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Lack of Recognition

19 posts
  1. Dennis Petruzzelli
    Dennis Petruzzelli avatar
    5 posts
    7/13/2013 5:07 PM
    Hello All.

    I was watching the US Senior Open Golf Championship today on NBC. While enjoying the competition, the lead anchormen went to a brief statistical discussion of Omaha CC's history, course info, and recognizing the Head Golf Professional. WHAT ??? I realize the importance of the TEAM (GM, GC Sup't., and Head Golf Professional) to successfully present and provide a quality facility for membership/customers, as well as special event guests. To solely mention the Head Golf Professional is an extreme oversight !

    I have worked a US Senior Open Golf Championship in the past, and the most important role the Head Golf Professional had was making sure enough golf shirts were on the shelf for sale.

    In my anger that we, as Golf Course Superintendents and those working towards that goal, continually get lack of recognition for our work, I immediately contacted NBC Sports for their production oversight, as well as the GCSAA PR/Marketing Director to reach out to these golf production companies to EDUCATE them on our importance to the game of golf, no less a major tournament event.

    We need more PR to educate those working in golf and the public on how critical our roles are in the protecting/enhancing the environment, as well as growing the success of the game/industry.

    It's been an uphill battle for years, but, we as a group can never over promote all the great things we do.



  2. David Brudwick
    David Brudwick avatar
    1 posts
    7/14/2013 10:07 AM
    Well said !!!!!!!!!!!



  3. Keith Pegg
    Keith Pegg avatar
    0 posts
    7/14/2013 4:07 PM
    Has not changed and will not any time soon, but keep pushing as we all do.

    Keith Pegg
    Zama Golf Japan



  4. Nowakowski Michael J
    Nowakowski Michael J avatar
    7/15/2013 8:07 AM
    Dennis,
    what did NBC and GCSAA say about this?



  5. Bollig Jeff
    Bollig Jeff avatar
    7/15/2013 10:07 AM
    Dennis,

    Thanks for the exchange of emails and our calls today. For the benefit of others, I am checking into the graphic as I am surprised that there was such a listing. For those that watch professional golf, you know that the superintendent is the person listed in the graphics. Each network does it a bit differently, but recognition is afforded in some form or fashion. NBC is well aware of the superintendent as he/she is part of the production meetings and we personally deliver to the producer a tournament preview and fact sheet. We have even had the lead producer attend Conference and Show on two occasions. While we would always like the networks to reference the superintendent more, the fact is there is a significant amount of coverage around professional events -- especially the majors. That is not to say there might be an incorrect statement or an omission on occasion, but the vast majority of the media covering the event knows the role of the superintendent. When I find out more information I will come back to this forum and share it. Again, thanks to all for the interest and feedback.

    Jeff Bollig
    Sr. Director of Communications
    GCSAA



  6. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    7/15/2013 4:07 PM
    I don't recall having seen a tournament recently major or not, where at some point they did not mention the superintendent and their staff. The recent us open had a lot of mention of the staff and volunteers at merion.



  7. Rosenthal Gregg
    Rosenthal Gregg avatar
    7/15/2013 8:07 PM
    Nothing new I hosted the Senior Tour back in the day for several years at Kemper Lakes and they never said a word about who took care of the course. In fact they go week to week to excellently prepared golf courses and expect nothing less than that! It is our job to provide the best for them and they are use to nothing else but perfection. We are doing our job to the best of our ability and our staff deserve the acclaim! We cannot do anything without them, they mow the grass, spray the weeds, fill divots and cut the cups. Our mechanic prepares the mowers to perfection in cutting for weeks and up to the second of the event! We are the supervisor, event planner, and one who keeps the motion smooth and in control. So the reality is if nothing is said we did our job perfectly and all is good! They only blink if something is wrong or does not meet the standard they expect every week. It may seem sad , but they are the best at what they do. We just do our best to give them a tough golf course to show who is playing the best that week. I got it after the first year the PGA guys said nothing to me at all the whole week before and during the event. Last day I asked what we did wrong and the head of the event smiled and said the opposite it was A+.

    GreggR



  8. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    7/17/2013 4:07 AM
    If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me



  9. Dennis Petruzzelli
    Dennis Petruzzelli avatar
    5 posts
    7/17/2013 9:07 PM
    Michael Nowakowski said: Dennis,
    what did NBC and GCSAA say about this?


    Still no reply from NBC (going on 4 days).

    DP



  10. Dennis Petruzzelli
    Dennis Petruzzelli avatar
    5 posts
    7/17/2013 9:07 PM
    Larry Allan said: If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me


    I agree, but you are missing the point. Either recognize the entire team (GM, GC Supt., Head Golf Professional),
    or nobody.

    DP



  11. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    7/18/2013 4:07 AM
    I do get your point but I guess I've become complacent. I work at one of those clubs that when a person askes me where I work and I tell them, they reply. "Never heard of it!, where is it?



  12. Clay Putnam
    Clay Putnam avatar
    33 posts
    7/18/2013 7:07 AM
    Larry Allan said: If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me


    What was the name of your band?

    And don't kid yourself, Red. You are a rock star.



  13. Ronald Conard
    Ronald Conard avatar
    4 posts
    7/18/2013 9:07 AM
    Clay Putnam, CGCS said:
    Larry Allan said: If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me


    What was the name of your band?

    And don't kid yourself, Red. You are a rock star.


    Village People. Red was the construction worker.



  14. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    7/18/2013 11:07 AM
    Clay Putnam, CGCS said:
    Larry Allan said: If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me


    What was the name of your band?

    And don't kid yourself, Red. You are a rock star.


    I changed my name from Jim Morrison, if that helps you out. Keep it under you hat. I'm still collecting gifts from a French cemetary



  15. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    7/19/2013 11:07 AM
    I thought he was the Indian....


    Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
    Clay Putnam, CGCS said:
    Larry Allan said: If I was in a business because I wanted recognition, I would have continued being a rock star. The odd pat on the back by members, in the know, is good enough for me


    What was the name of your band?

    And don't kid yourself, Red. You are a rock star.


    Village People. Red was the construction worker.



  16. Richard Jensen
    Richard Jensen avatar
    0 posts
    7/19/2013 12:07 PM
    Timothy Walker, CGCS"]I thought he was the Indian....


    Ahem...that's Native American...don't want to get Sean all fired up



  17. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    7/19/2013 2:07 PM
    Richard Jensen said:
    Timothy Walker, CGCS said: I thought he was the Indian....


    Ahem...that's Native American...don't want to get Sean all fired up


    For some reason when I saw that, I thought India the country, yet I couldn't place the guy in the Villege People, now it has hit me, there was the Native American who wore the head dress, that was the Indian. I guess I'm doing better calling native americans, native americans? (although I think part of it is there are so many with Indian, (the country) decent, that to distinquesh (and spell check still not fixed) between the two, I use the term native American?)

    Talk about a thread getting hi-jacked!

    Mel

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

  18. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    7/20/2013 11:07 AM
    My bad - but when the village people were "around" he was an Indian...


    My pc skills are usually better than that...must have been the heat getting to me.



  19. Flanagan Darren C
    Flanagan Darren C avatar
    7/25/2013 6:07 PM
    Dennis

    I think the member's of the club and the players probably praised the team tremendously during and after the event. The fact that NBC missed it is not a huge issue for me and this is just my opinion. I absolutely love what I do I have worked on golf courses for 20 years and as long as the employer and the players are happy this is all that matters. Recognition comes to those who earn it, the fact the superintendent was not part of that portion of the coverage was I guess unfortunate but I would imagine he is not suffering from it.

    From the apparent success of the tournament it seems to me that his team worked as one efficiently and effectively and as a result the morale of the team was probably high and the objective of having an amazing surface for the players was achieved. I think he has probably been praised and recognized numerous times.

    Respectfully

    Darren



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