A Personal Note To The Unsung Heroes

This blog has nothing to do with The Royal Mayfair Golf Club and is much more personal in nature. I want to recognize and pay tribute to the those superintendents that can maintain smaller golf facilities with limited resources and still present a course in great condition and is fun to play. Some of them are 9 holes, some of them are shorter 18 hole courses. You know who you are. Generally they are located in a rural setting but sometimes they can be found within the city limits. I have a very close association with one such club. That course will close permanently after 23 years of operation. The City of Edmonton has grown around it and it will soon become a new residential community. If you know me then you are well aware that Pioneer Meadows is the course and that my wife Jennifer has been the superintendent there for 20 years.

Course closures in this area (Alberta) are very rare and I realize that this has been a common occurrence throughout the US but this one hits home. I've experienced the growth of Pioneer Meadows through the trials and tribulations that my wife, her Turf Care team and the management have gone through over the years. When I say every penny counted I mean it. Almost to the very end. The Edmonton market is very competitive and Pioneer Meadows suffered under the perception of being "too short" or "too easy". Maybe the marketing failed. I don't know but I'm a fairly good golfer and I loved playing there. I used all the clubs in my bag, the greens became firm and quick over Jenn's time there and it didn't take 4+ hours to play (assuming you weren't playing in a company scramble buts that's another story).

Believe me when I say that Jenn has had it very tough at times over the years.  I realize we as superintendents all have issues and they become relative to the type of facility you work at but some of the experiences she has gone through made me admire Jenn and others like her even more. The perseverance and commitment was amazing at times. It took a toll on her health. It took a toll on our family. Could she have left? Could she have moved up the career ladder? Was it difficult being married to me? Absolutely. Imagine the conversations we had at home when discussing her club and the clubs that I have worked at, especially now that I'm at The Royal Mayfair. But she stayed so that I could realize my aspirations. We could bring our daughters to Pioneer Meadows whenever we wanted. Our border collies basically had free run of the place. When I came home and needed to vent she listened and offered advice. When I had "turf problems" she helped me through them as only another superintendent could. She was innovative and experimental with new turf care products and cultural management. She used a hand held moisture meter long before anyone had heard of the TDR 300 or POGO. I could go on and on here but I'll stop.

I was out at Pioneer Meadows last evening watching the heavy equipment strip the soil immediately south of the course and it was sad to see. No matter that it's my wife's course that will close. It is upsetting to see ANY green space disappear. Yes it is a golf course but one still surrounded by trees, populated by wildlife, a breeding ground for ducks and geese, rainbow trout in the ponds, etc. etc. Life moves on I suppose. Nice work Jenn and thank you for being such a close colleague over the years. You made me a much better superintendent.

If you recognize yourself or have worked in similar situations I salute you. If you know someone working at a small, limited budget golf course don't forget about them. Go play and support their efforts. There are hidden gems everywhere in this province.