In July, Pinehurst Resort and Country Club hosted the first U.S. Adaptive Open on Course No. 6. The field included men and women with disabilities from eight separate impairment categories. Not only was this the first USGA championship where men and women played together, but it was also the first USGA championship played from five different sets of tees. While hosting national championships is nothing new for the maintenance team at Pinehurst, this event was especially challenging and rewarding.
Even with the unique preparations and course setup requirements for this event, superintendent Jerry Everett and his small team knocked every detail out of the park. They got a helping hand from the maintenance teams at the other Pinehurst courses and the local golf industry came out to support their efforts. Within the Pinehurst organization, the entire team from Course No. 6 from the golf shop staff to Everett’s team was recognized with the 2022 Purpose Award for their outstanding collaboration. By all accounts, it was one of the most rewarding championships on record and we look forward to going back to Pinehurst in 2023 for the 2nd U.S. Adaptive Open.
I marveled at how the small staff of men and women on the maintenance team at Course No. 6 achieved so much during their preparations for the championship. At any given time in and out of season, there were no more than eight employees at the course – including Everett, his assistant and the mechanic. At championships and professional tournaments we often see pictures of staff and volunteer teams with 40 or 50 people coming together to provide tournament conditions. With limited staffing available throughout the Southeast and the country, what can be learned from Everett’s championship preparation and execution with a very limited staff?
- Prioritize your team and their needs. Creating a culture of mutual respect and trust is paramount to success. Remain flexible but accountable for maintaining the golf course to the best of your ability.
- Focus on maintenance up the middle of the golf course with an emphasis on putting greens, approaches, fairways, tees and bunkers – in that order.
- Ultimately, your job is to provide the best possible experience on any given day but long-term turfgrass health cannot be sacrificed for short-term gains. Consistency should be the goal.
- Lean on industry colleagues for support and use the tools at your disposal to balance work and life.
- Communicate! Everett and his small team stayed in constant contact with the golf shop and other departments across the company to achieve their goals. This was documented with not only internal awards but national recognition.
With fall right around the corner, I hope you and your team can find time to get away from work and enjoy the cooler weather. Enjoy the fruits of your labor while preparing for fall and winter. If you want to learn more about the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open and the inspiring stories of the competitors, check out this video series from Golf Digest.
Southeast Region Agronomists:
Chris Hartwiger, director, USGA Course Consulting Service – chartwiger@usga.org
Jordan Booth, Ph.D., agronomist – jbooth@usga.org