"So, what can be done to educate the members? I know the USGA came out years ago and told them they were watering too much and the tops of every knob should be brown."
Steve:
What you need to do is admit that your concern that they need to be educated is real and just has to be done, and cannot be avoided, if you want to accomplish what you say you do which is to dry that golf course out when weather and maintenance schedules permit it.
Next you have to figure out how it can be done. The best way I know is to also admit that the membership of the club and their opinions cannot be avoided and should not be. They should not be treated as some adverserial camp or some non-entity as some on this board treat them and believe they should be treated or avoidied.
Having come to that realization, you need to explain to them and in detail what firm and fast playability really is, the joy and interest and challenge of it compared to consistently soaked and thatched dartboard golf courses.
When I say explain to them in detail I really mean that. Details mean definition, real distinct and specific definitions and you just have to do that if you want them to eventually understand what they need to understand. You need to actually quantify what firm and fast means in relation to the bounce and roll of a golf ball---eg like 40-50 yards on tee shot LZs, or 20 yards on approaches and the exact FIRMNESS of green surfaces. These things can be defined and they frankly must be.
It's my feeling that generally speaking entire memberships basically love this kind of playability and why wouldn't they? When it comes to real firm and fast playability it's generally something of a win/win situation across the playing level spectrum of golfers---eg it actually makes most courses play more challenging for good players and for the rest the ball simply goes farther and that's hugely popular with that contingent.
But in the end, to do this, to go down this path, you and the committee that's going to arrange for it through the maintenance dept needs to understand fully what the maintenance dept really does need to do to get it done correctly. If you don't do that correctly things will get confusing and you could be looking at some real disasters agronomically and with your memberships expectations.
Finally, with the latter step put into effect correctly you do need to manage your memberships expectations, or they may be surprised by something you did not inform them of in the broad scheme of this kind of maintenance and playability practice.
We have hit that snag right now and I'm about to write a comprehensive report that will hopefully deal with all their expectations and misconceptions particularly in the "look" of the course AT PARTICULAR TIMES OF THE YEAR under a generally firm and fast program.
And lastly, do not feel your club is operating in a vacuum this way with the golf course or with the membership. Reach out and collaborate with others that have come before you, have made mistakes that they can explain to you how to avoid and who have gotten there, or gotten most of the way there.
I know you are already doing that with this post.
Do more of it. Reach out and email and call the clubs you want to emulate this way. Find out who they are. Email me--my contact info is on this board if you click on my name.
Good luck