance is a quality employment opportunity. As a teen who knows a little about the industry, I decided to investigate further. Why aren’t more teens working these jobs? I wanted to determine what teens like, dislike, or simply don’t know about working a job on the course. By reviewing ads and talking with my peers, including two high school golfers who have worked course maintenance, I learned more.

One of my classmates, Charlie DeCapua, has worked a part-time job in golf course maintenance. DeCapua is a varsity golfer at our school, was a top recruit and will play in college. His passion for golf contributes to his positive experience in this field. “Being in my element all day and getting paid for it makes the work enjoyable,” he says.

Teen golfers may be drawn to a job on the course because as golfers themselves, they have an enhanced understanding of how important their work is. “Having an impact on other golfers’ games made me want to do my job as well as it could be done,” DeCapua says.

Another fellow student, Mark Pillar, who placed fourth at the Ohio state tournament last season, worked limited hours on a course so he could focus on practice and competition. DeCapua and Pillar are both multi-sport athletes. Athletes are disciplined, fit, punctual and accountable — all ideal characteristics for a worker.

This proves to be a double-edged sword as committed athletes may prioritize sports over summer work. Teenage golfers may be the best candidates for working in course maintenance but flexible schedules, particularly as the high school fall sports season nears, are necessary.

I chose some peers for a dedicated discussion (yes, snacks were involved!) because we worked hiking trail maintenance together last summer. Our common experience included long workdays, seasonal conditions and labor-intense tasks that parallel some of the work found on a golf course. None of them had much experience with golf besides occasionally playing for fun.

The group’s initial opinions reflected conventional impressions of the golf course industry, intoning that golf course work included a lot of mowing and managing golf carts. The group also mentioned that pesticides, deforestation and water requirements had negative environmental impacts. There are many prevalent negative stereotypes and perceptions about golf, even within the thoughtful, outdoorsy group of people I selected for my study. These negative stereotypes make hiring difficult.

Everyone in the group was surprised to learn of the potential environmental benefits provided by golf courses. Golf courses can prevent industrial development; help filter polluted water; can serve as sanctuaries for butterflies, raptors and wildlife; and provide a recreational green space where people can improve their health.

Most people in the group were keen on continuing to work outdoors. Chloe Firrell indicated that completing tasks at an outdoor job is rewarding. “I like seeing a physical representation of your progress while you’re working,” she says. “I like going home feeling like I have done something.”

Another talking point was the early hours golf course maintenance requires. Everyone in the group liked the idea of watching the sunrise every day and breathing that crisp morning air. Many individuals also liked the idea of getting a day’s work completed by early afternoon.

They also felt that the early start time would lead to being tired for the rest of the day. Someone mentioned that having the whole day on a different schedule than everyone else’s would make it more challenging to spend time with friends over the summer. This argument can be mitigated by encouraging interested teens to recommend the job to their friends.

Wages were the most significant factor considered by the group. Most people felt that the high wages of golf course work made the early hours and work worth it. We reviewed three hiring advertisements from golf courses in northeast Ohio. Job A consisted of a flexible schedule, four-hour shift option and wage of $15 to $17 per hour. Job B consisted of a less flexible schedule, but higher earning potential with a wage of $12 to $20 per hour. Job C consisted of a full-time position paying $20 to $28 per hour but with a less detailed job description.

Job A, with the most flexible schedule, had the most support. People were willing to sacrifice on pay in exchange for more flexible part-time hours. The group liked that Job A guaranteed pay of at least $15 per hour, preferring this to Job B with a lower starting pay ($12 per hour) even though the potential was more ($20 per hour). Would their experience working outside be enough to warrant higher pay?

Comparing Job A to Job C, individuals still supported Job A on the basis of its flexible hours. Even though Job C had a much higher guaranteed starting pay and the potential to pay 186 percent as much as Job A, the group was definitively less interested in full-time work.

Teens are willing to sacrifice on pay in exchange for more flexible hours, even if work starts before sunrise. For summer employment, these teens also seem to prefer jobs with a guaranteed starting pay of around $15 an hour, even if such a job has less future earning potential when compared to others.

Additionally, people agreed that 20 minutes was the longest they would want to drive for their commute to work on a golf course. When discussing that many course maintenance teams included multiple generations, the group was indifferent to this. No one viewed working with retirees or people from a wide age range as a drawback. Everyone was willing to use power tools and learn to use new machines and technology to do the job well.

After some discussion, there was generally a positive reception to the golf course industry. Teens are willing to work maintenance jobs, but the negative stereotypes need to be overcome so they can understand, earn and enjoy the benefits.

Kyle McGovern is a senior at Independence High School in Independence, Ohio. He plans to major in earth and environmental sciences at Vanderbilt University.

Tartan Talks 81

Kevin Norby first appeared on the Tartan Talks podcast in 2018. Golf was in a different spot those days.

Because so much has changed in the last five years, we invited Norby to rejoin the podcast. The result? Another engaging conversation about specific projects and broad industry topics.

“It’s a different time, different market and different economy for sure,” Norby says.

Norby has guided projects in the four continental United States time zones over the last five years. His workload included the completition of a new municipal layout: Fox Hills Golf Course in Waterford City, North Dakota. Fox Hills features five sets of locally-named tees, beginning with the Lewis & Clark Tees at 4,793 yards and stretching to the LongX Tees at 6,980 yards.

“What’s really unique about this project from my perspective is that it took so many years,” Norby says. “It literally took 10 years from when I first met them and did the first drawings to putting the first shovel in the ground. It was a long, long process.”

Restoring A.W. Tillinghast’s work in Minnesota, reworking courses to improve municipalities’ stormwater management capabilities and designing a 38,000-square-foot putting course are other topics covered in the podcast. The episode can be downloaded on the Superintendent Radio Network page of popular podcast distribution platforms.

Stay on solid ice

Guy Cipriano explains why upfront communication and empathy can soften the inconvenience when undesirable weather interrupts a customer’s big day.

Golf is an outdoor game played on varied landscapes. A course has no defined dimensions. Weather determines how — and sometimes if — the game can be played.

Hockey is an indoor game played on surfaces with defined dimensions. A standard North American rink measures 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. Weather has no impact on when the game can be played … until the business and marketing folks decide to play outdoors.

Managing editor Matt LaWell and I attempted to watch our local American Hockey League team, the Cleveland Monsters, play an outdoor game at the home of the Cleveland Browns on the first Saturday afternoon in March.

Cool idea. Market the heck out of playing hockey outdoors in an NFL stadium. Get a few extra thousand eyes on your product. New fans have fun watching a fast-paced spectator sport. They later attend a few indoor games. Emulating the marketing appeal of the annual NHL Winter Classic, the game was called the Cleveland Monsters Outdoor Classic.

Following a pancake brunch and paying $20 to park (such is a day out in the city!), Matt, his daughter and I walked into the stadium around 12:20 p.m. We watched a pregame skate, purchased a few drinks and settled into our seats like thousands of other fans, many of whom either never or rarely attend Monsters games.

The game was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Something seemed amiss around 1:20 p.m., when the teams remained in their respective locker rooms and a crew scurried to cover the ice with a tarp. Something also seemed amiss in how the franchise’s management handled the situation. Nobody communicated to customers why a game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. was being delayed.

Finally, around 1:40 p.m., the public address announcer told the crowd the start of the game had been postponed until 6 p.m. at the earliest, because afternoon sun caused the ice to deteriorate, thus creating unsafe playing conditions. Fans were told they could remain in the stadium or leave and use their ticket to re-enter. Anybody with something else to do that day besides attend a hockey game was out of luck. No refunds. No use of the words “sorry” or “we regret to inform” you in the announcement.

A one-hour delay? OK. A two-hour delay? Fine. A five-hour delay? Now you’re treading deep into personal schedules. Matt, his daughter and I, plus thousands of other fans, were gone — not only for the day, but perhaps for good.

Participant or spectator safety should never be compromised for commerce. Similar weather decisions are made daily at golf courses. A spoiled Saturday afternoon inside a stadium led to me pondering ways golf operators can effectively handle and communicate weather-related dilemmas without peeving customers.

Put yourself in the customer’s spot

Golf, sporting events, movies and concerts. No discretionary spending activity is forced upon a consumer. People are choosing your course over doing something else. Some might be choosing your course for the first time. Acknowledge the time and financial sacrifice a consumer makes to patronize your business. An afternoon at the course might be the norm for you. It could be an event circled and highlighted for months on somebody else’s calendar.

Upfront communication works

If frost, wet conditions or a threat of severe weather are going to delay a tee time or outing, begin notifying customers via text, email and social media. Let’s say you know at 6 a.m. that frost won’t lift until at least 9 a.m. Start the communication chain immediately. Customers will be thankful they aren't wasting time waiting at the course.

If weather issues arise when customers are already at the course, be honest, thoughtful and proactive with in-person communication. Use empathetic words when addressing customers whose plans are altered by weather. A superintendent visit to the clubhouse or grill to explain the situation can’t hurt. Nobody communicates the hows and whys surrounding weather better than a good superintendent.

Trust the technical guru

Completely trust the expertise and input offered by the people responsible for maintaining the playing surface. Owners, general managers, pros, boards and committees must listen intently to the superintendent’s thoughts on starting times. And the superintendent must speak up when the commerce doesn’t make enough sense for the likely conditions. Plan for the fallout if a worst-case scenario develops.

Scheduling a lucrative outdoor golf event at 7 a.m. before a crew can fully prepare playing surfaces or nine days following an aerification might not be worth the short-term revenue boost. Businesses willing to play the long game when handling customers almost always flourish.

Be flexible with refund policies

Policy is policy, and you might not be legally obligated to refund customers when weather goes awry, Again, this is where it’s important to think long term.

Sometimes what you’re required to do and what you should do are separate ideas. Giving somebody something — a full refund, a discount on later events or tee times, shop or food/drink credit — makes customers think their feelings were considered in the decision-making process.

A successful business wants repeat customers. Giving somebody a reason to come back will likely make them forget the initial inconvenience.

Guy Cipriano is Golf Course Industry’s editor-in-chief.

Industry buzz

The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation selected Dr. Wendell Hutchens as the 2023 Award of Excellence recipient. Hutchens received his bachelor’s degree in turfgrass science from NC State University and completed his master’s degree in turfgrass pathology at the school. He then earned his Ph.D. in turfgrass pathology at Virginia Tech. In August 2022, Hutchens became an assistant professor of turfgrass science at the University of Arkansas, where he divides his time between research, extension and teaching. … The USGA and The R&A have proposed a Model Local Rule that gives competition organizers the option to require use of golf balls that are tested under modified launch conditions to address the impacts of hitting distance in golf. The MLR is intended for use only in elite competitions and, if adopted, will have no impact on recreational golf. The proposal was sent to golf equipment manufacturers on March 13, following the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures established by the governing bodies in 2011. Manufacturers and golf stakeholders can provide feedback until Aug. 14, 2023. If adopted, the proposal would take effect on Jan 1, 2026. … Audubon International announced the addition of a new Signature Sanctuary Platinum Certification level. Signature Sanctuary Certification is specifically designed for properties undergoing renovation or new development. The Platinum Certification level offers the opportunity to encompass an entire resort under one certification umbrella. … RISE joined more than 400 organizations to send a letter to all members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives voicing support for the current regulatory framework in place under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The letter is in direct response to recently introduced legislation (S. 269) focused on the current regulatory system that guides the nation’s pesticide laws. This marks the third time related legislation has been introduced. … Syngenta appointed ToddLoecke to the newly created role of head of key accounts and promoted TroyRippy to Midwest district sales manager within the turf and ornamentals businesses.

Course news

The City of Sequin, Texas, selected the trio of Brian Ross, Nathan Crace and Todd Quitno to guide the redesign of Starcke Park Golf Course on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Originally designed in 1939 by John Bredemus, the course is an 18-hole par-71 layout carved through a pecan orchard on a bluff above the river. Starcke Park is the only public course in a 20-mile radius of quickly growing Seguin. … Officials at Dormie Network named MichaelSheely as director of agronomy at Gray Bull, a David McLay Kidd design set to open in the Nebraska Sandhills in 2024. Sheely, who previously worked at ArborLinks, will be joined by the team of superintendent Kit Lofgreen, assistant superintendent Katie Kramer and equipment manager Tyson Kramer. … Bobby Jones Links has been selected to manage Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Cypress Landing Golf Course in Chocowinity, North Carolina.