Embracing change in the golf course industry

There have been a lot of job changes here in south Florida in 2015. I count more than 15 so far. The job carousel really has been spinning down here. Heck, I even got caught up in it myself. I believe each job change has brought about many positive results for the involved golf course management staffs and the clubs they work for.

Our industry tends to be slow to change. Just ask the salesmen trying to sell you something new. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (change) it.” Whoever said that wishes for a nickel every time it’s repeated. But if that statement were totally true, we would still be fertilizing with NHSO4 and spraying Daconil. OK, so those aren’t great examples.

Superintendents actually deal with change very well. Back nine shotgun start at 7:45 a.m.? Got that. Four guys call out on a busy day? No problem. Seriously, just think about the weather. It changes all the time. We deal with it.

One of my career highlights was working for a Top 100 golf course. Serious golfers, if you know what I mean. I loved it for 10 years. But it turns out that even serious golfers can and do get in each other’s way.

Lo and behold, the decision makers decided it was time for a change in general managers. The inevitable happened and we all had to deal with it. In his first staff meeting the new GM handed out the book “Who Moved My Cheese,” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It’s quite the popular book and has been published in 37 languages and sold more than 26 million copies worldwide. It’s a business fable, but we all thought it was business BS. Most of us saw it as an insult, and some like me saw it as a way to “reorganize.” Real or not, I felt it the most and I decided to make a change. Boy, what a change I got into.

The club I went to wanted full-scale change to the golf course management operations. This change affected a lot of the then-current staff. It had to be done. It was one of the reasons I was hired. This job change was tougher on the family. My wife and I knew it would be. I moved my family 500 miles away from home. It changed our lives in so many ways, and we are all stronger today because of that change.

But change is nothing new for this kid from Alpena, Mich. My life has been changing since I was very young; parents divorced, moved nine times before high school, then college (two moves) and now five moves for five different jobs.

Now I’ve changed jobs again, and weirdly enough, we don’t have to move. I’ve set a personal record, 12 years in the same house!

I wasn’t looking for change every time things have changed. I was satisfied, but change came to me. I’ve learned to trust and embrace change through my faith. I trust these changes have a greater purpose. If not for me, than for someone close to me or someone I’ve not yet met.

Do I like all this change? Yes and no. It feels unnaturally natural. More often than not, superintendents are not looking for change, except maybe in that old equipment fleet.

Remember that your change also creates something new for everyone else. Your new staff eventually will embrace you if you bring positive changes to them.

I recommend proceeding cautiously with change. Career opportunities need to be well thought out. A job change can be exhilarating and life changing for everyone involved. Families are affected for sure, usually in positive ways, especially if it’s a positive change for you.