The Superintendent's Challenge.

[Patrick_Mucci]

What is a superintendent's biggest challenge ?

Maintaining certain, unusual architectural features ?

The membership ?

Budget ?  Operating and Capital ?

Agronomic problems ?

Seasonal problems ?

[Marc Haring]

Patrick

Yes.

[ed_getka]

I would imagine it is the membership and the budget. As far as the membership part, is there generally a committee that makes your life hell or just one person that is chairman?
     What would be the one thing that you would change in your maintenance practice if you were calling shots?
      Happy holidays to all the hard-working supers out there.

[Mark_F]

I would have said seasonal problems had the biggest impact, because it directly affects planning and implementation.

Maintaining certain unusual architectural features, on those courses that have them, would go hand in glove with membership, if those features weren't understood or appreciated.

But then, when it comes to growing grass, everyone knows more than the super, don't they?  

By budget and operating capital, I would think the biggest challenge would be if they had too much money - I can't imagine a club that values its course undercutting in that area?

[Steve Mann]

1. budget
2. proper staffing, but that often is determined by #1!

[Donnie Beck]

Dealing with staff politics.

[RJ_Daley]

Communication...

...with customers-users, staff, critics, vendors, etc.

[Steve Curry]

5. Sleeping in!  

4. Setting acceptable Hole Locations.

3. Member expectations, for those of us with limited budgets

2. Changing environments

1. Weather

[Donnie Beck]

The hardest part of the job has nothing to do with growing grass.

[Don_Mahaffey]

I think the hardest part is convincing members/owners that there is a correlation between conditions and resources.

[Pat K]

Donny,
       I fully agree with you. The hardest part of my job has nothing to do with growing grass. In todays political environment every club has different factions that need to be satisfied. In years gone by the greenkeeper could work the the daybreak to dusk hours during the season then recharge his batteries in the offseason. Today I'm still dealing with next years budget ( 4 months into the process), trying to put next years calendar together, (not too many open dates) and put together my year end reports. I should be done by March. Oh happy days. We'll never get back to the simpler days, but I think some of the art is lost in the process.

[Craig Sweet]

It's pretty difficult to explain to the membership that certain acts of god are beyond your control.

[Patrick_Mucci]

In years past, only the green chairman or Major Domo communicated with the superintendent.  Today, it seems as if every member communicates their particular message to the superintendent.

Do clubs need to re-establish the chain of communication ?

[RJ_Daley]

Pat, i agree, the communication should have a proper channel.  Willy nilly comminication isn't really much more than a bitch session.  A two way forum (newsletter or meeting with focused short agenda) are ways to go, I think.  

We all get sick of interminable series of meetings with staff, bosses, customers and all.  But, how the meetings are managed is crucial.  It takes discipline to stick to the issues and not make the meetings become torture sessions.

I may be idealistic, but I think a proper culture of communication etiquette can be developed in quality organizations.  The two key people that can make that happen are the super and green chairman being on the same page and having some leadership ability.

[S. Huffstutler]

From what I have seen at clubs that have GM's and various committees is that the members wont use the political chains of command that they have put in place. When they have a complaint or idea, they don't hesitate to call the Super, who will refer them to the green commitee, but they then choose to contact the GM who circumvents the entire process by responding immediately because he is in fear for his job or out a a misplaced ideal of service. What's the point of having a green committee when you can get what you want by pressuring the staff?

steve