Certified Golf Course Superintendent

[John Gosselin]

It baffling to me how people can comment on things they no nothing about. Until you have gone through the process and put in the time, effort and made the sacrifices personally you no nothing. Until you are willing to make the sacrifices it takes to become a super or to become certified how can you dismiss it? How can you dismiss other's hard work?

It's the same type of person who would critique a golf course design without ever playing it or even seeing it.

[Ian Larson]

Working for Past Presidents of the GCSAA, CGCS' and supers working on certification. Do you really feel that qualifies as knowing nothing about it? Talking to CGCS' about their experience? Granted, I did not go through the process. But I've been around long enough and exposed enough to it by the industry and my mentors to be able to form my own opinion on it. And having an opinion on something in the GCSAA is hardly dismissing anyones personal achievements.

There is another 75% of the superintendents out there who have not been certified. Since they haven't gone through the process are they not allowed to form an opinion on it? Perhaps the best time to form an opinion on it is BEFORE you actually decide to dedicate yourself to it? And that can start early in a career BEFORE you're actually a superintendent.

If I have omitted anything about the process in my earlier post or have inaccurately downplayed the difficulty of putting a portfolio together, the test or the course assesment then please correct me. From my exposure to the process from colleagues and mentors, I stand by my opinion.   

 

[Eric Morrison]

It just seems it's too easy to gain certification. A ton of superintendents are certified. And on the other hand there are a ton without that get compensated very well and are excellent superintendents. At least they get the free luncheon at the GIS every year!

There is another 75% of the superintendents out there who have not been certified. 

A ton? How many CGCS' are there? 25% of Class A supers...not 25% of all supers. How many Class A supers are there?
The portfolio is not the same as one you would prepare for a job interview...it is intensive, covers a multitude of areas one needs to be competent in, and requires written documentation across multiple skill sets...yes it is time consuming, but it is not "easy".
The bar was raised a few years ago, when it became tougher to become a Class A...therefore tougher to qualify to even apply to become a CGCS. And the certification process was revamped as well; it became a much more intensive process, instead of the former process which involved being a super for x years and passing an open book exam (not to say in any way that that was easy). The GCSAA spent considerable time and effort revamping the process to assure that those professionals in the organization that chose to do it and succeeded would be achieving the highest designation and be recognized for doing so. Many other professional organizations have certification programs, and when GCSAA revamped theirs, an outside consulting firm concluded that this new program was a very demanding program compared to other professional organizations...sorry I don't have the exact references...
In any event, it should be a personal choice as it always has been; I know many supers that I look up to and respect and some are CGCS', some are not...

[Scott Furlong]

Ian,
I’m certified but I’m not a better Superintendent because of it.  It does force you to take classes, this is good.  Just about every Superintendent I know certified or not, attends classes on a regular basis.  The problem is, many golf courses will not pay for continued education or membership to the GCSAA.  Should these men or women be placed in a totally different category, if everyone should be required like you stated, because they don’t have the personal funds?  I say hell no.  Your input on this website instantly moves the needle to a 10 and in many ways it’s very entertaining…………free entertainment.  I would caution you to be careful because both sides are very opinionated about certification.  There are many that sit in the middle, as I do, but you never want to walk into a closed door.           

[Mike_Young]

Scott,
I think you have said it best above...BUT Ian needs to understand that GCSAA is in no way a GOVERNING body...and no one wants or needs that....

[Michael Vogt, CGCS, CGIA]

A certified golf course superintendent and the related tests, tenure and on-site inspections are not intended to divide the classes of hardworking golf course superintendents. When the system was designed and to this day the intention was to make available a way superintendents could test themselves against a predetermined course of study to achieve a certain status within the golf industry.

A CGCS is a voluntary enrollment in a testing procedure that could be recognized to establish criteria of proficiency in a field of professional turf management. Not to say that a simple test can be passed by anyone that has the ability to study for an exam. A loose example would be not all attorneys are proficient at practicing law but many attorneys pass an exam and are admitted to the bar. A perfect analogy would be most professional politicians are attorneys; many have never tried a case or understand law!

To sum my view of the CGCS is the superintendent gives their attention to the process by taking and passing the exam, earns the points to maintain the status and demonstrates they have the ability to be dedicated to a system that awards a differentiation to the normal.

A CGCS designation does not guarantee the superintendent is the best practitioner of the trade. I remain a CGCS after 23 years.

Visit my golf business blog at http://mcmahongroup.blogspot.com/ to lean more about the business of golf maintenance.