I was just at my local service station dumping yet another $45 into my POS SUV (if you don’t recognize the acronym, “POS”, it’s somewhat vulgar police terminology for an older, less-than-attractive vehicle). As I was gassing up, I got to thinking about what really fuels our happy little business – and it ain’t petroleum products. Here’s a little quiz about how you rate in terms of the five high-octane propellants that actually power the golf course maintenance industry:
1. Good mechanics. I wonder how many pieces of very, very expensive equipment are sitting idle in maintenance facilities around the country right this minute because the course lacks a decent equipment tech? A competent and creative wrench-and-grinder guy is worth his weight in Pennzoil. Give yourself 10 octane rating points if you’ve got one.
2. Sprayers and nozzles that work as advertised. A legendary, now retired superintendent told me last year that 80 percent of the sprayers he inspected at other courses weren’t properly calibrated, had the wrong nozzles for the job or simply weren’t worth a crap. That’s not too efficient economically, environmentally or efficaciously. Ten more octane points if you’ve correctly calibrated your spray rig(s) within the past two months.
3. Mentors. We seem to be one of the few professions that still values the concept of apprenticeship (although I worry that this is waning). Veterans who are serious about sharing their knowledge with young people are perhaps the most valuable assets we have. Another 10 points for you if you’ve had three or more of your trainees move into more senior positions at other courses.
4. Sales reps with a clue. Having a knowledgeable and committed local sales rep can be the difference between a year-end bonus and the unemployment line in today’s fast-changing industry. Whether they’re bringing you new products to test, showing up to volunteer for your big tournament or simply whipping out the corporate credit card to cover drinks after work, a strong local distributor is an often-overlooked part of the success equation. Add 10 points if you have a good rep who has visited you more than twice in the past 12 months without trying to sell you something.
5. The relentless (and futile) quest for perfection. In all my years hanging out with superintendents, I’ve never heard one say: “Considering my budget and the weather, I’m completely satisfied with the condition of the course.” Here’s a newsflash: You people are absolutely obsessed with something that isn’t possible. Perfection, by definition, isn’t obtainable. Did you know that Hemingway hated “For Whom the Bell Tolls”? Picasso routinely asked to do more work on some of his best-known paintings years after they’d been sold. But wait, maybe that’s what made them great. Ten more points if you lie awake at night thinking about that two-square-foot patch of dead Poa on the 16th green.
Scoring: 10 points or less: It’s time to consider a career in lawncare. 10-20 points: You’ll survive, but only with the help of intensive therapy from Dr. Jack Daniels. 20-30 points: Not bad, but chances are you haven’t seen your family since Easter. 30-40 points: Great … you probably haven’t put your fist through the breakroom wall in months. 40-50 points: My guess is you actually relaxed and caught a couple of NFL games on Sunday but still went in to check the pump station – just in case – late that night. Am I right?
No more results found.
|
|
2. Sprayers and nozzles that work as advertised. A legendary, now retired superintendent told me last year that 80 percent of the sprayers he inspected at other courses weren’t properly calibrated, had the wrong nozzles for the job or simply weren’t worth a crap. That’s not too efficient economically, environmentally or efficaciously. Ten more octane points if you’ve correctly calibrated your spray rig(s) within the past two months.
3. Mentors. We seem to be one of the few professions that still values the concept of apprenticeship (although I worry that this is waning). Veterans who are serious about sharing their knowledge with young people are perhaps the most valuable assets we have. Another 10 points for you if you’ve had three or more of your trainees move into more senior positions at other courses.
4. Sales reps with a clue. Having a knowledgeable and committed local sales rep can be the difference between a year-end bonus and the unemployment line in today’s fast-changing industry. Whether they’re bringing you new products to test, showing up to volunteer for your big tournament or simply whipping out the corporate credit card to cover drinks after work, a strong local distributor is an often-overlooked part of the success equation. Add 10 points if you have a good rep who has visited you more than twice in the past 12 months without trying to sell you something.
5. The relentless (and futile) quest for perfection. In all my years hanging out with superintendents, I’ve never heard one say: “Considering my budget and the weather, I’m completely satisfied with the condition of the course.” Here’s a newsflash: You people are absolutely obsessed with something that isn’t possible. Perfection, by definition, isn’t obtainable. Did you know that Hemingway hated “For Whom the Bell Tolls”? Picasso routinely asked to do more work on some of his best-known paintings years after they’d been sold. But wait, maybe that’s what made them great. Ten more points if you lie awake at night thinking about that two-square-foot patch of dead Poa on the 16th green.
Scoring: 10 points or less: It’s time to consider a career in lawncare. 10-20 points: You’ll survive, but only with the help of intensive therapy from Dr. Jack Daniels. 20-30 points: Not bad, but chances are you haven’t seen your family since Easter. 30-40 points: Great … you probably haven’t put your fist through the breakroom wall in months. 40-50 points: My guess is you actually relaxed and caught a couple of NFL games on Sunday but still went in to check the pump station – just in case – late that night. Am I right?