Never too soon to start

Brianna Foster’s career in turf really hasn’t gotten started yet. But what she’s experienced at the 79th U.S. Women’s Open certainly has enhanced her enthusiasm for the profession.

Foster is a native of Fairlawn, Ohio, about 30 miles south of downtown Cleveland, and an intern at Fairlawn Country Club. She’s studying at Ohio State and is focused on a future in turf.

Foster was part of the corps of some 90 volunteers who supported the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club. She was one of 10 women in the group.

“This has been an amazing experience,” she says. “To see all of these women superintendents that are so far along in their careers, years and years into the industry, it’s certainly something I’m not used to seeing but it is uplifting. I am learning so much from these women. They are such a great influence on me.”

Foster began getting her feet wet in the turf industry at the suggestion of Fairlawn Country Club superintendent Mark Conner.

“I was valeting at Fairlawn Country Club and (he) asked me if I wanted to work some more hours on the grounds crew,” she says. “And I did. A couple months later, I figured out that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Because I truly fell in love with the industry, and the rest is history.”

Foster says the welcoming, supportive nature of the turf industry fueled her enthusiasm for it.

“I think the community aspect of the entire industry really pulled me in,” she says, “and then also, I absolutely love being outside. I get to be outside every day, enjoying nature and God’s creation. And then to be with all these amazing people in this industry, it’s hard not to have a passion for turf with the people I’m surrounded by.”

Foster spent her working hours at the U.S. Women’s Open mowing greens. Speaking with Golf Course Industry during the championship, Foster cited the welcoming, corporative atmosphere as a positive.

“It’s been great,” she says. “Everyone has been extremely welcoming, to me and everyone around me. We’re all just coworkers.

“I don‘t think anyone treats anyone any different, It’s just 100 percent a team effort. Nothing here can be done by one single person, we all have to work together and I think it’s amazing that all of the men are so willing to just treat us as coworkers and seeing us as equals and wanting this course to be the absolute best with these women playing here.”

Rick Woelfel is a Philadelphia-based writer, senior Golf Course Industry contributor and host of the Wonderful Women of Golf podcast.