So, I'm wondering.... Cancel The title field is required!

1. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   5/8/2014 9:05 AM

   1) If there's any other industry other than golf maintenance that depends on its employees to lobby state and national legislatures, do research and advocate on behalf of the business owners while they (the business owners) do nothing?
   
   2) Does the PGA of America spend any money or time doing the things that we do on behalf of our employers?
   
   3) Why do we continue to send dollars to colleges and Universities to fund turf programs that produce graduates that compete directly with us for jobs in a declining industry? http://www.turfnet.com/page/news.html/_ ... -2013-r249
   
   
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
2. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   5/8/2014 9:05 PM

   So, I'm wondering, how the heck did I get to this website.....
   
   http://jobs.gcsaa.org/corporate/careercenters/
   
   .....when I clicked on Job Listings on the GCSAA website?

   
   
   
   
3. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   5/9/2014 8:05 AM

   Peter Bowman, CGCS said: So, I'm wondering, how the heck did I get to this website.....
   
   http://jobs.gcsaa.org/corporate/careercenters/
   
   .....when I clicked on Job Listings on the GCSAA website?

   
   
   Well, they do have "Unmatched customer service and expertise"

   
   
   
   
4. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   5/9/2014 9:05 AM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: 1) If there's any other industry other than golf maintenance that depends on its employees to lobby state and national legislatures, do research and advocate on behalf of the business owners while they (the business owners) do nothing?
   I would like to know that too, although I suppose it helps with some owners to show the value of the person they have managing their asset. It is fustrating that some owners could care less or have no clue in what we do for them. Maybe the NGCOA could step up more here? Although the problem is probably those that do not belong, just like superintendents that benefit from us superintendent members of GCSAA?
   
   2) Does the PGA of America spend any money or time doing the things that we do on behalf of our employers?
   The only thing I can think of is the We Are Golf campaign which we participate in as well. With their rescources I think they could contribute some more to the research aspect. Hopefully GCSAA would shed some light into their contributions in this area, maybe they participate more then we realize? (Or maybe work with them to be more involved, as to not embarrass them?)
   
   3) Why do we continue to send dollars to colleges and Universities to fund turf programs that produce graduates that compete directly with us for jobs in a declining industry? http://www.turfnet.com/page/news.html/_ ... -2013-r249
   
   We are optimist? I don't know how much we really do as an industry to fund turf programs, with the exception of scholarships? I thought we concentrate funds on research projects. Would be interesting to see how much and what type of funds go where. Maybe it provides us with better staffs? Of course what we pay probably limits that and might go counter productive to trying to provide more affordable golf. Which in my opinon is what would help the industry, I know I'm not paying $50 on a regular basis to play a round of golf. (Of course I'm jaded since I've rarely paid for golf my entire life, even when I was young, and I'm a tightwad too.)
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   Great questions Steve, I would hope we might get some discussion and debate out of this.
   
   Mel

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

   

   43 posts
   
   5/21/2014 1:05 PM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: 1) If there's any other industry other than golf maintenance that depends on its employees to lobby state and national legislatures, do research and advocate on behalf of the business owners while they (the business owners) do nothing?
   
   2) Does the PGA of America spend any money or time doing the things that we do on behalf of our employers?
   
   3) Why do we continue to send dollars to colleges and Universities to fund turf programs that produce graduates that compete directly with us for jobs in a declining industry? http://www.turfnet.com/page/news.html/_ ... -2013-r249
   
   
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   So I'm guessing you are not participating in National Golf Day today?
   
   Mel

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

   

   11 posts
   
   5/21/2014 8:05 PM

   I guess not

   
   
   
   
7. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   5/22/2014 6:05 AM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: I guess not

   
   
   You're not alone Steve.
   
   I'm curious what everyone did to celebrate "National Golf Day".
   
   I'll start. I worked.

   
   
   
   
8. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   5/22/2014 7:05 AM

   I spent the day logging Steve out of GCSAA.com.........and working.

   
   
   
   
9. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   5/22/2014 7:05 AM

   Keith Lamb said: I spent the day logging Steve out of GCSAA.com.........and working.

   
   
   That's a full time job

   
   
   
   
10. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    5/22/2014 7:05 AM

    I did post about 4 or 5 tweets to my Senators about the economic impact golf has in Missouri, I couldn't tweet my congressman, he doesn't do twitter, I don't know why not, with only 140 characters, he can do that in between bites of his high priced meals.
    
    I also worked, (I guess, if I can call it that), and was supposed to play golf with my neighbor until he had to cancel.
    
    Mel

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

    

    11 posts
    
    5/22/2014 8:05 AM

    Ask your golf pro how much time he spent contacting his Congressman that day or any day for that matter. Ask your owner how much time he spent. Ask your GM how much time he spent. I'm guessing not a lot.
    
    Regards,
    
    Steve

    
    
    
    
12. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    5/22/2014 10:05 AM

    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Ask your golf pro how much time he spent contacting his Congressman that day or any day for that matter. Ask your owner how much time he spent. Ask your GM how much time he spent. I'm guessing not a lot.
    
    Regards,
    
    Steve

    
    
    They did not even know it was National Golf Day; I put some of the blame on their associations or sections? Of course our owner is clueless on it since they are the government.
    
    Maybe that is something our board and staff can ask the other groups, how much engagement did they see from their memberships? Was that engagement confined to certain sections, chapters, or areas? Maybe and this could work for us as well, could we engage those local and state groups that didn't participate better?
    
    That's just my thought and opinion on the matter.
    
    The bright spot of the day was, now I'm following my two Senators on twitter and I can blast the one for his hypocrisy on his own twitter feed.
    
    Mel

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

    
    5/22/2014 11:05 AM

    In 2006 a city commissioner pressed forward with a $100,000 grant from the EPA to do a bogus Site Assessment Report (SAR) on our municipal golf course property. I say "bogus" because it did not fulfill the requirements of what the EPA considers a Site Assessment. They did this because they wanted to build affordable housing on the golf course property and move a section of the course to an adjacent brownfield. Of course they found Arsenic from MSMA, which forced us to spend another $100,000 on a real SAR and $10,000 per year on monitoring and reporting. Every single bermudagrass golf course, ball field, cemetery, etc. has the same situation. As the years went on remediation expenses went up and profits went down. It became desirable financially for upper management to pay me to do nothing for them. So, I am playing at retirement.

    
    
    
    
14. Corey Eastwood

    

    80 posts
    
    5/22/2014 6:05 PM

    Nothing in the golf shop on National Golf Day. Course was near empty.

    
    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
    
    
15. Clay Putnam

    

    33 posts
    
    5/22/2014 9:05 PM

    Funny. I heard nothing about National Golf Day yesterday, but I heard, on the radio, that today was National Goth Day.
    
    I think we have some work to do to get the word out.

    
    
    
    
16. Corey Eastwood

    

    80 posts
    
    5/23/2014 5:05 PM

    As I recall when this was started many years ago you paid an entry fee and the monies went to a charity. Your score minus handicap that day put against the score shot that day by the reigning US Open champ. I won(get this) a Zippo Lighter knock off that was inscribed "I Beat Gary Player". Still have it somewhere.

    
    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
    
    
17. Stephen Okula

    

    3 posts
    
    5/26/2014 3:05 PM

    Steve,
    
    The obvious answer to your question is that we superintendents, as a group, are inherently chumps.
    
    What other professional organization prides itself on working unlimited overtime hours for no commensurate compensation?

    
    
    
    
18. Sean Hoolehan

    

    0 posts
    
    5/27/2014 8:05 AM

    Stephen Okula, CGCS said: Steve,
    
    The obvious answer to your question is that we superintendents, as a group, are inherently chumps.
    
    What other professional organization prides itself on working unlimited overtime hours for no commensurate compensation?

    
    
    Steves, I agree with you on this. The "we are the hardest working professionals in golf" image that has been a burden on our membership. I know many a Superintendent who works way too many hours in place of the owner providing appropriate resources, and almost as many who know no other way to do the job.
    
    It would be a mistake to leave the environmental message to owners/PGA, but we have to be realistic about what we are up against, what our real image is, and who really cares about golf anyway. Golf course management is expensive getting more expensive and the vast majority of the 'Talking Heads" in our industry come from the country clubs that will likely never feel a dollar pinch. The National Golf Day promotion was more about targeting government officials to learn more about the value $$$$ we bring to the nation beyond the 10% who play or played golf. I think this message is just as important as our positive/benign environmental impact.
    
    Sean

    
    
    
    
19. Steven Kurta

    

    2 posts
    
    6/21/2014 2:06 PM

    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: 1) If there's any other industry other than golf maintenance that depends on its employees to lobby state and national legislatures, do research and advocate on behalf of the business owners while they (the business owners) do nothing?
    
    2) Does the PGA of America spend any money or time doing the things that we do on behalf of our employers?
    
    3) Why do we continue to send dollars to colleges and Universities to fund turf programs that produce graduates that compete directly with us for jobs in a declining industry? http://www.turfnet.com/page/news.html/_ ... -2013-r249
    
    
    
    Regards,
    
    Steve

    
    
    
    *golf clap*