Golf course superintendents to talk green in Santa Fe

Water, maintenance issues on tap for national group's meeting

Lee Yobbi | The New Mexican

3/27/2008 - 3/28/08

Amen Corner.

The 17th at Pebble Beach.

Paa-Ko Ridge's eighth.

All great golf holes, indeed. But it takes a small army to keep them that way. The average golfer doesn't think about the men behind the scenes while on the tee box. The golf course superintendent is an afterthought at best for most, unless of course there is a flood in the fairway or a dead spot on the green. The course supers are a lot like the garbage man or the mail carrier — they go largely unnoticed unless there's a problem.

But the super is actually the golfer's best friend. He can't make a four-footer for someone, but he can make sure that it breaks exactly four inches.

And the supers don't just cut holes (to ruin a round) and make sure the rough is as thick as a Scottish accent. It's much more than that.

"They are scientists in the field," says Ray Buckingham, the senior manager of executive communications for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, which is gathering in Santa Fe for a quarterly meeting today and Saturday.

"You have to know the cutting height for certain species of grass, you have to know the scientific make-up of the soil, certain (grass) diseases, and the curabilty if one comes. They keep researching these things."

The GCSAA has about 20,000 members among 101 chapters on a nearly world-wide scale. It has members from municipal and park courses to exclusive private clubs. The organization exists to represent the supers in everything from chapter organization to municipal water issues. The GCSAA also educates and certifies its members to ensure that golf courses across the country are kept as pristine as possible.

"Most of our membership has a bachelor's degree in Horticulture or Agronomy," says Buckingham. "Or a Master's. Some have an associates'. The superintendent today no longer just manages greenery. They also have budget concerns and have to have knowledge in human resources with staff. And they are often looked at to get involved in management decisions."

Six members from the local Rio Grande Chapter of the GCSAA will meet with nine board members on Saturday to help make sure that the money spent on the next tee time is money well-spent.