Greenskeeping - Don't let this happen to you...

[Joe Perches]

Please remember to look closely at the names of the chemicals you apply.

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/world/article.html?Golf_course_destroyed_in_pesticide_error&in_article_id=309008&in_page_id=64
http://steiermark.orf.at/magazin/immergutdrauf/tipps/stories/306495/

[Jon Wiggett]

Amazing, even with the names being similar this should not have happend. Just by reading the label you would have seen the difference and even if the label was in a foreign language, a quick look at the universal symbols would have warned the greenkeeper as to the nature.

Did they sack the responsible greenkeeper?

[John Kavanaugh]

Based on this translation of the German article I think the super will keep his job as he should.  There is nothing worse than a membership too quick to pull the trigger when a maintenance worker makes an honest mistake.

The next year again recordable
The president of gulf club Reiting, Anita Mikesch, can gain of the mistake in spite of all of some positive: " The worker has worked really carefully and has taken all edges. This was the beauty in it - to see how well he has worked ". The lawn should be recordable after a complete renovation already the next year again.

[Philippe Binette]

Don't fire the super..

He'll never ever make that mistake again...

A new super will pretend he'll never make it.. . but might make the same mistake someday

[Steve Okula]

Lesson One, Day One:

Before Applying, Always Read the Label!

[JSPayne]

As a super, I believe the whole reason we get this job is because we're supposed to be experts at stuff like this. Not losing your job over killing a large portion of your product and costing the club hundreds of thousands in repair is unthinkable.

I've known supers fired for alot less.....two situations in particular, one similar to this in spraying a pesticide thought to be a fertilizer and another where the right product was sprayed, just at the wrong rate. In both instances, the greens were nuked and the super was fired, and rightfully so.

I take pride in my job and would not expect to have one, or ever get a new one in the same field, if I did something like this. Me thinking this way is what keeps me extra cautious and careful with all chemicals. If a super is given a free pass, that just lessens the penalty on any other super and before you know it we have an epidemic of "honest mistakes."

[Randy Thompson]

We all have grown from making mistakes, I have been a super and have had a lot of supers working for me and trained a lot of supers. Shit happens, learn from it and grow...red cards in this game should come when the same mistakes are repeated. I did not read the article but I assume the super was young and with limited experience. You get what you pay for, so shell out the big bucks for an experienced super that has lived and learned when to delegate and who to delegate and who not to!

[Jim Thompson]

Lesson One, Day One:

Before Applying, Always Read the Label!

Don't forget the third line to that rule-

Every Time!

[Abe Summers]

This is a pretty sad story, but, there's no choice but to fire the mensch. 

[Steve Okula]

As a super, I believe the whole reason we get this job is because we're supposed to be experts at stuff like this. Not losing your job over killing a large portion of your product and costing the club hundreds of thousands in repair is unthinkable.

I've known supers fired for alot less.....two situations in particular, one similar to this in spraying a pesticide thought to be a fertilizer and another where the right product was sprayed, just at the wrong rate. In both instances, the greens were nuked and the super was fired, and rightfully so.

I take pride in my job and would not expect to have one, or ever get a new one in the same field, if I did something like this. Me thinking this way is what keeps me extra cautious and careful with all chemicals. If a super is given a free pass, that just lessens the penalty on any other super and before you know it we have an epidemic of "honest mistakes."

That's awful harsh, do everything right for twenty years, but make one mistake in your math one day at 6AM and you've ended your career!

[John Kavanaugh]

The reality of destroying the life of a someone who may have become a friend because of a bump in the road is painful to both parties.  I am always amused by people who think a quick firing will solve their problems.  Forgiveness is the best first option, but then again, I tend to care too much.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I worked at a golf course in summer through college.  In the second year, they put me on the spray crew and I liked the responsibility.  The super gave me a chem list and I mixed it and went out spraying.  One day, he came running out right after I pulled up to the first green and told me to dump the tank.  In that one instance, I had put a similarly named product in by mistake.

It turns out that every day, he let me do the work, but also verified as I left by checking the dumpster or levels left in the bottles he had ordered mixed.  He made me feel good by trusting that I would do a good job, but also verified my work, as a good manager should. 

In that light, I think the super there had several chances to catch the mistake - upon ordering, upon recieving the materials, upon loading it into the spreader, etc.  Given its a half million dollar mistake, there should have been some checking in order. 

JK, given how hard you have been on supers here in the past, your compassion in this case is stunning!

[John Kavanaugh]

JK, given how hard you have been on supers here in the past, your compassion in this case is stunning!

I don't believe in changing people when people can change.   

[JSPayne]

As a super, I believe the whole reason we get this job is because we're supposed to be experts at stuff like this. Not losing your job over killing a large portion of your product and costing the club hundreds of thousands in repair is unthinkable.

I've known supers fired for alot less.....two situations in particular, one similar to this in spraying a pesticide thought to be a fertilizer and another where the right product was sprayed, just at the wrong rate. In both instances, the greens were nuked and the super was fired, and rightfully so.

I take pride in my job and would not expect to have one, or ever get a new one in the same field, if I did something like this. Me thinking this way is what keeps me extra cautious and careful with all chemicals. If a super is given a free pass, that just lessens the penalty on any other super and before you know it we have an epidemic of "honest mistakes."

That's awful harsh, do everything right for twenty years, but make one mistake in your math one day at 6AM and you've ended your career!

Unfortunately, that's why this business is not for everyone. Jeff is completely right that the reason most supers that last for 20 years are still there is because they have created "fail-safes" and checks, double and triple checks even, especially at 6am! We know the risks involved in this job, and the trouble that can be caused by them. Admittedly, there are definetely some mishaps that can occur from a maintenance standpoint that don't warrent immediate firing. However, as I said, I've seen supers fired for alot less than happened in this instance.

Tell me another business where someone in upper management could make a mistake that would destroy hundreds of thousands of a business's product and probably cost near the same in lost revenues because of that loss, and not lose their job? At some point, it's not just about the mistake, it's also the message you send to your clientel.......will they ever trust, respect, or speak highly of their super again? If not, it makes it hard for him to do his job. Sometimes it's best to just move on.

[Jeff_Brauer]

JK, given how hard you have been on supers here in the past, your compassion in this case is stunning!

I don't believe in changing people when people can change.   

JK,

I am specifically recalling your thread on your own super, who has trouble keeping greens to your liking, in a hole, in the transition zone.  Is this a case of forgiving the big error, but not forgiving the smaller ones?

[Kalen Braley]

Tell me another business where someone in upper management could make a mistake that would destroy hundreds of thousands of a business's product and probably cost near the same in lost revenues because of that loss, and not lose their job? At some point, it's not just about the mistake, it's also the message you send to your clientel.......will they ever trust, respect, or speak highly of their super again? If not, it makes it hard for him to do his job. Sometimes it's best to just move on.

JS,

This has to be the most ironic statement of the year given the current financial cirucmstances of govt bailouts and otherwise.  Upper mgmt rarely gets the chop in these kind of situations. Usually they lay a bunch of people off, do a song and dance about how necessary it was to keep their doors open,  and then give themselves bonuses!! Even most of the top dogs at Enron walked away with thier riches while everyone else got the shaft.

And when they do finally meet thier demise, its doesn't come out with a massive golden parachute..

[Steve Okula]

Tell me another business where someone in upper management could make a mistake that would destroy hundreds of thousands of a business's product and probably cost near the same in lost revenues because of that loss, and not lose their job? At some point, it's not just about the mistake, it's also the message you send to your clientel.......will they ever trust, respect, or speak highly of their super again? If not, it makes it hard for him to do his job. Sometimes it's best to just move on.

The President of the United States springs immediately to mind, but his damage to the country is of an exponentially more spectacular degree, so maybe it doesn't compare.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Steve,

That's election year chatter!  Truth be told the US has survived many incompetent Congri (?) and Presidents and Supreme Courts, even.  Our strength is still in the people baby!

[D_Malley]

a similar thing happened at my club several years back, except it was because the manufacturer mis-labeled the chemicals.  I believe the chemical Co. was responsible for all lost revenue and required maintainace

[D_Malley]

the bad chem was used just on the greens.

[JSPayne]

Kalen & Steve,

You both may be correct.....but does that make it ok? Don't you bring those examples up because you WISH these offenders could recieve the same punishment as I describe above?

Also, I could very well argue that the examples both of you bring up tend to be subjective topics of debate of late......however, I think dead grass due to documented improper spraying procedures is not very subjective.

You both mean to tell me you wouldn't want to fire this guy if it was your "luxury country club" and your super? Or are you both just trying to pick apart my arguement for the fun of it? 

[Kalen Braley]

JS,

I admit with all the recent activities in the market and that "other"  thread my juices got going a bit.  For whatever reason, perhaps its the burr in my shorts, just felt to go attack dog mode on that last statement and it was a bit unwarranted!!   

I would agree that in this case, the punishment does seem to fit the crime.  Anyone who completly destroys thier course like this should get the boot....with the exception of the case where the manufacturer put the wrong labels on the containers. 

Please carry on with my blessing! 

[paul cowley]

The reality of destroying the life of a someone who may have become a friend because of a bump in the road is painful to both parties.  I am always amused by people who think a quick firing will solve their problems.  Forgiveness is the best first option, but then again, I tend to care too much.

John....well said. Caring too much is a strength/weakness.