The grass may not always be greener
There is no doubt that some “dream jobs” in our industry are very rewarding, exciting and they come with a certain level of gratification and satisfaction with the high-level visibility they bring superintendents. However, it’s also important to point out that not all dream jobs have to do with large salaries, big budgets, prestigious tournaments, television coverage, etc.
The jobs that most people would consider dream jobs in golf are full of politics, challenges, frustrations and headaches that most people might not see on the surface. I personally experienced this concept firsthand in a couple of the jobs that I’ve held over the span of my career.
Most of us at one time or another has thought about what our dream job may look like. Some skeptics among us may even think that there is no such thing as a dream job, particularly in this economy.
A dream job to me is one that makes you happy each and every day you go to it and it can come in many forms. It may be something as simple as a job that affords you the appropriate time off to spend time with your family and find the ever elusive “work/life balance” that I believe is critical to being a happy, well-rounded individual. Being obsessed or addicted to your job is no different in my mind to being obsessed or addicted to any substance or other part of your life that causes you to lose sight of what’s important.
Some people might think that having a job that allows you to work from home would be ideal. As a small business owner in the golf industry, I can attest to the fact that working from a home office is not always what it’s cracked up to be. It’s hard to get away from your job when it’s right down the hall in your fourth bedroom.
Some young superintendents that I have spoken to about this topic think that their dream job would be to work at a course that hosts a PGA Tour event or a USGA event. This is a great aspiration. But remember these jobs also come with issues not that appealing when describing a dream job.
Many of the veteran superintendents say that their dream job is one with job security. They don’t talk about money but rather the opportunity to pad their retirement accounts, knowing full well that their careers are winding down.
The ideal job has something to do with work you have an intense passion for and never grow tired of. I personally think that most superintendents already have that job. We obviously love what we do, we can work both indoors and outdoors (mostly outdoors), we are able to combine our passion with our talents in providing great playing conditions for golfers to enjoy our great game.
I think it’s important to note that more than likely there is not a job out there in golf — or anywhere — that could be considered the perfect job. Every job has its share of challenges and frustrations. If you have the preconceived notion that you will be happy each and every day in your job, you will constantly be disappointed.
To me, the most important part about finding your dream job revolves around what makes YOU happy. You need to focus on what’s important to YOU. In a vast number of the cases it has nothing to do with money. The majority of the people I know put money way down the list of things that are important to them in being happy with their job.
Just remember as you read this issue of Golfdom that dream jobs come in many shapes and sizes and what’s important to one person in describing their dream job may not be important to someone else. The bottom line is that we are blessed to be doing what we’re doing and actually getting paid for it.
Plus you may already be in your dream job… you just have to realize it.
Mark Woodward is a senior vice president for OB Sports, principal of DaMarCo Golf, president of Mark Woodward and Associates and a contributing editor for Golfdom.