Miller talks end of LPGA agronomist, beginning of field staff

I've had the good fortune of knowing John Miller, CGCS, soon-to-be former GCSAA LPGA staff agronomist, for a few years now. I even had the pleasure of shadowing him while he was on the job at the 2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The GCSAA recently announced that beginning in 2011, Miller will have a new job for the association -- he will be the new field staff representative of the Great Lakes region. Consequently, that also means he's on his last few days as the LPGA Tour agronomist.

Golfdom caught up with Miller recently to discuss the change of jobs.

"Sure, I'm sad (about the end of the LPGA position), but we accomplished what we set out to do," Miller said. "It was a sign of the times -- there was no money to fund the position anymore. GCSAA decided not to renew the contract."

Miller said his favorite thing about the LPGA position was being able to work with superintendents around the globe to make their golf courses the best they could be.

"I was an extra set of eyes that could help out," Miller said. "But it turned out I learned as much from (the LPGA Tour superintendents) as they learned from me."

While I talked with Miller, he told me he had missed my call earlier that day because he was at a regional superintendent holiday party. So it's obvious that Miller isn't wasting any time getting started on his new gig.

"I'm really excited about this new position. GCSAA has been working hard on this field staff project, and it seems to be going over well with the membership," Miller said. "I think it'll be fun to take the knowledge that I have -- I'm a past chapter president -- and working with other chapters to see what their challenges are. There are a different set of challenges now than when I was a chapter president -- it's a whole new set of challenges. So I'm sure I'll be taking what worked for chapter A and applying it to chapter B. It'll be a lot of fun, and it'll be a good challenge."

Miller said there's an unusual symmetry between his new role as a field staff representative and his old position with the LPGA, especially here in the early goings.

"It's almost the exact same process as when I started out with the LPGA. It's a lot of introductions and getting the word out," Miller said. "It's the same thing with the chapters -- meeting with chapter presidents and leadership, finding out their needs. It's the same as I did with the LPGA. It's taken an interestingly parallel path."

***

Regardless of what you think about GCSAA's field staff program (and I am interested in what you think about it, leave me a comment below), let me tell you that Miller is a great hire and a great representative for the association and for superintendents everywhere. Any time you speak with him, you can just tell that the guy is razor sharp. If he wasn't in turf, I think he'd do just fine as a politician. And he's one of the friendliest guys out there, too.

So good luck in your new position with GCSAA, John, we're rooting for you over here at Golfdom!

Leach says woman sat in 35-degree water for two hours

So much for a slow Monday after Christmas, Greg Leach, assistant superintendent at Lubbock (Texas) CC, said.

Leach arrived at the course around 7 a.m. and was enjoying what he called a "slow Monday after Christmas" at the course when one of his crew members came into the shop and told him there was a car in the pond on No. 15.

"I thought he meant someone stole a golf car and drove that into the pond," Leach says. "I didn't realize it was a real car until I saw it. I was about to call 911 when I saw someone was still in there."

Leach figured the woman in the car was dead. Overnight temperatures dropped to 25 degrees and there were areas of ice on the corners of the pond. Then he saw her move.

"I kicked off my boots and jumped in. The water is about four feet deep," Leach told Golfdom in a phone interview this morning. The car door was already open when he got there, but the woman was still buckled into her seat. "She was moving and speaking, but she wasn't making any sense."

Leach said he was in the water for all of two minute, but the cold water was enough to make his lower body entirely numb. The maintenance facility has a surveillance camera, and reviewing that evening's tape showed headlights going into the pond at 6:30 a.m.

"She sat in there for two, maybe two-and-a-half hours," Leach says.

By the time he had her out of the pond, the first police car was on the scene.

Leach, who got his turf degree from Texas Tech and has been at Lubbock CC for four years, said he once helped pull a 97-year-old man from a pond, but he was in a golf car. This was new territory for him. By the time Golfdom caught up with him on Tuesday morning, he had already done two interviews, one with the local TV news and another with a local newspaper reporter.

"It was a little bit exciting for what I thought would be a slow Monday morning," Leach said.

Assistant super rescues woman from pond

Greg Leach, assistant superintendent at Lubbock (Texas) CC, made the news by rescuing a woman from a vehicle crashed into a course pond. "First I thought she was dead," Leach told KCBD News in Lubbock.

http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=13745340

Tragic news out of Texas A&M

Dr. J. Chris Stiegler, assistant professor of turfgrass science and ecology at Texas A&M, and his wife, Jenny, both died in a car wreck on Christmas Eve near Waco, Texas. Their infant daughter Emily has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.

Our prayers go out to the family and especially that baby girl.

Here's the TV news story from Bryan/College Station's KBTX.

Here's the story from yesterday's Bryan-College Station Eagle, a true tear-jerker: http://www.theeagle.com/local/Infant-s-parents-killed-in-wreck

From AgriLifeToday.com, also posted yesterday: http://agrilife.org/today/2010/12/26/stiegler-killed-in-car-wreck/

A fund has been established for Emily as follows:

Emily Grace Stiegler in care of Citizens State Bank
4611 West 6th Avenue
Stillwater, OK 74074

Happy holidays from your friends at Golfdom!

Hi everyone!

In case you haven't heard yet, there's a new editor-in-chief of Golfdom magazine... and yeah, it's that guy sitting on the couch wearing the Chiefs jersey right there... that's me, Seth Jones. (GO CHIEFS!!!)

I'm excited to be here. This is my 8th day on the job so far. I don't remember the last time a mundane day in the office has been so rewarding. I'm thrilled to have this new job, and I promise to work hard for the readers of Golfdom.

The Golfdom blog... well, it's been a lonely place for a while now. There just hasn't been any action. I look back and, wow -- this is the 5th post of the year? (At least I can say I'm responsible for 20% of the posts in 2010!)

I plan on changing that. I like to blog. Especially when I'm travelling for work. Not every blog post will contain cataclysmic information regarding the golf course maintenance industry. Some will be for fun. Some will be serious. But there will be something here for you to check out regularly. That's a promise.

Last thought from me: happy holidays. I hope all our many superintendent readers around the world have a wonderful holiday season. Travel safe. Enjoy the company of your families. Get a little rest.

We'll see you here again soon. Thanks for checking in on us.

(Photo by my daughter, Evey. She's only four! Not bad, huh?)

What Happened to the Green Filters on the TV Cameras at Pebble Beach?

When I watched the U.S. Open on television and saw Pebble Beach Golf Links — you know, the course a lot of people were saying looked lousy because the greens weren't green — I thought of something United States Golf Association agronomist Pat Gross said at a meeting a few months ago.

Gross spoke at the American Society of Irrigation Consultants meeting in late April. He told attendees that new USGA President Jim Hyler wanted to bring a more environmental approach to golf. Included in Hyler’s approach to this thinking was to have NBC remove “green filters from TV cameras” during the U.S. Open.

Really? Is that one reason why Pebble's greens looked brown?

Well, according to NBC’s Tom Roy, green filters used on TV cameras to make a course look greener is “a complete fabrication.”
“The colors that you see at home are the same as you'd see in person,” Roy said in an e-mail to me. “I've never been told to remove filters or adjust colors by any officials. The only manipulation we do is make the picture brighter when the sun sets.”

So where did this off-with-the-green-filter-thing come from?

-- Larry Aylward

Tiger and His PR

Tiger Woods has hired former George Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to help him with his PR problems, if that's possible. But if I was Tiger, I'd think twice about having Fleischer advise me on what to say after hearing Mark McGwire's confession of steroid use last January.

Fleischer, who operates Fleischer Sports Communications, reportedly was hired by McGwire to help him patch up his image after he stumbled over his alleged steroid use during a congressional hearing a few years back. McGwire decided to come clean earlier this year, and he admitted to using steroids, but not to help him hit more home runs. McGwire said he used steroids for health reasons.

Most of the public, not to mention McGwire's peers, didn't buy the former Big Mac's statements. His confession was a joke.

Did Fleischer have anything to do with it? If I was Tiger, that would be my first question to Ari. Not that anyone can fix Tiger's image, though.

— Larry Aylward

Tell Us What You Think About the Show

If you get a minute, drop us a line at the Golfdom blog to let us know what you think about the show. If you're going, enjoy yourself in San Diego.

-- Larry Aylward

A Better Perspective

A year ago, during the Golf Industry Show in New Orleans, I heard several people say, “We just need to make it through this year.” These people had one thing in common — they were shells hocked by the onslaught of a dreadful economy. Well, we made it through a brutal 2009. Now what?

Not much has changed since last January. Then again, a lot has changed. It’s difficult to say where the golf course maintenance industry will be a year from now, but I’m betting it will be in better shape. Last January, we were all freaked out because there were so many unknowns. There are fewer unknowns this year, which is surely healthy for all of our mental attitudes.

San Diego will be a better show from that perspective. People will be more upbeat, having made it through the wreckage of 2009. Bring on the SoCal sunshine.

--Larry Aylward

Will Tiger's Tanking Image Impact the Golf Industry?

Everybody has a Tiger take? What's your's?

Do you think the golf course industry will suffer because Tiger's image has been tarnished?

Do you think people will forget about this in a matter of time and Tiger will go on to break Jack Nicklaus' record?

Time to Refinance

Earlier this month, I attended the Carolinas GCSA Trade Show & Conference -- an excellent show, by the way -- and heard a great seminar by Keith Smith, a financial advisor, who told superintendents they should refinance their homes if they already haven't. His reason? Rates! Did you know the average interest rate for a 30-year mortgage dropped to a record low of 4.71% this week. Check out this story: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2009-12-03-mortgae-rates-low_N.htm.

-- Larry Aylward

Currier Leaving Bethpage

Craig Currier is leaving Bethpage State Park, whose Black Course was the site of this year's U.S. Open, for the Glen Oaks Club, a private course on Long Island. Currier is one of the most recognized superintendents in the business. He has also been called one of the best superintendents in the business. Watch Golfdom for an interview with Currier.

A lot of people probably thought Currier would never leave Bethpage. They seemed a perfect fit. On the other hand, Currier is moving on to another and different challenge. There's nothing wrong with that. Such chances aren't going to open up much these days.

-- Larry Aylward

Just Like Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts

I was surprised when I first heard the Club Managers Association of America dropped the Golf Industry Show like a bad habit. But my surprise only lasted for about two minutes.
Truth is, the marriage of these two associations’ trade shows was kind of like that of country crooner Lyle Lovett and Hollywood starlet Julia Roberts in 1993. It was so oddball that you just knew it wasn’t meant to be. Hence, I can see why the CMAA is leaving the GIS after February’s event.
— Larry Aylward

Look Who Has Time to Play Golf?

Obama has played 24 golf rounds this year. Nice to know he has the time. I hope he's talking about how to fix the economy while putting for a seven.
--Larry Aylward

Wiser When It Comes to Watering

Golf course superintendents are much wiser when it comes to watering in 2009.

A whopping 97 percent of superintendents say they’re taking measures to manage water more efficiently on their golf courses, according to a recent irrigation survey by Golfdom. The survey, conducted in mid-October, garnered nearly 500 responses from superintendents across the country.

The answers to the first question of the survey — Are you doing all you can to manage water as efficiently as possible? — reveals superintendents are more serious about reducing their water use than they were in past years. Fifty percent of superintendents said they’re finding ways to reduce overall water use, even if it causes occasional stress on the turf. Forty-seven percent of respondents said, “Somewhat, we’re trying to find the right balance.” Only 3 percent of superintendents said they were “watering away to attain as green and lush turf as possible.”

We conducted a similar survey in 2006, and the difference in answers between now and then is startling. Back then, only 25 percent of superintendents said they were managing water use as efficiently as possible and 65 percent said they were trying to find a balance. Almost 10 percent said they were watering away for the lush, green look.
— Larry Aylward

Are You Doing Anything to Avoid Job Layoffs?

The good news is unemployment DROPPED in July. Maybe we won't hit that nasty 10 percent mark after all — although several U.S. states have soared past it.
Are you doing anything to avoid layoffs at your course or company?
Let us know.

Have You Been Slighted?

If you read my column above, "They Dropped the Ball -- Big Time," you'll see the story of another superintendent who didn't get his due. In this case, it is Terry Bonar, certified superintendent of Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland.

How about you? Do you feel like you're getting your due where you work? Does your owner, general manager and pro understand the important role you play at your course?

Blog here and let us know.

Thanks,

Larry Aylward
Editor in Chief

Unemployment And Sitting On His Duff

I just heard of a guy who lost his job last fall but has been content to sit on his butt and collect employment. The dude is not even looking for work! No, he's not one of those "discouraged" unemployed workers who stopped looking for work because he can't find any work; he would just rather take a few bucks from Uncle Sam and not work.
Do you know anybody like this? How should the country handle people like this?

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Will Players Take Pity On You?

Conventional wisdom might say golfers will cut you some slack if your golf course looks a tad ragged, considering that your maintenance budget was probably slashed. It would be a nice and polite gesture for golfers to sympathize with superintendents over this matter, especially in this time of financial upheaval. I had a recent conversation about this topic with veteran certified superintendent John Miller, who also happens to be the LPGA tour agronomist. But Miller says if a course’s maintenance budget has been cut to $700,000 from $1 million, the golfers playing that course still expect it to look and play like a million bucks.

They don’t care that a superintendent had to cut his maintenance budget.

What do you think? Do golfers still expect the best conditions — event though you don't have the money to pay for those conditions?

— Larry Aylward

GCSAA Suspends Research Funding. What Do YOU Think?

Did you hear the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has suspended funding for new research projects? According to a report, "The GCSAA Board of Directors determined that the highest priorities for research in the coming year will be publication of the survey results from the Golf Course Environmental Profile, the testing and introduction of the IPM template and advancement of the Pesticide Characteristics Project. While there will be no funding of new chapter cooperative research projects in 2009, GCSAA will continue to monitor the current 22 projects that are part of the Chapter Cooperative and National Research programs. The board has emphasized its commitment to funding applied agronomic, environmental and regulatory research, and plans to resume funding of new research when the projects listed above are completed and stability returns to the economy."

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Blog here!

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Thanksgiving Day Lover/Under RESULTS

The turkey was moist, the stuffing was dry and the family that never disappoints didn’t. What’s become my own little social experiment with my in-laws has, yet again, provided holiday humor for us all to enjoy. This year's over/under predictions tell the tale of family dysfunction which we all of are frighteningly familiar.

UNDER 5
The number of times “Gus,” my new 3-month-old Pug had “an accident” on my in-laws new downstairs carpeting: three “accidents” on the new carpeting highlighted the holiday
UNDER 7
Incidents that involve children crying: six crying incidents from children, mostly involving the Wii.
OVER 2
Incidents that involve adults crying: four crying incidents from adults, mostly involving each other.
UNDER 18 – Cigarettes secretly smoked while "taking out Gus": 12 cigarettes. Didn’t know brother-in-law quit last month.
UNDER 1
Major announcements that someone is pregnant (This has happened for the past six years, I’m NOT kidding): 0 — It’s a miracle! No one pregnant.
OVER 60
Minutes late that “Lunch/Dinner” is actually served: 86 minutes late — a new record!
UNDER 34
Total Score of Tennessee/Detroit game: 57 — Detroit is going to make history by winning zero games.
UNDER 40
Total Score of Seattle/Dallas game: 43 — meaningless score by Seattle ruined this pick.
UNDER 47
Total Score of Arizona/Philadelphia game: 68 — Arizona had better find some D-fense before the playoffs.

Another “Turkey Day” in the books for the in-laws and me! I hope everyone had a great holiday before the tryptophan kicked in leading to hours of relatively uncomfortable couch sleep.

Thanksgiving Day Over/UnderPredictions

I love Thanksgiving Day and all the predictability that comes with it. Each year, the family and I make the annual trek up north to an often snow-infested part of northwest Indiana dubbed “The Region.” This would be her family — an entire house filled with people that I haven’t seen since last year’s festivities. Oh what joy! The real entertainment will begin when I start checking off the list of this year’s over/under predictions:

5 — The number of times that Gus, my 3-month old Pug has “an accident” on my in-laws new downstairs carpeting.

7 — Incidents that involve children crying.

2 — Incidents that involve adults crying.

3 — Bottles of wine consumed throughout the day.

18 — Cigarettes secretly smoked while “taking out Gus.”

1 — Major announcement that someone is pregnant. (This has happened for the past six years, I’m NOT kidding.)

60 — Minutes late that lunch/dinner is actually served.

34 — Total score of Tennessee/Detroit game.

40 — Total score of Seattle/Dallas game.

47 — Total Score of Arizona/Philadelphia game.

I will promise to observe keenly and report back on these predictions for those of you who are playing the home version of the game.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

— Christopher S. Gray, Sr.
General Manager/Director of Golf Course Operations
Marvel Golf Club, Benton, Ky.

Will Parts of Your Golf Course Disappear?

I visited Kirtland (Ohio) Country Club not long ago. They were amid a bunker renovation, and they discovered that some bunkers were missing from the original designs of C.H. Alison in 1921. Superintendent Chad Mark surmised that some were filled in during the Great Depression to diminish labor costs.

It made me wonder if superintendents would be considered visionaries today if they started filling in bunkers around their golf courses as economists allude to a global economic downturn that could rival the loss of wealth experienced in the 1930s.

Are you doing anything drastic to your golf course to reduce maintenance or mitigate costs?

— David Frabotta

Economic Headaches Continue

I've been swearing a lot lately. The profanities fly every time I read the financial news, shop for luxuries like milk and hamburgers, and especially when I check my 401k.

And I’m not alone. Everyone from Joe the plumber to Donald Trump is talking in no uncertain terms about the flailing financial markets and the struggling general economy.

During the past month or so, stock brokers have permanently solidified the perception that they are an overpaid, fickle mob. Did Kevin Stone break onto the trading floor and put level-headed traders in a trance of wild unpredictability? It’s like everyone contracted some sort of contagious fiscal bipolar disorder.

How are you dealing with the wild undulations with your wealth, be it your home value or stock portfolios? How long before wealth returns to the same levels, and how long before golf rides on the tails of that prosperity to stability?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Help! I Need Someone to Soothe My Economic Fears

Oil was back up on Monday, Sept. 22. Way up. Oil prices jumped more than $25 a barrel — the biggest dollar jump ever — before dropping a tad. It closed at $120.92 a barrel, up $16.37 from Friday's close. I just read a story on www.cnn.com where oil expert Matt Simmons says a barrel will hit $500 before we know it. That number is not a typo.

I must say that oil prices and the current happenings on Wall Street have me more than concerned for my and my family's future. It's all pretty scary. How are you dealing with all of this crazy financial news? HELP!

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

So, Who's Going To Bail Me Out?

If you’re like many Americans voicing their disdain over the government’s proposed bailout of the banking sector, you might be wondering why fiscal irresponsibility is being rewarded with huge chunks of cash.

I couldn’t be angrier about spending hard-earned taxpayer money to bail out corporations that gambled greedily and failed. I pay my mortgage, and private mortgage insurance, I might add. Where is all the PMI for these high-risk loans?

However, the alternative seems bleak. Without the bailout, economists say we very well could slump into the worst economic depression since the 1930s. They called that one The Great Depression, and this one could be greater when you consider the global repercussions.

But there is a bright spot for superintendents: access to dandelions. Dandelions were the most-consumed vegetable in the 1930s. They are very nutritious and plentiful. So go easy on the 2,4-D.

— David Frabotta

Somebody Explain It To Me, Please

Perhaps I was just raised differently or possibly in a better environment than others, but I simply do not understand what type of perverse pleasure or sense of satisfaction a person gets from vandalizing a putting green.

No matter how many times I get that phone call describing the scarring damage that someone has inflicted on one of my nineteen “other children,” my mind always leaps to the same unanswered question: Why? What is at the root of one of the most vicious acts that strike at the heart of any well-manicured golf course?

Is it frustration? I have missed my fair share of gut-wrenching putts while golfing, but none that would ever make me take out my car keys and cut around the cup to make it larger. Nor have I ever felt so compelled to take the flag stick and repeatedly poke multiple holes across the green making it resemble Swiss cheese.

Normally I am a guy who can understand most rationales in this confusing world, but vandalism never has, and probably never will, make one ounce of sense to me in any way, shape or form. It’s simply a sad reality that we all must deal with from time to time.

What's the most senseless crime you've experience on your course, and have you ever been able to ascertain why?

— Christopher S. Gray Sr.

My New Golf Course Supplier: eBay

Last week I was having some serious electrical problems with a front-deck mower. So much in fact, I quickly realized I needed the technical manual, which I didn’t have. I picked up the phone and called my local distributor and asked how much the manual was going to run me. “That manual is $139.50,” I heard from the other end. “Alright, I’ll let you know,” I responded half-heartedly. After mentally cursing the manufacturer, another idea popped in my head: I should check eBay.

Over the years, I have probably spent thousands of dollars on useless crap that I should have never bought on everyone's favorite auction site. Admitting I had a problem was the first step. So I said to myself, “Let’s see what the eBay community has to offer in the way of front deck mower technical manuals.” My search terms yielded a result of 63 items. After looking closer at the results, I found the technical manual I needed. The auction was ending in 13 hours and no one had bid on it yet. In short, I bid and won the manual…for $10.00 plus $12.50 shipping (This manual is really heavy).

I spent $22.50 for the same thing that the manufacturer wanted $139.50 for.

I started looking around eBay and have found other supplies I need for my course that include irrigation parts, tri-plex parts, rotary blades, and the list goes on and on. For anyone looking to save some cash and stretch your budget, check out eBay and see what they have. Just stay away from the useless crap … if you can.

— Christopher S. Gray Sr., director of golf operations for Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky.

Consumer Confidence in Scary Territory

Amid the highest unemployment rate in four years and the lowest consumer confidence since 2002, consumers are closing their wallets.

Consumer spending fell 0.2 percent, the largest drop since February, the Commerce Department revealed Aug. 4. The decline comes despite a $168-billion stimulus plan that includes income tax rebates.

Some of the blame is being attributed to inflation. The Consumer Price Index, which measures prices at the retail level, is up 5 percent in the trailing 12 months, the largest one-year increase since 1991.

Add a volatile investment climate, mortgage troubles and skyrocketing food and energy costs — the CPI excludes food and energy inflation — and one has to wonder how much money might be left for golf.

The National Golf Foundation has reported fewer rounds across most golf properties, but the largest declines reside in public facilities, where play is down 2.5 percent so far this year. Play at private clubs fell 1.8 percent this year.

What do you see in your market? Are daily fee courses suffering more than country clubs?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

What Are You Doing to Save Gas?

I’m no Einstein, but conservationists and economists are telling us we can save gas — and cut down on our demand for it — if we drive a little slower. This will help gas prices to stabilize or even drop because demand will outweigh supply.

Now, I know this issue is a political issue as much as it is a supply and demand issue, but I decided I’m going to do my part and slow down on the highways to save fuel — and save money for myself. And let me point out that slowing down in this case basically means driving the speed limit, which nobody goes these days on the interstates.

Well, I quickly discovered I’m not a very popular person for easing up on the gas. Everybody is passing me by. Everybody! Just the other day I was going 60 mph in a 60 mph zone and somebody blew by me during evening rush-hour traffic at about 70 and flipped me the bird for driving “slow.” The jerk in a hurry probably made it home two minutes before I did — and used a half a tank more gas for having a lead foot.

I wonder if $7 a gallon — which “experts” say will be here in a few years — will get people to slow down to save a few bucks.

By the way, what are you doing at your golf course to save fuel?

— Larry Aylward

My Stupid Work Excuses

I haven’t always been a model employee. I was young once, too. So there was a time when I figured that life owed me a little more than I was getting, so I would take things — like days off from work.

We’ve published dozens of excuses that superintendents have sent us from their crews, and it got me thinking about some of the reasons I played hooky.

I never lied, mind you. I never really thought it was worth it. But I was a giant flake at times. Like the time I went through the drive-through for lunch and saw a hitch-hiker standing by the freeway when I was on the way back to work. “Surely this was a noble cause that my boss would understand,” I thought to myself. So I pulled over.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“Pennsylvania,” he replied.

“Hop in.”

He was fresh out of jail on drug charges. I was taking him across state lines. But it didn’t seem as risky as calling my Type-A personality boss to tell him I wasn’t coming back for the afternoon. Needless to say, he didn’t deem the act as honorable as I did.

It wouldn’t be the only time brutal honesty got me in trouble. While working for the same manager, I called early in the morning on a gorgeous July day to leave the following message:

“Good morning Jeff, hope you are doing well. I decided it is just too damn nice outside to come to work today, so I’m going golfing. See you tomorrow.”

The next day, he had a message of his own for me. It went something like this: “Dave, we have three personal days at this company, and when you take them, I don’t want to know why.”

Check out our favorite excuses at www.golfdom.com and send us more of your favorites.

— David Frabotta

We All Need Some Compassion

We try to dodge illness and suffering all our lives. But really bad things still happen to people. Things you don’t want to hear or think about because you’re too busy trying to be happy.

I try to remember that when I’m driving amid road ragers or grocery shopping around people who clearly have a biting contempt for humanity. I often wonder “Man, what’s their problem?”

Truth is, I probably don’t really want to know. Many people have huge crosses to bear, and no one wears badges that say, “Diagnosed with cancer,” or “My daughter is missing.”

A guy from Texas once told me, “You have to respect the right of others to be in a hurry.” I’m not sure if it’s a local saying, but it made sense to me. And taking it further, people are permitted to be in rotten moods sometimes. You never know what they’re going through, and a few unsolicited kind words might keep someone from losing faith in themselves for just one more day. Don’t we owe each other that much as a society?

Your crew is a micro society. Someone is always happy, sad, tired, lazy and eager. It’s easy to get frustrated with apathy and moodiness, but sometimes, they just might have a good reason for a healthy dose of compassion.

Ever embarrass yourself when an employee has a good reason to slough off?

How's the Housing Market Doing Where You Live?

I recently sold my house after it was on the market for seven months. I didn't get what I wanted for it, but I was satisfied with the sale knowing that there are some good deals to be had out there for an upgrade.

I'm amazed, however, at how many people have told me "congratulations!" on the selling of my house. It's like I won the lottery or something! (Believe me, I didn't hit it big on this transaction.)

The housing crisis hasn't been in the news lately as much as it was in previous months. But I get the feeling -- especially when people are congratulating me for selling my house -- that the market is still enduring tough times, at least where I live.

How's the housing market doing where you live? Any sign of a turnaround? Let us know by blogging here.

-- Larry Aylward

We Have An Intimate Little Industry

I like to follow golf because the fans know the players by their first names. From the time Arnie hits the ceremonial first drive at Augusta National, followers flock to Tiger and Phil to see superstars in the flesh.

It somehow makes me feel connected when Davis answers to his first name and Retief stops to sign autographs. The Masters is my favorite tournament to watch because so many generations attend and compete, from Jack and Gary to Bubba, Boo and Camillo. I’m even looking forward to seeing which putter Sergio brought and if Padraig can follow-up his Major victory.

I picked Hunter as my dark horse to cause mayhem for the rest of the field at Augusta, and I’ll always root for Vaughn to win the tournament to which he grew up so close.

What’s your favorite part of the Masters?

If You Can Throw Snowballs, It's Too Early For Baseball

Baseball’s opening day is a mixed blessing in Cleveland. No other day in all of sports imbues the city’s sports fans with such hope and sincere anticipation, especially this year as its playoff team returns intact.

Conversely, snow piles still encroach on the corners of parking lots, and Lake Erie is still frozen so thick that you can drive to Canada.

I remember going to opening day with my old man, each of us bundled as though we were going to see a gridiron grudge match instead of the boys of summer. It was the days of the old Municipal Stadium, a cavernous 100,000-capacity monstrosity where the wind would whip like your own personal arctic blast that rendered you hypothermic at some point in the second inning.

Fans commonly wore hunting gear and snow mobile suits. Vendors hustled more hot chocolate and coffee than beer, and I would eat a mound of jalapeños with my nachos just to feel a bead of sweat on my brow, even if just for a moment.

As I grew older, it became less fun. But I was loath to admit it to Dad. After all, time together was increasingly sparse as I sought independence. One year, I had to make my displeasure known as the forecast called for enough snow that the grounds crew carried shovels instead of brooms.

“Dad,” I started hesitantly. “Would you mind if maybe I took a rain check for opening day and maybe we could go to a game together in, say, July?”

Dad looked at me with a long, blank stare. I couldn’t read him. Then he spoke.
“Thank God,” he muttered. “I didn’t want to disappoint you, but I’m getting too old for this.”

“I’ve never liked opening day,” I said with a fear I might have nullified an important ongoing memory and time-honored tradition.

“Neither have I,” he said. “I wish you would have told me that 10 years ago. I’m cold just thinking about it.”

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Are We In a Recession? What Do You Think?

We may already be in one, but an "official" report says the weakening U.S. economy is slipping into a recession. A gauge of future economic activity dropped in February for the fifth consecutive month, according to the Conference Board.

Are you concerned about the golf industry's economic health? Why or why not? We want to hear from you.

Marriott Singled Out in ADA Suit

Litigation surrounding the single-rider golf car issue isn't going to wait for the Department of Justice to issue a ruling.

A federal judge ruled Jan. 28 that Marriott International’s golf division is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act because it failed to provide “accessible” or “single-rider” golf cars to disabled persons at its managed properties, according to court documents.

Plaintiffs in the case are Lawrence Celano, Richard Thesing and William Hefferon, disabled golfers. They did not pursue monetary damages in the case, which really makes them look like the good guys in this case.

Marriott will end up paying several million dollars in legal fees to lose this case, and the company likely will be required to furnish the single-rider golf cars anyway.

But Marriott will not be the only ones. In a conversation with Golfdom, Thesing says he's going after other large management companies, too.

Should this be a battle? Doesn't golf have enough problems fighting the perception of exclusionary practices?

Economics and Golf

The economic news yesterday was not good. Consumer confidence is down. Meanwhile, wholesale inflation soared, just not like Superman in this case.

The New York-based Confidence Board reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index sank to 75.0 in February from 87.3 in January. It’s the lowest level since February 2003 when it hit 64.8. Analysts had expected the latest reading to hit about 83.0.

The Consumer Confidence Index measures how consumers feel about the economy, which in this case is not very good.

How could this affect the golf market in 2008? Rounds were down about a half percent in 2007. The economic experts say consumers shut their wallets when their confidence is down. Does that mean they’ll play less golf?

What are your thoughts?

— Larry Aylward

McCain Will Gain

Early last year, Golfdom conducted an informal presidential poll listing candidates Hilary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani to vote for. Not surprisingly, Guiliani won our poll with 35 percent of the vote. McCain was second with 29 percent.

We didn’t list preacher-politician Mike Huckabee in the poll because we knew little about him. But Huckabee, a Baptist minister, has come out of nowhere as a GOP presidential contender.

We plan to conduct another poll soon, and Huckabee will surely be listed as one of the candidates. I have a feeling that some in our industry will latch onto to the former Arkansas governor. But Huckabee, who has been labeled as a closet liberal and has a few skeletons rattling in his closet, will fade and will not win over the golf course industry crowd.

Speaking of skeletons, they will do in Giuliani, and the prediction here is McCain will become the industry’s favorite and the GOP’s presidential nominee.

What's your take?

-- Larry Aylward

The Smoking Gun ...

We've got a potentially landmark privacy-rights court case in our own little green industry. It began when The Scotts Co. fired Scott Rodrigues of Massachusetts after a urinalysis indicated he used nicotine at home.

Scotts says it’s trying to create a healthier workforce because it’s the right thing to do, and it hopes to lower its healthcare costs (because it’s the right thing to do for investors). Jim King, Scotts VP of communications and investor relations, told National Public Radio that the self-insured company decided that it cannot afford to underwrite the risk of smoking any longer.

So they initiated a policy of not hiring any smokers. That's fine. Many companies are doing that, and it appears the courts will continue to allow companies to set their own employment policies, which is the right thing to do.

This is where it gets interesting. Rodrigues was a new employee, fully aware that Scotts’ had a policy in place not to hire smokers. He applied anyway. Unfortunately for Scotts, they gave Rodrigues a truck and some chemicals before his initial urinalysis came back from the lab. He was hired to spray lawns before his employee-screening results were evaluated. So Scotts will argue that Rodrigues wasn't really fully hired, even though he was working. Rodrigues will argue that he was hired and then fired, even though he didn't complete his probationary period. I guess that’s why they need the lawyers.

Rodrigues, a certified pesticide applicator, is suing Scotts for violating his privacy and civil rights (he says he was chewing nicotine gum while trying to quit smoking). He now works for a competing company.

Should employers be allowed to restrict employee behavior during their personal time? Should Scotts’ right to set its own employment practices outweigh the rights of individual employees?

— David Frabotta

What Are You Doing About Those Dang Deer?

Nothing runs into your car and damages it more like a deer.

I’ve had several near misses over the years of hitting deer (or them hitting me), but I met my fate the other night. I buck ran smack in the side of my car as I was traveling 65 mph down the interstate.

If I was one second earlier, I would have missed him. But if I was one second later, he might have come through the windshield and crushed me.

So I guess I’m lucky that he only caused my car about $1,000 in damages.

The deer situation where I live in northeast Ohio seems out of control. They are everywhere!

I know many superintendents welcome wildlife on their golf courses. But what about an overabundance of deer? Are deer causing you and your course problems? If so, what are doing about it?

— Larry Aylward

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Golfdom's October cover story is on global warming. I interviewed several people for the story, and I was surprised at the diverse opinions people shared about the topic. Global warming, whether you believe in it or not, could impact the golf course maintenance industry in several ways.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America takes neither a “yea” or “nay” stance on global warming, which it includes under the broader topic of climate change. But the GCSAA began studying the issue and its possible impact on the industry about a year ago. Carrie Riordan, the GCSAA director of information and public policy, says the GCSAA decided it needed to look into the matter on behalf of its 21,000 members. Riordan says the GCSAA doesn’t want to debate the topic because such a discussion would get nowhere with so many differing views among its members.

What do you think about global warming. Are you concerned how it could impact your line of work? Blog here and let us know your thoughts.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

A Template For Managing Expectations

Certified superintendent Ralph Kepple should be every superintendent’s role model. And it’s not for pulling off a miraculous recovery of East Lake Golf Club’s bentgrass greens for the PGA Tour Championship following weeks of searing Atlanta heat, humidity and drought, although he should be lauded for that, too.

No, his true genius resides in the way he managed golfer expectations. Thirty of the best golfers in the world arrived at East Lake expecting to play on dirt. The course was closed to practice rounds early in the week, and a couple greens were off limits even when practice rounds began.

But there was no complaining about the conditions. Golf’s elite players expected worse, so they were pleased with soft greens that rolled around 10 feet on the Stimpmeter for the first couple days.

In a world where firm and fast is the benchmark for good conditioning, the soft and slow East Lake greens allowed Zach Johnson to set the course record on Saturday with a 60, and Tiger Woods won with a total of 257 strokes, the third-lowest in PGA tournament history.

No one complained. It’s a perfect case study of how agronomic conditions must supersede golfers’ whimsical and unrealistic expectations.

If Kepple can make the case to the best golfers in the world, then who are your members to argue?

Do you think the East Lake example will help you moderate golfer expectations through newsletters and other member communications?

— David Frabotta

What Playoffs?

No Phil at Cog Hill. Last week’s Deutsche Bank champion and FedExCup Points leader will sit out the third leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs to spend some time with his family.

In stark contrast to other playoffs where athletes play hurt, tired and homesick, golfers don’t have a team to let down. They’re not under any contractual obligation to play, and the uninspired abstention of the sport’s elite players undoubtedly will take its toll on public interest and enthusiasm in the fledgling competition.

In a sport where the four Majors are still the benchmark for success among peers and the public alike, it’s clear PGA professionals don’t have the buy-in necessary to create a groundswell. And if last week’s pseudo-match-play ending between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson didn’t create a buzz, it’s unlikely much else will.

What are your thoughts on the PGA Playoffs? Are you disappointed that high-profile players — including Woods, Mickelson and Ernie Els — have skipped tournaments? Is the players’ ambivalence a result of the PGA’s failure to court their opinions?

— David Frabotta

Important Enough To Tell The World

To me, most vanity license plates are just about the silliest and most self-absorbed thing you waste their money on. Oh sure, there are some clever and cute ones. A newlywed friend of my little brother has one that says TEACH4U (Mitsubishi Eclipse). She’s yet to find a job, but her exuberance is adorable.

Then there’s the minivan that says BILLPAYR. Ironically, they now have one extra bill to pay with the personalized plate. HAVEFUN or SUNGODSS on a convertible makes me smile (and my wife jealous for a drop-top). My favorite one donned STOP EPA on a rebuilt 1978 F-150 in response to Ohio’s mandatory emissions check (he had to write his congressman and present the letter to the BMV for that one.)

But it really annoys me when a vanity plate redundantly brags about the car.

MYPRSCHE from the movie “Office Space” epitomizes this redundancy quite well. If you drive a car, we already know the model and probably that it’s yours (even if your daddy bought it for you). LEXUS and S CLASS (Mercedes) are some of the least original. And it’s hard to go a day without seeing PONYGT or MSTNG on a … well, you know what. Why don’t you ever see FOCUS or TAURUS on other Fords? (Side note: What genius named the Aspire? Does it aspire to be a better car?)

So now it’s your turn to let me have it. How many out there have TRFGURU, GRNSPEED or TURFGUY? What are the coolest or lamest vanity plates that you see around town? I bet each state has a HOT2TROT and an ALLTHAT with a bag of chips magnet on the bumper.

— David Frabotta

Chrysler Steps Up Warranty

With so many car manufacturers claiming to be the industry leader in something, Chrysler is trying to shed its dubious distinction of recall leader (2006) by offering a lifetime powertrain warranty.

Chrysler has had a tumultuous few years. It overhauled most of its products following the buyout by Daimler-Benz, and now a new owner appears to be restoring drivers’ confidence with the industry’s first lifetime powertrain guarantee.

The warranty covers all parts and labor as long as the owner brings the car to a Chrysler dealer at least once every five years for a free powertrain inspection. Another caveat is that the new warranty applies to the original owner and is not transferable. If the car is sold within the first three years, the warranty reverts to the previous three-year/36,000 mile coverage for subsequent owners.

Will this automotive milestone coax other car companies to follow suit? Will you be more likely to buy a Chrysler because of the new guarantee?

— David Frabotta

Taking One for the Team

Poor Bud Selig. He must follow Barry Bonds in his stretch run to break Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record. Having to witness Bonds hit No. 756 and cheer as he is rounding the bases is cruel and unusual punishment. But it comes with the territory. But Selig must do his job as baseball’s commissioner.

We’ve all done things we don’t want to do because we've been thrust into highly volatile political situations. We’ve had to take one for the team, so to speak.

As superintendents, I’m sure you experience this all the time. We want to hear some of your I-took-one-for-the-team stories. Tell us what you had to do and how you garnered the strength to do it. Feel free to blog here.

— Larry Aylward

Manufacturing Transparency Hard To See

It began with chemicals in toothpaste and tainted dog food. Then children’s toys were found with lead paint. Now, Chinese-made tires are raising the ire of the automotive industry and its subsequent consumers.

U.S. officials have told Foreign Tire Sales of Union, a small New Jersey importer, to recall 450,000 radial tires for pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans after the company disclosed that its Chinese manufacturer had stopped including a safety feature that prevented the tires from separating. Tread separation is the same defect that led to the recall of millions of Firestone tires in 2000.

The company first suspected problems in October 2005. Almost a year later, in September 2006, the Chinese manufacturer, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, a former state-owned company based in eastern China, acknowledged that a gum strip that prevents the tread from separating was left out of the manufacturing process.

In the burgeoning era of globalization, it’s increasingly difficult to determine subtleties in the supply chain. I remember the scorn from my father when I was shopping for foreign cars. I was fresh out of school, and I needed a good deal. He guilted me into buying a Ford, which I later found out was built in Mexico with mostly Japanese parts.

Do you know where your products are made?
Would you be able to detect a manufacturing defect if you found one?

— David Frabotta

Media Relations? What Media Relations? USGA Needs to Get Its Head Out of the Bunker Sand

If you're a tournament golf fan, you probably know of Tim Moraghan. He was the United States Golf Association's long-time director of championship agronomy who participated in 21 U.S. Opens. He no longer holds that title. Moraghan either quit or was fired. Nobody knows for sure because nobody is saying for sure.

I called the USGA the other day to see if the association was ready to issue a statement on Moraghan's departure. The media person I spoke with obviously had a gag order placed on him. He answered none of my questions.

Meanwhile, rumors circulate of what might have happened. This has been brewing, some say. Something happened at Oakmont, others say. This goes back to what happened at Shinnecock in 2004, others say.

I hate rumors. They damage credibility and rob people of their dignity.

The USGA needs to get its head out of the bunker sand and come clean on this matter by issuing a statement. The USGA needs to shut down the rumor mill.

— Larry Aylward

Is Golf A Sport?

Chalk one up for the … well … out-of-shape people in this world.

Angel Cabrera’s U.S. Open win over Tiger Woods Sunday was a victory for all of us who aren’t in fine fettle.

There was the beefy, cigarette-sucking Cabrera hoisting the 2007 U.S. Open trophy on national TV after defeating the sculpted and sinewy Woods by one stroke at Oakmont Country Club to gain the nation’s championship. It was kind of like Luciano Pavarotti putting the hurt on Hulk Hogan in a steel-cage match.

Seriously, though, what does Cabrera’s win over Woods say for the argument that golfers don’t have to be athletic to succeed? With that out in the open, I'll bring up the age-old question: Is golf a sport or a skill.

We want to know what you think.

— Larry Aylward

Here's to LeBron Leading the Cavs

Let’s talk NBA basketball for a minute. In case you didn't know, Golfdom is based in downtown Cleveland, home to some fantastic golf courses, including Canterbury Golf Club on the old-course end and Sand Ridge Golf Club on the new-course end.

And Cleveland is home to the beloved Cavaliers, a team that has never appeared in the NBA finals until now. The Cavs, of course, are led by LeBron James, who went to high school at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, about 30 miles down the road from Cleveland.

I attended Archbishop Hoban High School, the cross-town archrival of St. Vincent-St. Mary. The two schools have had a heated rivalry for years.

The first time I saw LeBron play was when he was a senior in high school. His team, the Fighting Irish, was playing my alma mater in the state tournament. Hoban was 22-1 at the time and was enjoying one of its best seasons ever.

But LeBron and company (his team was the best high school team I’ve ever seen) dismantled Hoban by about 30 points. And LeBron did about five things in the game that were purely beyond those of what normal and even above-normal players that age can do. He had "No. 1 pick in the NBA draft" written all over him.

Now, four years later, LeBron has amazed most basketball fans with his skills. Here’s to him doing the same thing to the San Antonio Spurs that he did to the Hoban Knights.

- Larry Aylward

It's Time to Conserve. What Are You Doing?

On my way to work this morning, I saw this personalized bumper sticker pasted in large green capital letters on the back of a small car.

“Slow Down. Reduce Oil Use. Save Human Lives.”

With spring sprung and the weather getting warmer throughout the country, people have increased their driving (so the "experts" say). And because there’s more of a demand for oil, gas prices have skyrocketed. It’s $3 or more a gallon where I live. (Funny thing, they were saying a few months ago that we probably wouldn’t see $3 a gallon this summer.)

Which brings me back to the guy’s man-made bumper sticker. Are you doing anything to reduce your reliance on gas this summer to save money in your maintenance budget?

We’d love to hear how you’re doing it. Please drop us a line at this blog.

By the way, I’m not going to touch the meaning of the last line in the bumper sticker. But if you have a view on global warming, I’d love to hear it, too.

— Larry Aylward

Would You Like Fries With That?

About 9,500 more Americans will lose their jobs to foreign workers. They weren’t making plastic toys, vacuum cleaners or even automobiles. They were white-collar workers at Citibank, and the financial monstrosity announced today it will be nixing 5 percent of its workforce to boost its stock price. Yes, investors are greedy, boards are sycophants, and executives will do anything necessary to keep their seven-figure jobs.

How can these guys rationalize keeping their multi-million-dollar paychecks if they’ve run the company so poorly that they need to cut 5 percent of their workers? Apparently in today’s analyst-impressing world, telling your home country that you’re sending at least 9,500 jobs overseas is a good thing, probably deserving of a bonus.

It seems as though money is the only American value we really cherish. It gives new meaning to the “green industry.”

Less than a decade ago, politicians and business leaders were still advising the American workforce to retrain themselves in technology and business. Manufacturing was long gone, but intellectual occupations were thought to be secure. Few are talking about it, but that’s rapidly proving to be false. I guess even ideas are cheaper in China.

I’m just thankful the multi-national golf course management companies haven’t figured out a way to outsource agronomy. But I bet they would if they could.

— David Frabotta

Redstone Highlights Superintendents Everywhere

It’s overshadowed by a little invitational in Augusta, Ga., but the condition of Redstone Golf Club during the Shell Houston Invitational (March 29-April 1) had announcers Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks doling out the accolades.

Congratulations to certified golf course superintendent Roger Goettsch and assistant superintendent Randy Samoff for a successful Shell Houston Open.

After a little rain early in the tournament, players were able to go for the pin on most approach shots thanks to immaculate course conditions, and the announcers made mention of the fact several times. They called some camera angles “Augusta-like” and repeatedly talked about how the flawless conditions made for a very exciting and enjoyable tournament.

When Johnny Miller spoke to superintendents during the GCSAA opening session in February, he said tour players once talked about the course conditions as small talk before the tournament. Practice rounds were critical to determine the idiosyncrasies of turf managers. But those conversations don’t exist anymore because superintendents do such a good job maintaining consistent turf throughout the profession.

“You guys have it down to an art form,” Miller said. “You guys are good. You guys are almost too good.”

As spring begins to reclaim Northern courses, I’m filled with all the hope and promise the season represents. It makes me wonder if superintendents are eager for the new season, too, or are you dreading the full swing of golf course operations?

— David Frabotta

March Madness Has Made Me Crazy

I went 15-1 in my game predictions on the opening day of March Madness last week. Since then, I've gone in the tank. (Duke and Notre Dame, you are worthless!)

I'm angry, too. I hate to be wrong when it comes to sports picks, and I hate to lose money (yes, another 10 bucks wasted in an office pool).

Isn't it strange how we make March Madness about ourselves? We carry our filled-out bracket sheets everywhere -- on the plane, to the restaurant, to the bathroom, etc. We are mad, really. Here are these wonderful college athletes, most who will never play in the pros, giving their all on the floor to get to the Nirvana of college basketball ... the Final Four.

And here we are, sitting in our recliners, slugging beers, munching on Cheetos and looking at our bracket sheets during every time out.

We are despicable.

So, who do you have going to the Final Four?

I say Memphis, Kansas, Georgetown and North Carolina.

Enjoy! And don't get that Cheetoh grease all over the furniture.

-- Larry Aylward

Savings? What Savings?

It’s hard to make ends meet. But is it Great-Depression-like hard?

Personal savings fell to its lowest level in 74 years in 2006 — negative 1 percent, according to a Commerce Department report. That means Americans spend 101 percent of their income, up from 100.4 percent in 2005 and the most since 101.5 percent in 1933.

Only four years in American history have seen a negative savings rate for the entire year: 1932, 1933, 2005 and 2006.

There are numerous reasons for the 21-consecutive-month slide into the red, economists say. But the most widely acknowledged is lifestyle. That is, we’re living beyond our means.

The rich want to live like the super rich; the super rich want to live like the Sultan of Brunei, and everyone else watches them on TV. Common folk like you and me want just a little more than we can afford, too. Wages have not kept pace with inflation, but the middle class has refused to scale back on lifestyle.

Another mistake, according to financial consultants, is trying to live without a budget. You wouldn’t run a golf course without a budget, so how can you run a successful household without one?

Superintendents always have a contingency plan for golf course cuts if push comes to shove. The real question is: What’s your personal contingency plan? What would you cut if you need to shrink total expenses — by oh, say, 10 percent — tomorrow?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Selling Out

Several months ago I downloaded the Kansas song “Dust in the Wind” to my new iPod. That 1980s spiritual anthem, with its nifty and meditative violin-based groove, always stopped and made me contemplate the status of the world. Yeah, it dripped a little sap, but it was still a cool tune to me.

So it was good to hear the song again on my iPod after all these years. It took me back, and it still made me think. That is, until I heard it on TV. A few days after downloading “Dust in the Wind,” I was watching TV and the song was played on a car commercial.

It seems you can’t turn the channel these days without coming across a commercial that sports a rock or pop song as its jingle. It doesn’t matter what a song’s lyrics entail — “Dust in the Wind” flaunts a Biblically based message — just as long as the song is a good fit metaphorically. And, yes, as long as the song’s artist is cashing in on its corporate use.

So I pose a question to you. If you were John Mellencamp and Chevy offered you enough money to buy a small town for your song to be used in a car commercial, would you take the money and run? Why or why not? And, by the way, if Titleist offers you 10 grand to paint an advertisement on your course's 18th green, are you going to accept?

— Larry Aylward

Work Like Hell

Long-serving U.S. Congresspersons were asked for advice they would give new members in a story by Andrea Seabrook on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” last week.

I figured words of wisdom from legislators could very well have some applicability to superintendents, whose daily routines are often fraught with politics as well.

Rep. Al Green of Texas says it’s imperative to pick a good staff: “While a congressperson can get a lot done, the staff can get a lot more done. Get a capable, competent, qualified staff, and I assure you: You’ll do well.”

Rep. John Dingell of Michigan simply said, “Work like hell.”

And Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona says, “You spend time away from family; it’s not a particularly high-paying job, and if you can’t have fun pushing what you want to push, then it’s not worth it.”

What pearls of wisdom would you give newbie superintendents?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

What Do You Think of Global Warming?

Right now, as I write this, people in Golfdom's downtown Cleveland office building are looking out the window and marveling mournfully about the snow falling. Yes, I said “marveling mournfully.” People can’t believe it’s snowing, and they’re downright troubled that the white stuff is flying from the skies.

Wait a minute, folks, but this is January in Cleveland. It’s supposed to snow. But the people around here have gotten so accustomed to the balmy late-fall and early-winter weather that they have it in their heads they’re living in North Carolina. That said, enough people have been playing golf the past month that it seems like it is North Carolina.

So what about this global warming business? Are you buying into it?

I say there’s something to it. What are your views?

— Larry Aylward

Sour Grapes Won't Spoil Oprah's Generosity

Philanthropists should be celebrated; 89 percent of American households contribute to charity, according to the National Philanthropic Trust (NPT). That’s a good thing.

America’s fascination with the uber-rich makes much of their life media events, including their charitable donations.
So when Oprah Winfrey announced she opened a $40-million school for girls in South Africa, headlines were abound.

Not surprising, it was met with some criticism from some Americans who would have liked to see the gift in our backyards.

My response: Lashing out at Oprah is merely a symptom of the frustration many working-class families feel about the growing divide between the rich and poor. In case you haven’t noticed, the rich are getting very rich.

Record bonuses were awarded this year for top Wall Street brokers, yet media pundits have yet to hold their feet to the fire about where their philanthropic efforts might go.

Star athletes receive food stipends during away games, as if they can’t squeeze lunch money out of their $100-million contracts. High-paid executives, movie stars, athletes and trust-fund babies can insulate their families from work for centuries, but what should they owe the society that allowed them to amass their fortunes?

Granted, there are many generous givers in this stratosphere. Still, there are many Americans with enough disposable income to fix America’s ills. Unfortunately for Oprah, we single out those who give the most because we disagree with their motives and agendas. We’re jealous of their gifts, even if it’s to some of the world’s poorest children who are stricken with the fallout from decades of inequitable social policies.

Oprah doesn’t deserve one disparaging word until we as a society ask ourselves: How much money is enough? What is the role for the super-rich for the betterment of all men?

I know many are doing their part. But for the first time in American history, the richest 100 people in the country are all billionaires. Their combined wealth rivals the gross domestic product of all but the 50 most prosperous countries of the world. Seriously, let that sink in.

Andrew Carnegie furnished our country with libraries. What will the legacy of today’s super-rich be? What should it be?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Are Managers Welcome to the Show?

Don't look now, but the Golf Industry Show is lurking around the corner. It'll be here before you can say Club Managers Association of America three times fast.

By the way, the CMAA joins the GIS party in February. So now it's the superintendents, owners and managers under one roof. Does this spell
d-y-s-f-u-n-c-t-i-o-n-a-l?

Two years ago, when the National Golf Course Owners Association joined the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to form the inaugural Golf Industry Show, we reported that Big Brother — the “all-powerful” and “forever-watching” character from George Orwell’s novel “1984” — had landed in the golf industry of all places. Twenty-one years later, golf course owners had assumed the role of Big Brother. The story went that some superintendents were wary of the NGCOA joining their annual conference and show because they wouldn’t be able to get away with doing some of the things they did at previous shows — like ditching a day’s worth of educational sessions to play 18 holes or party into the wee hours of the morning at their hotel bars — if their courses’ owners were around.

Now with the CMAA joining the show, Big Brother has reared his ugly head again. Word is some superintendents don’t want the managers attending the show — especially if the managers are the superintendents’ superiors — because they could cramp their lifestyles.

How do you feel about this? Is it a bunch of bologna? Or is it as true as a tender T-bone steak?

Blog here to share your thoughts.

— Larry Aylward

Are Your Workers Safe?

What will kill you? That’s the focus of TIME magazine’s Dec. 4 cover story.

The author says that in a world where bird flu and mad cow disease dominate the headlines with scary hyperbole, it’s no wonder we’re not really fearful of the things that probably will kill us, like fast food, tobacco use and our daily commute.

That’s because our everyday risks are tolerated more due to repetition; repetition quells the fear. So it’s easy to take our safety for granted during everyday tasks.

Superintendents and their crews encounter a slew of everyday job hazards that appear less threatening with each recurrence, but they’re not. Ear protection and respirators are Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements for many tasks, but you probably don’t need to look very far around the property to see someone taking a shortcut.

When I did tree work, our safety gear was akin to combat: hardhat, leather gloves, long sleeves, eye protection, ear protection and chainsaw chaps (they make vests, too). We would smirk at them — especially the chaps — like we were less of men by wearing them.

But it didn’t seem so silly the day a pair of chaps saved my knee from a running chainsaw. It was an awkward cut on a branch that evidently supported a couple tons of felled timber. About midway into an angled cut, the tree rolled, the saw kicked, and I grazed my leg in an attempt to save my feet from certain crushing. The chaps’ fabric filled the saw and shut it down. I was left with damaged safety gear, but not even a nick on my knee.

Nothing is predictable when working outside. Then there is the human element. A higher percentage of accidents occur after lunch, according to OSHA. That’s precisely the time when we look to make out jobs just a little bit easier. Your workers aren’t trying to hurt themselves, but each shortcut increases myriad risks for injury.

How do you emphasize the importance of safety practices and protocols?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Burned Out or Moment of Clarity?

Few frustrations get the goat of superintendents more than fickle boards that tighten budgets without telling members to expect some changes.

You’re not alone. Many superintendents voice concerns about the pressures of meeting expectations with less money each year.

“It’s a love/hate thing. I love the job and love the property and all that, but to go through all the struggles again (with the board) and have them never really figure it out is like beating my head against the wall,” says Dan Williams, who resigned as superintendent of Riverview Country Club this month.

After 27 years, Williams says he’ll miss the profession, but he’s emotionally exhausted from trying to educate 27 different boards about what it takes to maintain a golf course. As negotiations begin this year, he’s bowing out.

“There are too many cuts, and I’m tired of taking the brunt of it,” he says, “And it’s never good enough. You strive to make it the best it can be, but I don’t think people understand that.”

Career changes require gumption, confidence, passion and drive. Once the thrill is gone, it’s difficult to be successful. I admire anyone with the self-awareness and courage to sail into uncharted territory to rediscover professional passion.

In Williams’ case, he’s sailing without a map. He doesn’t have a job lined up, and he’s not really sure what profession he wants to try next, although he says sales has piqued his interest.

But he does know one thing: “I’m looking forward to sleeping in on Saturdays.”

I’m sure Williams would appreciate any job leads you might have heard about in the industry. But please, wait until a decent hour to give him a ring.

How do you rekindle the passion for your work?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Labor Crunch Could Get Tighter

If good help has been hard to find during the past few years, it doesn’t look like it will be any easier in 2007. The federal unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent in October, its lowest level since May 2001.

Curiously, the five-year low coincides with the fewest jobs created in a month — October saw 92,000 new non-farm payroll employees — although more than 375,000 jobs were added in August and September combined, according to revised numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor. Service-providing industries propelled the growth, while employment declined in manufacturing and construction.

Employment for most major demographics showed little change, but jobless rates for adult women and Hispanics fell in October.

Wages appear to be edging higher than expected amid heightened competition for workers. The average hourly wage is $16.91, up 3.9 percent so far this year.

The low unemployment rate, creation of new jobs and salary hikes have many economists shrugging off fears of a recession as confident consumers near the holiday shopping season. Although national gross domestic product (value of goods and services) slowed to its lowest level in three years in the third quarter, many economists have attributed the trend to cooling housing markets.

With an economy expected by many to be firing on all cylinders by the end of the year and into 2007, labor will continue to be hard to come by.

So, what will you be doing differently this year to recruit/retain valuable employees?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

What Kind of Manager Are You?

An NFL football coach was fired the other day. No surprise there.

It was revealed the fired coach was “too gruff” with the players. Also, no surprise there.

What is it about people who think they have to be as nasty as Godzilla to gain respect from the people they manage? When will they realize their management styles are as outdated as shag carpet?

I recently spent time with two golf industry veterans who manage with authority — but with respect. I watched Ray Davies, a certified superintendent who’s the director of golf course maintenance and construction for CourseCo in Petaluma, Calif., interact with the people he manages, including the several superintendents he oversees at CourseCo-operated golf courses. Davies showed them respect and vice versa. It was easy to tell they enjoyed working with each other. They had a team mentality.

I also spent time with Dave Catalano, the director of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y. I watched Catalano pay a wonderful compliment to the starter of Bethpage’s Black course. It made his day. I also watched many others smile widely and acknowledge Catalano as he walked by them. It told me a lot about the man.

What’s your management style? How do you command respect — for all the right reasons?

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Have YOU Thought About Public Office?

The mainstream media are all smiles over the salacious demise of former Rep. Mark Foley. Nothing sells papers like a scandal, and a possible gay sex scandal has news writers tripping over their double entendres faster than that guy on “Scrubs”.

Democrats, too, have been looking for a chip in Republicans' armor to help give them momentum to win back the Senate in November, and this one is just about as good as it gets, especially now that House Speaker Dennis Hastert in on the skewer for a possible cover-up.

Of course, no one is saying that Foley had sex with minor boys; he only had “inappropriate” digital communications. He says he was drunk while the communications took place, and he checked himself into rehab to get a handle on his behavior — which might have been going on for five years, according to reports speculating about the House Ethics Committee testimony of Foley’s former chief of staff Kirk Fordham.

His chemical scapegoat, like so many in the public eye, spoils his remorse, which so far has been voiced only by his attorney.
I’m insulted by the presumption that a quick spin at the Mayo Clinic absolves us, any of us, of all sins and transgressions. In early May, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island nearly struck on-duty officers when he lost control of his vehicle at about 3 a.m. and struck a barricade. He told the officers he was late for a vote. They laughed, and then they drove him home without issuing a citation or sobriety test.

Sure, we have tragic flaws, but how much longer will we be lulled into submission by the lying, cheating and spin just long enough to support the lesser of two evils?

It’s time for a real people’s movement. Who better to run for office than agronomists? They are nurturing, for sure. They make a variety of decisions based on variable data. They are already in tune to the country’s shifting demographics, and most importantly: They’re trustworthy. Besides, the grassroots clichés are endless. Maybe Ralph Nader, former Green Party candidate and noteworthy public crusader, could throw is weight behind it. But don’t expect a slew of media attention. The gotcha journalists of today care more about the “what” than the “why”.

Tell us your political war stories or ambitions for public office … Join the conversation.

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Are We Still Learning?

Education is imperative in today’s world. There are still a few seasoned superintendents out there without four-year degrees, but it’s difficult to get your foot in the door without one these days.

Journalism is the same way. As a student, I once saw an old sage newspaperman (he doesn’t look so old to me anymore) say, “Journalism school is four years of bad habits that needed to be unlearned.” My advisor didn’t think that was too funny. But I did. I couldn’t wait to get out of school and get some practical experience.

About a decade has passed since then, and now I wonder what I’ve been missing while I’ve been busy on the job. Am I still learning?

I had the opportunity to see Bruce Williams, certified superintendent of the Los Angeles Country Club, speak last week at Project Green Start, a continuing education and networking event for assistant superintendents sponsored by Bayer and John Deere. You wouldn’t think a director of golf and grounds management for a prestigious club, who gives dozens of lectures each year, would still have a burning desire for learning, but he says he spends about six weeks a year in seminars.

If you’re like me, you’ve got some catching up to do to hit that mark. But it’s worth it. Those 50 assistant superintendents at the event returned to their home courses armed with new ideas, new contacts, new acquaintances and new ways to look at the same old problems. But more importantly, they went home reinvigorated with their profession and visibly proud about the personal and professional progress they were making.

As many golf courses decline into the off-season, perhaps it’s a good time to really examine continuing education opportunities — formal and informal — so spring can be met with the rejuvenation that the season deserves.

You might not have the twinkle in your eye like a 20-something all the time, but you might be surprised at how much continuing education can propel your job satisfaction, personal growth and overall happiness. And that is worth more than a line on a resume.

What seminars do you plan to attend this winter? Are you sending your staff to any events?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Will You Need to Settle for Silver in Your Golden Years?

I call my retirement fund a 41k. 401k seems wildly optimistic, especially when my fund manager says: “It’s perfectly normal for your portfolio to show a negative gain at this stage in the game. You have plenty of time for it to rebound.”

To this I wonder how big of an oxymoron he really is. Rebound is a very unsettling word when used in context with my hard-earned retirement money. I’ve already conceded to driving used cars for the better portion of my life, and who could possibly get tired of chicken legs and rice for dinner?

We all make sacrifices so we can retire some day, but if your monthly statement looks like mine, then the jagged undulations that resemble the lifecycle of Enron’s stock price have you a little worried. Am I supposed to know what a Multicap Value Equity 2 Index is?

Worse yet, Americans don’t save money anymore. In fact, we spend about 100.5 percent of our income, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis. The savings rate officially hit zero in August 2005, making Americans the worst savers of any industrialized nation.

That dubious distinction means our retirement accounts will see even more stress in the near future to fill the void once met by old-fashioned rainy-day funds. Nothing like tugging at the threads of an already paper-thin security blanket.

How about your budget? Do you feel stretched between current family requirements and the hope that you might retire some day? Tell us about your balancing act.

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Your Hometown Could Use Your Help

For the second time in three years, Cleveland was named the poorest big city in the country by the U.S. Census. About 32 percent of Cleveland residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census. Cleveland, by the way, is the home of Golfdom magazine.

When the news was reported, I felt a sick feeling in my stomach, much like I did two years ago when we learned our city's fate. Cleveland, like many Midwestern cities, has suffered economically because so many manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to cheaper labor overseas. What’s left is a lot of out-of-work people. And things just seem to get worse from there.

Of course, this problem has much to do about attitudes — poor people and rich people included. All of us, however, need to unite and attack poverty at its roots. It’s not about a quick fix.

That said, there are people in Cleveland and other cities — including your hometown — who need help now. They need food, clothing and shelter. Many of these people are children.

Two years ago, when Cleveland received the dubious honor of having the poorest population for the first time, I wrote a column in the Golfdom pages discussing how golf courses can help the poor. I’m not one for self promotion, but I’d like to share the column with you again. Please click here for “Some Ways We Can Help the Poor".

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

That Roar You Hear Is a Dangerous Tiger

The headline in the paper the other day said, “Tiger Takes the Fifth.” It made me think of Retief Goosen.

But, first, about the meaning of the headline. It refers to how many times Tiger Woods has won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Five. Woods has also won four tournaments in a row, including the British Open and the PGA Championship, after failing to make the cut at Winged Foot for the U.S. Open. The guy is blowing away the competition.

Now, back to Goosen. I interviewed him in early July before Tiger went on his hot streak. Goosen said competition on the PGA Tour these days is tougher than ever. But it's great to see so many players have a chance to win, he added.

"It's a lot tougher to win out there than it was five years ago," Goosen said. "But then again, Tiger Woods was so on top of his game five years ago that it seemed like he was winning every week."

You remember the Tiger Woods of five years ago, don’t you? Well, looks like he’s back.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

A Fall Classic?

You may have heard of Charlie Cook, the veteran Washington, D.C.-based political analyst. I had the pleasure of hearing Cook speak earlier this year at a Media Summit presented by BASF.

Cook monitors political candidates and their ratings like baseball nuts watch box scores and batting averages. He’s a fascinating person to hear speak.

But despite his knowledge, Cook admitted he doesn’t have a real good feel about this fall’s election. He can’t predict who will win control of the House and the Senate in the U.S. Congress.

Cook examined the election from two perspectives — the macro political approach and the micro political approach. When you look at it from the macro political approach — or from top to bottom — Cook said Republicans appear to be in eminent trouble.

But when one looks at the election from the micro political approach, or from the bottom to the top, it appears the Democrats will have a difficult time gaining control of the House and the Senate. Republicans will lose some House and Senate seats, but they’ll probably hold their majorities, he said.

As far as the presidential election in 2008, Cook said two early contenders are John McCain and Hilary Clinton. And, yes, Hilary has a chance.

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

50 Dollars of Unleaded and a Conspiracy Theory

My day is off to a wonderful start. I filled up for $2.89 a gallon this morning. Boy, do I feel lucky.

Lucky because I beat the price increase that should hit the gas pumps today that will cause consumers — once again — to mutter expletives out loud and under their breath when they run up another 50 bucks in gas on their MasterCards. This is happening because BP announced yesterday it was shutting down an oilfield because it discovered "unexpectedly severe corrosion" in its pipelines in Alaska. The shutdown represents 8 percent of the nation's domestic oil production and could last for weeks to months, according to reports. Hence, gas prices will soar like Superman.

So, golf facilities will spend even more to fill up their fairway mowers and other gas-powered equipment to maintain their golf courses. And Joe Golfer, meanwhile, will be forced to use part of the money he normally spends on golf for the week at the local Speedway station.

No matter how you look at it, the latest news from the oil world is not good news for the golf industry. (Not to say that there’s ever any good news from the oil world.)

Now, I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but the oil companies are starting to make me wonder.

Your thoughts?

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

So They Loaded Up the Truck and Moved to Beverly

So I open up the paper today and see that Exxon Mobil posted a $10.4 billion profit for the second quarter. Profit! And that’s up 36 percent from last year.

Dumb me — I just sold my Exxon Mobil stock.

The other major oil companies made huge profits as well for the second quarter.

Oh, and by the way, gas prices here in northeast Ohio are pushing record highs. I’m sure prices are also soaring in your area.
I’m concerned of this, as are you. According to a recent survey we conducted, 43 percent of you said that you are worried that gas prices will hurt your golf course's operation in some way. Twenty-nine percent of you said you were worried, “but not too much.”

Twelve percent of you said “prices can rise to $4 for all I care.”

I betcha those 12 percent will care if that happens.

Congress has been urging the money-making oil companies to put more of their profits toward boosting the supply of energy of for consumers. Yes, that would be a good idea.

It’s also time that the leaders of these filthy rich companies take a look in the mirror and ask themselves if they’re making too much money at the expense of Joe Consumer.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Ain't Brown Grand?

I just spent the day visiting several superintendents in the northern California area. Ray Davies, senior operations manager and director of golf course maintenance and construction for Tracy, Calif.-based CourseCo, gave me a tour of several of the company’s facilities. The day also happened to be the opening round of the British Open at Royal Liverpool and several of the CourseCo superintendents couldn’t help but comment on the course’s brown grass. Adam Schauer, superintendent of CourseCo’s Deep Cliff Golf Course in Cupertino, Calif., was raving about the dry turf. “That’s the way golf should be played,” he said.

How hot and dry has it been at Royal Liverpool recently? (Please, no-dog-chasing-fire-hydrants jokes here.) It has been so hot that British Open officials posted scoreboard notices warning of fire hazards at the course. They even told John Daly to watch where he tosses his cigarette butts.

Upon returning to my hotel from my tour with Davies, I received this e-mail from Jerry Coldiron, the certified superintendent at Boone County Golf in Florence, Ky. Wrote Coldiron:

“To all my golfing friends, I hope you get a chance to see some of the British Open this weekend and see how the game was meant to be played and a course maintained. I love the Open, and wish we could all maintain courses in a little more environmentally friendly, rough-and-tumble style. I have always worked to manage toward a compromise between Americanized courses and the more traditional British look and feel. ... In closing I hope you will join me in accepting, and not being so critical, of non-perfect golf course layouts and maintenance practices.”

It’s safe to say that superintendents like Schauer and Coldiron are hoping Joe Golfer watches this year’s British Open closely and comes away with the notion that brown ain’t so bad.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor and Chief

The Human Touch Rules

Have you heard the news about LESCO? The Cleveland-based provider of turf products is going back to its old way of doing business. It must -- to survive.

LESCO announced late last week that it expected a $4 million net loss for 2006. The company’s news caused its stock price (Nasdaq) to plunge 36 percent to a 52-week low.

Last year, former LESCO CEO Michael DiMino, who resigned last fall, dissolved its direct sales force and increased its mobile Stores On Wheels units to sell turf products to superintendents. The move backfired on the company. Superintendents and the company's other customers missed the face-to-face contact that LESCO's sales people provided.

The good news is that Jeffrey Rutherford, LESCO's president and chief executive officer, is reinstituting the company's direct sales force. Rutherford says he was against the decision to ditch it in the first place.

Hopefully, LESCO's business will rebound. It will take time, however.

I guess this ordeal articulates loudly of the importance of the human being in the sales process. Chalk one up for the human touch.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Retief Tells It Like It Is

Remember the gripe fest the U.S. Open turned into two years ago at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club? Several golfers, including Tiger Woods, went off on the United States Golf Association and complained that the course played way too harshly on the last two days of the tournament. Their chief complaint was the greens were fast as Lightning McQueen. When the tournament ended, the course made more news for its stinginess than the U.S. Open's winner Retief Goosen did for his unruffledness Goosen conducted a putting exhibition on the final day at Shinnecock to win the tournament at four-under par.

Funny thing, nobody seemed to be complaining too much this year about the conditions at Winged Foot Golf Club, where Geoff Ogilvy won the event at five-over par. Goosen, meanwhile, failed to make the cut.

In a conversation with Golfdom recently, Goosen said Winged Foot’s greens were more challenging to play than Shinnecock’s.
“They were much more bumpier and not nearly rolling as true as they were at Shinnecock,” he said.

Make no mistake: Goosen said he’s not complaining about Winged Foot’s setup. “I like Winged Foot; I like all U.S. Open setups,” Goosen said.

Reflecting on his win at Shinnecock, Goosen said there shouldn’t have been such an uproar over the course’s setup.

“I don’t think they went over the top there,” he said.

Easy for him to say, you say? Well, Goosen has the right to say it.

Enough Is Enough on Daly

Let me up, I've had enough. Please, no more articles about John Daly. I've had a daily dose of Daly for a few weeks now, and I can't stand anymore.

Ever since Daly's book, "My Life In And Out of the Rough," came out, we've been reading and hearing about Daly's exploits constantly — how much money he lost gambling, his drinking philosophy. Enough!

And then ESPN magazine comes along last week with a cover story on Daly. Inside, the magazine lists its "Gospel According to John." The article provides JD's views on drinking, working out (an oxymoron, indeed) and . . . gulp . . sex, among other topics. But Daly's take on sex did me in. In fact, the bit may have turned me off permanently.

Please, media, no more stuff on Daly. I don't want to know what he thinks about anything, be it the American League East or the "S" word.

When It Rains, It Pours at Muirfield

I’m starting to wonder if there isn’t something to the screwy, soggy legend that Muirfield Village Golf Club is cursed. Indeed, there is something weird and wet going on there.

The Dublin, Ohio-based course, site of Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament, has its own monsoon season — seemingly every year the tournament is held. Last week, it rained again and the tournament was delayed throughout the weekend. That makes rain in 21 of the 31 years the tournament has been held. As one sports writer covering the event put it, “Instead of a gray blazer, perhaps the champion of the Memorial Tournament should be awarded a rain suit and an umbrella.”

Legend has it that the reason it rains is because the course was built on sacred Indian burial ground. Hence, the deceased chief of those Indians cast a curse — as in cats and dogs — on the course during the tournament.

Think there’s anything to it?

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Getting Older a Few MPH Every Day

What better way to celebrate my friend's 39th birthday Sunday night than to head to the ballpark.

And what better way to fritter away what turned out to be a 14-2 Indians loss than to head to the speed-pitch machine that's just a soft-toss from our season tickets in Section 113 of Jacobs Field.

Once upon a time, the Juggs Gun was my ally. Blessed with a decent arm that earned me the childhood nickname "Rifle Fife" (after Barney Fife, God rest his silver bullet and soul), I'd regularly hit 69 mph. And once — at the "Taste of Cleveland" festival about eight years ago — I jacked it up to 75. (I was immediately accused of steroid use, although I tested postive only for pierogies.)

The idea to relive our youth — I'm 42 now — was my buddy's. And he hit a personal-best 69 mph a few times while hurling four rounds of three balls. Happy Birthday, Bobby Feller Jr.!

As for me, I lasted one round. My warmup toss registered 58. Entirely confident that I was loose as could be after that one lob — the first time I've touched a baseball or softball in about three years — I let 'er rip on my second throw. Sadly, the digital board registered a 66. My third and final throw wasn't even that good, and I left the park falling back on the fact that I hadn't blown up my rotator cuff.

I can run a marathon two weeks earlier. And lay 3,400 square feet of sod the previous Tuesday. But I apparently should hang up any aspirations of starring in the Disney sequel to "The Rookie."

Then again, C.C. Sabathia didn't fare much better Sunday night.

— Thomas Skernivitz, Managing Editor

'Honeymoon' Just Getting Started at Georgia Aquarium

Hopefully, you got to visit the new Georgia Aquarium during the Golf Industry Show's February stop in Atlanta. The world's biggest aquarium is quite the attraction.

If you did, you couldn't miss the two whale sharks — literally. Befitting of their home, they're the largest fish on Earth. And as of last weekend they're probably two of the happiest as well.

The aquarium just inherited two female whale sharks, Alice and Trixie, to hopefully mate with its two existing males, fellow "Honeymooners" Ralph and Norton. The sharks, which can grow up to 50 feet in length, are the only four of their kind on display outside of Asia.

The sharks' 6.2 million-gallon tank has room for two more of its kind. So as long as Ralph and Norton go "hamana-hamana-hamana-hamana"over Alice and Trixie, superintendents should find one big, happy family at the aquarium the next time the GIS comes to Atlanta.

— Thomas Skernivitz, Managing Editor