One of the greatest challenges of being a golf course superintendent is that of keeping your members happy. There is always the selective group of golfers who believe that the golf course should be in tip top shape everytime they step foot on the first tee. However, golfers do not know how hard the superintendent and their crew are working, or that they were out on the golf course until two or three a.m. aerating and topdressing in order for members to be able to tee off first thing in the morning and so the course does not have to be closed during the day.
This past golf season I experienced many unsatisfied golfers. Not because the golf course was in bad shape, but for reasons that they would not understand due to the fact that they are uneducated with golfcourse turf issues. Some of these issues consist of bunkers having no sand, and slow greens. Meanwhile, it could have rained two inches the night before and your bunkers would be soaked and packed down and your greens would be so saturated that you could not cut them that day. These issues are more to the extreme but I think you know what I mean.
I feel that there is a need for golfers and members to become more knowlegdeable about what is talking place at their golf club and to be more involved with the superintendent. I think some golfers are starting to ask more questions and that they are becoming more familiar to issues that are taking place. However, I also believe that superintendents should attempt to keep members informed and upto date by possibly doing things such as blogging or posting daily or weekly updates in the pro shop.
