2009 U.S. Women's Open - Saucon Valley Country ClubAs with most relationships, both personal and professional, good communication between individuals is the key to a successful relationship and quite possibly a successful career. Working at a private golf club is no different; there are many important relationships for the golf course superintendent to maintain. 
They might include a relationship with all the following individuals: employees, greens committee, membership
, colleagues, and industry representatives. As both an employer and an employee, it is your responsibility to develop and foster a good working relationship with many different groups of people. Let's focus for now on the club members and the green committee members at your private club. The green committee is the group of individuals that is your link between you and the membership. They are your advocates among the membership. Often the leadership at a private club changes from year to year. Just as you become comfortable working with one group of individuals, their term on the green committee is ending and another group is coming on board. If you are lucky, your committee chairman will serve multiple years of service which will hopefully enable the club to experience some 
sense of uniformity and consistency in the leadership structure. Your relationship with your green committee and the membership needs to be built on trust and a sense of a common goal. As the superintendent of an important asset, you need to make sure that the membership understands the scope of your position including the agronomic programs on the golf course, landscape management of all clubhouse grounds, irrigation management, renovation and special projects, as well as human resource issues and employee training programs. Superintendents today need to be both an agronomist and a business manager if they want to be successful. The trust factor is not something that is automatically given; it is something that must be earned. As an employee, it is your responsibility to spend the time to nurture this relationship. You should be willing to spend time with your committee and membership; discuss your needs but also listen to the concerns of the group. Be organized, punctual, and professional at all times. Make sure to follow through on all promises and do not over commit yourself. It is better to do fewer things great than to promise the world and fall short on everything. Since your membership is not familiar with the green industry, communicate in a language that will be easy to understand. In particular, the green committee will most likely be the first to have to field concerns and questions from the majority of the membership. The better they understand an issue, the better it will be explained to the general membership making your job so much easier. 
Make sure that you provide accurate information in a timely manner and in language that the average individual will understand. Educate the membership by providing current reading material on relevant turf research, pesticides, drainage, agronomics, water management, bunker care, equipment maintenance and a whole host of other issues. Sharing that common goal of providing the membership with the best possible playing conditions can be accomplished through a newsletter, internet blog, monthly green committee meetings, general membership meetings, as well as one-on-one conversations with staff and individual members. As the property manager, the superintendent must effectively communicate all matters, both positive and negative, to the membership. Spend time touring the golf course and maintenance facilities as often as time will allow. Keep an open door policy for the green chairman as well as the membership. Be understanding, friendly, and make certain that you are always thought to be an approachable individual. The individual with a positive, open relationship who communicates effectively and efficiently with the green chair and membership should have a successful career as a golf course superintendent.
They might include a relationship with all the following individuals: employees, greens committee, membership
, colleagues, and industry representatives. As both an employer and an employee, it is your responsibility to develop and foster a good working relationship with many different groups of people. Let's focus for now on the club members and the green committee members at your private club. The green committee is the group of individuals that is your link between you and the membership. They are your advocates among the membership. Often the leadership at a private club changes from year to year. Just as you become comfortable working with one group of individuals, their term on the green committee is ending and another group is coming on board. If you are lucky, your committee chairman will serve multiple years of service which will hopefully enable the club to experience some 
sense of uniformity and consistency in the leadership structure. Your relationship with your green committee and the membership needs to be built on trust and a sense of a common goal. As the superintendent of an important asset, you need to make sure that the membership understands the scope of your position including the agronomic programs on the golf course, landscape management of all clubhouse grounds, irrigation management, renovation and special projects, as well as human resource issues and employee training programs. Superintendents today need to be both an agronomist and a business manager if they want to be successful. The trust factor is not something that is automatically given; it is something that must be earned. As an employee, it is your responsibility to spend the time to nurture this relationship. You should be willing to spend time with your committee and membership; discuss your needs but also listen to the concerns of the group. Be organized, punctual, and professional at all times. Make sure to follow through on all promises and do not over commit yourself. It is better to do fewer things great than to promise the world and fall short on everything. Since your membership is not familiar with the green industry, communicate in a language that will be easy to understand. In particular, the green committee will most likely be the first to have to field concerns and questions from the majority of the membership. The better they understand an issue, the better it will be explained to the general membership making your job so much easier. 
Make sure that you provide accurate information in a timely manner and in language that the average individual will understand. Educate the membership by providing current reading material on relevant turf research, pesticides, drainage, agronomics, water management, bunker care, equipment maintenance and a whole host of other issues. Sharing that common goal of providing the membership with the best possible playing conditions can be accomplished through a newsletter, internet blog, monthly green committee meetings, general membership meetings, as well as one-on-one conversations with staff and individual members. As the property manager, the superintendent must effectively communicate all matters, both positive and negative, to the membership. Spend time touring the golf course and maintenance facilities as often as time will allow. Keep an open door policy for the green chairman as well as the membership. Be understanding, friendly, and make certain that you are always thought to be an approachable individual. The individual with a positive, open relationship who communicates effectively and efficiently with the green chair and membership should have a successful career as a golf course superintendent.
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