Good communication with the superintendent is an important responsibility of the green chairman so that mutual trust and respect can be established.

The Role of the Green ChairmanLessons learned while being on the green committee for more than 30 years.BY DR. PAUL ROWE

The green committee is chargedwith the responsibility andgiven the privilege of main-

taining and nurturing the golf courseproperty. Those asked to be the chair-man of the green committee must beup to the task. It's not an easy job. It'snot a high-paying job. But it is a jobthat can be very rewarding. I haveenjoyed being a part of that process formore than 30 years, and during thattime I have accumulated some ideasthat may be helpful to others.

THE COMMITTEEBasic considerations for membershipon the green committee are:• Who should be on the committee?• How many people should be on thecommittee?• How long should these membersserve on the committee?

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A small committee seems to workbest. One should consider not morethan seven. The committee membersshould represent variation in handicap,gender, and age. Most important is thecommittee member's ability to com-municate the concerns of the member-ship to the committee as well asfromthe committee. In other words, appointmembers who are well respected andapproachable.

The tenure of the members shouldbe long enough to allow them toacquire a basic knowledge of how theproperty is maintained. It is importantto acknowledge that mistakes are partof the process, and committee mem-bers should be afforded the benefit oflearning the process, making mistakes,and learning from the experience. Inaddition, the superintendent shouldnot be expected to educate a new

group each year on his role in main-taining the golf course. His time isbetter spent with a core of knowledge-able members concerning long-rangeplanning and current operationalissues. With these factors in mind,I would suggest terms of not less thanfive years, and the chair should serveat least that long.

DEVELOP AMISSION STATEMENTThe mission statement should befashioned from input and reviewed bythe green committee, governing board,and management, and should be pub-lished to the membership. It shouldreflect a broad yet definitive image. Itshould become the focal point andbenchmark of any considered modifi-cation to the golf course property.Staying focused on the statement will

lessen overzealous "personal prefer-ence" discussions.

DEVELOP A POLICYThe common thread in good policyis consistency. The best way to be con-sistent is to establish a written standardsmanual for the golf course. The goalof the policy should be to fulfill theobligation of the committee to theproperty, to the membership, andto the game of golf by creating theintended image set forth in the missionstatement. The golf course shouldreflect that image in its substance. Aneffort should be made to allow themembership to enjoy each roundwhile giving them every opportunityto improve their game. Keeping this inmind, the committee should strive toproduce a course that can provide agood test for the better player and allowample opportunity for the higherhandicapper to enjoy every round.

THE BUDGETThe budget should reflect and supportthe desired level of maintenance andconditioning. As a starting point, 65%

of golf membership dues and net profitsrelated directly to golf (i.e., green fees,carts, range, etc.) should all be allottedto the operations and capital budget ofthe golf course property. The golfcourse is the most important asset ofany club; therefore, it should receivethe lion's share of fiscal investment.

Within the operational budget,the payroll should hover at 65% of thetotal budget, as the upkeep of golfcourse property is very labor intensive.Keep in mind that the quality of thelabor should come before the quantity.

AGRONOMYIt is not necessary for committeemembers to know all the scientificnames, nuances, and uses of the variouschemicals and agents employed by thesuperintendent. Keeping pace withchanges in the areas of golf courseapplications and agronomic practiceswould require unusual time and talent,and it is simply not necessary. In myopinion, there are three simple thingsone needs to know about agronomythat will aid in understanding themajority of turf-related programs:

1. Water2. More than eight hours of sunlight3. DrainageWater: When observing an area of

turf that is not doing well, one can ask,"Is this area getting too much water?Not enough water? Is the water qualitygood, bad, indifferent?"

More than eight hours of sunlight:Is the area getting at least eight hoursof full sunlight? If not, why not?

Drainage: If water or sun exposureis not the problem, then find out if thearea has adequate drainage.

If you find that these basic questionscan be answered satisfactorily in theaffirmative, then the problem must beelsewhere. My experience has beenthat the solution to the majority ofproblems can be answered by firstasking those simple questions.

COMPLAINTSThe pecking order for complaints ishistorical in nature. The progressionis typically greens, fairways, roughs,bunkers, tees, and so on. Establishingstandards in these areas is tantamountto reducing, if not resolving, many

Above left: Water has a memory like an elephant; it will tend to go where it has always gone. The importance of adequate drainage is a key issue that thegreen chairman and committee need to understand. Above right: Bunkers should rank fourth in the pecking order for complaints. Establishing realisticmaintenance standards for bunkers and other areas of the golf course is tantamount to reducing and resolving many disputes.

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disputes. The following is a brief sum-mary of some of the standards we haveestablished at my home club that mayserve as a guideline for the develop-ment of your own standards:

are available. Watch diligently fortraffic patterns on and off the greencomplex. Wear patterns can effectivelybe reduced by frequent changing ofhole placement, and the more place-

Turf requires eight hours of sunlight for healthy growth and development. Prune trees anytime; removetrees any other time when no one else is around.

GREENSPace: Establish a minimum variationin the Stimpmeter readings. As anexample, my home course has a stan-dard of 10 feet +/ - 3 inches as meas-ured by the Stimpmeter. Be sure thatyour practice putting green is consistentin pace with those on the golf course.Remember that the Stimpmeter wasdeveloped to compare the groomingof the greens so as to make them con-sistent in pace. This information is bestleft unpublished.

Smoothness: Probably moreimportant than pace. Achieving a goalof smooth-rolling greens is possiblethrough many methods: brushing,rolling, frequent topdressing, etc. Keepin mind, golf is played on the surface,not in the rootzone. Do not confusethe agronomic condition of the turfwith good playability.

Hole Placements: The slower thegreen pace, the more hole placements

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ment areas there are, the better! TheUSGA has published guidelines forpace and slope as they relate to fair holeplacement that can be very helpfulin this regard.

FAIRWAYSRollout: The distance a ball rolls onceit lands on the fairway is a function ofthe fairway firmness, height of cut,and moisture content. Somewhere inthe vicinity of 15 to 25 yards is ideal.

Height of Cut: As well as affectingrollout, height of cut can vary ballspin. Smooth, tightly cropped fairwayscan give the illusion of having the ball"sit up" and also produce a more con-trollable ball flight. Higher heights ofcut appeal to some players; however,ultimately they produce a compromisedplaying condition.

Width: Utilizing the architecturaldesign of the course is primary tofairway width. A pleasing bilateral

sightline should supersede any widthrequirements.

ROUGHAllow for definition between thefairway and rough. Try to avoid grasslength that lends itself to frequent lostball searches.

BUNKERSRemember that these are hazards. Tryto maintain some consistency with likesand and proper depth. By placingrakes outside the bunkers, less foottraffic disturbance occurs.

TEESEstablish turf that is of apron textureand height of cut. When establishingthe direction of tees, stand approxi-mately 20 to 30 yards behind the tee tosight the fairway line, and then deter-mine the direction of cut. Rememberthat par-3 tees quickly mound in themiddle due to frequent divot filling.Leveling should be a constant concern.

THE SUPERINTENDENTThe green chairman should communi-cate frequently with the superintendentand make written notes of items to bediscussed. There are certain tenets thatI believe to be universal. The mostimportant golfer to the superintendentis the one who is playing today. Thisidea translates into fixing problemareas now! I want our superintendentto use a white line around a problemarea. This practice indicates two thingsto me: 1) the superintendent has seenthe problem, and 2) he or she intendsto do something about it! The superin-tendent should see the golf coursethrough the eyes of the golfer. Soundagronomic practices can be appreciatedonly if they favorably affect the qualityand "texture" of the playing surfaces.

Establish trust and mutual respectwith the superintendent. Get to knowhis or her personal side. Keep up withevents in his or her family life. Trynever to disappoint each other. Advo-cate publicly; criticize privately. Never

surprise the superintendent in a greencommittee meeting. Allow him or herto preview the agenda. Continue toremind the superintendent that aware-ness can easily give way to routine.Make certain the superintendent hasall the tools to succeed, such as equip-ment, budget, and time, and be willingto support the things that are needed.Enjoy your relationship and, mostimportantly, have fun.

THE CREWAspire to convert the technician intoa skilled worker. A basic knowledgeof golf is the key ingredient to under-standing why chores are performed inspecific ways. A good way to developthis understanding is to give the crewgolf lessons and allow them to play"their" course. Keep the maintenancefacility clean and healthy - it is thecrew's home away.from home.

THE ASSISTANTIt is my general feeling that an assistantwho strives to become a superintendentshould be employed not more thanthree years. After all, this period ofemployment should be a learningexperience. During this time, thesuperintendent has to be a teacher,which in itself is a good exercise forthe superintendent. Keep in mind thatit is more important for the assistant toask the right questions than to knowany of the answers.

CONSULTANTSGood advice is never cheap and cheapadvice is never good. Outside consult-ants are very helpful, especially withissues related to water, tree problems,irrigation, and special projects. TheUSGA Turf Advisory Service andmany of their publications are wonder-ful resources. It also is important forthe superintendent to actively maintaincontinuing education activities andcertifications.

PRIVILEGE VS. POWERThe members of the green committeeshould provide stewardship and leader-

The green chairman and committee members should keep abreast of vital environmental issues thataffect the club, such as opportunities to eliminate turf in out-of-play areas to reduce water use.

ship by being aware and keepingabreast of local activities, such as waterrequirements and other vital environ-mental issues. They should attend localand regional meetings and seminarsrelated to all issues concerning the golfcourse property.

Finally, the reward for your serviceto the green committee will comefrom the satisfaction of being a goodsteward to the land and to the game ofgolf If you develop a parental concernfor the property, you will have done agoodjob!

ADVICE TO GREENCOMMITTEE MEMBERSBeing on the green committee formore than 30 years has given me aninteresting perspective on our golfcourse and what it takes to have afunctional, productive green commit-tee. Over the years I have collectedwhat I refer to as truisms that apply toour golf course and being on thecommittee. Some are mine, some Ihave heard along the way, and I hopethat current and future committeemembers can benefit from these simpletruths:• Most superintendents over-waterand under-fertilize.

• Water has a memory like anelephant; it tends to go where it hasalways gone.• Mother Nature is no lady.• We do not play golf in the trees; weplay it on the ground. Prune treesanytime; remove trees any other timewhen no one else is around.• If someone complains about the lackof shade on the golf course, tell themto take a cart with a roof on it!• The only" color" on a golf courseshould be flowers and flagsticks.• Sodding is rarely a solution.• Golf is played on the surface, not inthe rootzone.• Agronomy is science; green keepingis an art.• Tryon your hat once in a while;make sure it still fits.• Good greens make the hotdogs tastebetter.• When in doubt, do nothing.

DR. PAUL ROWE has servedfor morethan 30 years on the green committee ofThe Arizona Country Club in Phoenix,Arizona, where he continues to be an activegolfer and member of the committee.

JULY-AUGUST 2009 II