Morgan Creighton has launched the Women in Turfgrass Management mentorship program and landed a new position as assistant superintendent at Woodside Golf Course in Airdrie, Alberta, during recent years. She also endured sexual harassment that sparked depression. “It was tough,” Creighton tells Rick Woelfel during the most recent episode of Wonderful Women of Golf on Superintendent Radio Network. “I was not a good version of myself. I was not a good employee at the time. I secluded myself from the rest of the group and tried to just go in each day, do what I was told to do, put in my hours, and go home.” A new club, a new position and an incredible relationship with Woodside superintendent Karen Rumohr have all helped. And she encourages others across the industry to turn to the resources around them — including herself. “I want everyone I come across to know that they can reach out,” she says. “It doesn’t matter what time, it doesn’t matter what’s going on in my life, I will always be in a place that I can listen.”
Guy Cipriano and Matt LaWell return from a quick trip through Wisconsin for the 50th episode ofGreens with Envy and a discussion about #TurfheadsGrilling with Craig Sondergaard and his team at Racine Country Club, the magic of short courses like Barn Hollow at Hawk’s View, and the unexpected find along the shores of Lake Michigan that is Shoop Park Golf Course. Also, Starter jackets. (Remember Starter jackets? They’re back.) Plus, our summer editorial assistant, Jacob Hansen, sits in and discusses his background, his journey to the game, some of his recent and upcoming stories, and more. “I have passions, and I love writing about them,” Hansen says. “I didn’t know much about maintenance before coming here — I didn’t even know what a superintendent did — but I’ve learned how much research, planning, tools, technology go into taking care of the course.” Cheers to learning new things every day!
Trent Manning promises “a big surprise” for the landmark 100th episode of Reel Turf Techs. Until then, though, his Episode 99 conversation with Jordan Roth, equipment manager at Champions Run in Omaha, Nebraska, is pretty darn interesting and entertaining. Roth brings a different perspective to equipment maintenance — initially studying for a career as a golf professional, then earning his turfgrass management degree before moving more toward equipment and starting his career in Iowa. “I was probably 50 percent dangerous,” Roth says, perhaps probably 50 percent joking. “I didn’t really have a good idea what was going on. I didn’t know it would lead to the career I have now.” Also, believe it or not, he says he doesn’t necessarily hate sand. “I really don’t have a part of the job I don’t like.”
Just like Roth appreciates every part of his job in the shop, golf course architect Mark Mungeam appreciates every kind of course he can help design and build — even municipals. “It’s more work to get involved with a municipal project, I would say, than it would be with a public course or private course developer,” the New England-headquartered Mungeam tells Cipriano on the latest episode of Tartan Talks. “From that standpoint, it’s bit of a challenge. There are golf architects that are really good at that and then there are golf architects who don’t care to be involved in that process. I happen to enjoy working at municipal golf courses. I’m really happy with how they proceed and I enjoy making these improvements for people that don’t maybe expect how good their golf course can be and then see it and go, ‘It’s a lot better.’ They are great jobs.”
The month wrapped up with a literary discussion: Golf Therapy columnist Bradley S. Klein returned to Beyond the Page to expand on his July column and dive into some of the reasons why there are so few good golf books about superintendents — or just why there are so few golf books period about superintendents. “There’s nothing glorious about being a superintendent,” Klein says. “Most of it is really hard work, so you have to be attentive to that labor process. Most superintendents are fairly modest, they’re not ones to promote what they do — I think they undersell themselves — and they’re just not used to talking about themselves.” Klein also shares some his favorite golf books and writers, and drops hints about potential topics for his next book about the game.
Matt LaWell is Golf Course Industry’s managing editor.
