Superintendents are trained to show off pristine turf to communicate their skills to course members and the board, but even beautiful greens might not say enough, according to Bruce Williams, CGCS, principal of Bruce Williams Golf Consulting and Executive Golf Search.
“Superintendents are very good agronomically,” he says. “But sometimes they’re not so good at developing a public relations program.”
Building a solid image and reputation around the course makes the difference in keeping members happy, and many superintendents are filling that need with frequent updates on blogs and Twitter, complete with photos snapped with a smartphone. But online notes don’t reach everyone. Williams says superintendents often forget the easiest way to stay in touch with members and handle concerns: Be visible on the course, whether it means checking in at the beginning of the day or spending time with members later on.
“Supers need to make sure they’ve got a communications vehicle to get things out, like stopping by the pro shop midmorning, or stopping in the clubhouse for a cup of coffee. Walk down the line at the driving range,” says Williams. “People might not talk to you, but they know you’re there if they need to.”
When something on the course goes wrong, being visible is even more important and could make the difference between a successful resolution or a potential pink slip, he says.
“When something’s not right, you need to spend even more time doing that and not hiding in your office,” he says. “You think you have to fix the problem, but you can delegate that. You’ve got to stand up and be there to answer the members’ questions.”
Be able to talk about what happened, what your team is doing about it and when the problem will be fixed. When board or committee members are involved, be able to discuss the cost of the fix and prevention of the problem happening again.
“Those are things you can’t delegate to an assistant,” says Williams. “That’s something you can’t give to someone behind the counter in the pro shop.”
Not only will being visible during a problem make it easier to calm member concerns, it puts a damper on rumors starting in the membership. Keep those under control whether there’s an issue on the course or just some work being done on a tee, or members will develop their own explanations.
“If people don’t know what’s going on in your words from your mouth via the appropriate ambassadors, that’s OK. They’ll make up their own story,” says Williams. “You’ve got to put in the time to get in the right PR.”