Making a change? Cancel The title field is required!

1. Gauster Ryan E

   
   8/1/2011 2:08 PM

   Hello all,
   
   I know this is the GCSAA. But I was thinking of making a change and moving from golf to athletic fields and grounds maintenance our local school distract. My question is have anyone done this and do you like it or regret switching? Also how does if compare to the daily grind of managing a golf course to what you do now?
   
   Thanks,
   
   Ryan Gauster
   Superintendent.

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/1/2011 3:08 PM

   The only thing I know is that most guys are good at grass OR clay, but not both. Players and coaches are very cranky about lines. There are some serious classes and hands-on workshops at the FTGA Conference this year. I intend to take them.
   
   https://www.ftga.org/attendees

   
   
   
   
3. Homme David R

   
   8/1/2011 3:08 PM

   I think the lawn care business or landscaping or whatever is easier in most ways, than managing a golf course maintenance department. Imagine just these 3 things.
   
   1. Weekends off
   2. Not worrying about burnt up turf on greens or elsewhere.
   3. Disease? What's that?
   
   To me, working for a district of city parks department after 20 years in golf, would be "pun intended", a walk in the park.
   
   JMO.
   
   Dave Homme
   Falls Resort

   
   
   
   
4. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   8/1/2011 8:08 PM

   wahlins said: The only thing I know is that most guys are good at grass OR clay, but not both. Players and coaches are very cranky about lines. There are some serious classes and hands-on workshops at the FTGA Conference this year. I intend to take them.
   
   https://www.ftga.org/attendees

   
   
   Hey now!

   
   
   
   
5. Patrick Reinhardt

   

   0 posts
   
   8/1/2011 9:08 PM

   wahlins said: The only thing I know is that most guys are good at grass OR clay, but not both. Players and coaches are very cranky about lines. There are some serious classes and hands-on workshops at the FTGA Conference this year. I intend to take them.
   
   https://www.ftga.org/attendees

   
   
   Had a class with Dr. James Beard in college (Turfgrass Physiology), who referred to athletic field managers as "glorified painters". I remind my college buddies, that are field managers, of that all the time.

   
   
   
   
6. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   8/1/2011 11:08 PM

   I have a friend that I serve with on our state turf and ornamental board did that. Started out in golf and went to a school district taking care of athletic fields. I think he enjoys it.
   
   I worked at a small university where we took care of the fields along with the golf course. I enjoyed that as well, working with the coaches and teams. But for me I don't know if I would have enjoyed just doing fields and campus, I always had the golf course as well, I think I would have missed that, but that's just me.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   8/2/2011 6:08 AM

   Oh man, my dream job is to become the grounds manager for the New Orleans Saints. I could make the switch to taking care of their three or four practice fields year round. Heck I can even take care of the turf in the Superdome.
   
   Ok, back to reality, we aerified our greens yesterday and time to get the sand on them this morning.

   
   
   
   
8. Sandy Clark

   

   0 posts
   
   8/2/2011 9:08 AM

   One thing to keep in mind is will it prove to be a fun challenge or will you find yourself under stimulated and not challenged. For all the good and bad you can find in our line of work, the one thing it isn't is boring. Really ask yourself if you will have enough challenge to keep you excited. If it ends up just a repetitive job, you might be trading stress for boredom! If it was a professional sports complex and you had the background, that would be one thing. If it is never more than taking care of some school or municipal fields, that may be a little too routine without any major challenge!

   
   
   
   
9. Steve Nelson

   

   0 posts
   
   8/2/2011 9:08 AM

   I wouldn't under-estimate the challenges involved in taking care of school district grounds and fields. Consider that the fields will be over run with youth sports leagues, many run by highly involved parents that will make your worst complainer at the course seem like a saint. Budgets will always be a challenge. The notion of having weekends off as someone else mentioned seems remote since that's when a lot of the activities are taking place.
   
   If it's what you want to do then go for it. Superintendents are capable of doing many things. Our business seems like it's going down the tubes, but as you've discovered there are other options out there for us.