“I’m here to help you, I want to see you succeed. Call me, text me, email me, and I’ll be here for you.” These may not be the first words you think of when you think of the agronomy team meeting heading into the finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur, but that was precisely the message from Oakland Hills Country Club director of agronomy Phil Cuffare, a 24-year GCSAA member, as he addressed the 100+ who made up the agronomy team and volunteers in late July.

By the time of Phil’s address, the U.S. Junior Am had been going on for nearly a week. The agronomy team was firing on all cylinders and the course looked like something out of a picture you see hung up in a clubhouse dining room. It was that good, which was no surprise to anybody. Phil’s address to the team that Friday, however, wasn’t about ensuring the course stayed perfect going into the final round of the tournament. From where I was standing, that was a foregone conclusion given the group of talented guys and gals who were assembled in the tournament tent that evening. There was no question the course was going to be great. No, Phil’s address was about providing the individuals in that room, regardless of where they were in their respective careers, with the number one resource needed to succeed in this great industry.

The resource? People.

Phil himself told everyone in that room, some of whom traveled thousands of miles to be there, to call him at any time, and he’ll be there to help. He didn’t care if it was turf related, family related or anything in between, he’s a resource for you. He also made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t the only one in that room who is a resource. He pointed out key staff members on his team as well as key industry professionals who would be there for you when you need them. He let all of those who were listening know that while the job can be challenging, and the season can be a grind, it’s who you surround yourself with that truly matters.

It was a great message, and one that personally resonated with me. I’m a firm believer that creating relationships in this industry is the best part of it. This relationship building is simple enough to do through GCSAA and the affiliated chapters across the country. It’s easy to get sucked into this profession from the agronomic and golf point of view, but once you get into it, you quickly realize it’s the people in the industry who make it what it is. It was nice to see this message at an event where the emphasis could have just as easily been on the quality of the turf and the tasks at hand, and I know many in the room heard it loud and clear.