Better late than never

As golf course superintendents, it is crucial for managers in the public realm to understand the state of the game and its trajectory. The post-COVID golf craze has increased rounds across the board and it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future. The reality is that Gen Z and millennial golfers have changed how we think about golf course management.

A colleague of mine coined the term “trunk slammer” and it wasn’t until I moved to a public club that I realized that the majority of our public play consists of players that fit under this unique nomenclature. A “trunk slammer” is one who shows up to the course a few minutes ahead of their tee time and rushes to the first tee. No warmups, just balls, clubs, a six-pack and, most important, a speaker!

This generational shift has transformed the game from that of etiquette, patience and structured environment to a more social experience with less emphasis on rules or score and more on camaraderie and relaxation with friends. This shift could mean that we as managers need to reevaluate our practices to accommodate for every level of golfer, allowing for faster play and minimizing frustration.

Lancaster Golf Club went from a fully private to a public course in 2021, when it was purchased by 26 members. We have around 100 members and still host marquee club events like member/guests and club championships for them each year. I still try to manage a firm and fast golf course for our membership. No matter what the public perceives, it’s important to accommodate for both your loyal members and the novice public player. To accommodate for both, we started a plan to create a wider, more playable golf course by adding almost five acres of fairways as well as greenside runoffs that will collect a lot of golf shots and allow the player to have a fair chance to get up and down from a good lie.

The most controversial problem I’ve noticed working at a public club is the lack of golf course etiquette — repairing ball marks, replacing divots, raking traps, etc. During my first season, I would get really upset at the lack of care from our patrons and it also infuriated our membership as well. I started to realize that many of these players had never been on a golf course and were never taught how to take care of the course. It is our responsibility along with the golf staff to educate the public about course maintenance and instill that sense of responsibility to leave the course better than you found it.

We have used a variety of strategies to educate and communicate with our patrons. By including signage on the course and carts, we are informing the public that it is their responsibility to clean up after themselves. The use of social media has also helped by giving players a digital connection to their on-course experience. Additionally, promoting social media engagement around the course has created a sense of community with the membership and the public by encouraging younger players to share their experience online.

As golf continues to grow and evolve, superintendents must adapt to changing customer expectations. Ultimately, the future of golf lies in embracing new players while maintaining the core values of the game. We can protect the integrity of the game for generations to come. Golf is not just about green grass and a scorecard. It’s about creating memories and relationships that will last a lifetime.

Seth Rainier is the director of greens and grounds at Lancaster Golf Club in Lancaster, Ohio. This is his first Turfheads Take Over contribution.