by
Shane Conroy
| Aug 02, 2024
“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.