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Miller dives right in
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One of the most difficult parts of accepting a new job is letting your current employer know that you’re moving on to greener pastures.
But surprisingly, that wasn’t a problem when John Miller, CGCS, informed his employer of the past 14 years, Yankee Trace Golf Club in Centerville, Ohio, that he was accepting a position with GCSAA as the first full-time agronomist for the LPGA Tour.
“My employer not only recognized that this was a big opportunity for me, they also thought this was good for the golf course. They really saw it as a positive,” he says. “Just the fact that they played such a big role in my career, they saw me moving into this new role as a feather in their cap as well.”
GCM sat down with Miller during his visit to GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., for a week of orientation to discuss his new position and the transition process he will go through in developing that position. A full transcript of that conversation can be found on the GCM blog.
GCM: What do you personally hope to walk away with from your initial meetings with the LPGA and their players (which were scheduled to take place during the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., in late August)? Are you hoping to have some really clear marching orders or would you rather just get pointed in a direction and let this position develop as time goes on?
JM: I think a little bit of both. What I’m really looking to come out of the meetings is, number one, what the players want and what they expect. And also to have a good feel for what the LPGA wants and what they expect. I already have a good feel for what GCSAA wants and is looking for. Now it’s time to get the other pieces of the puzzle put together and start moving forward.
GCM: There are those who have posed questions about what GCSAA gets out of this agreement. It’s pretty obvious what the LPGA gets out of this, but what would you say to those wondering what the association and the profession get out of this new agreement?
JM: This is a chance for GCSAA to spread its name, not only through the LPGA contacts, but also through the contacts at the individual clubs. I’m going to have contacts with some club officials who maybe don’t understand or recognize what GCSAA really is. That hasn’t been communicated to them or they just haven’t been exposed to that message. For whatever reason, they just haven’t gotten that message. When I’m able to meet with them onsite and at their facility, I’m going to be able to bring that message directly to them, give them a broader understanding of what GCSAA is and what it can offer to its members.
GCM: Do you anticipate there will be any one specific area that the LPGA will want you to focus on in terms of conditioning? For example, are they going to want to establish consistency in areas like greens speeds and rough heights?
JM: They have mentioned those things in the brief discussions that we’ve had to this point. Basically, what they’re looking for is consistency in conditioning, as much as is possible, from site to site. When you’re in this business, it’s almost impossible to have every site exactly the same, plus it would get pretty boring for the players. But definitely, they are focusing on consistency, and I’ll know more about what those consistencies are when I meet with them next week.
John Deere has become the Official Supplier of Golf Course Machinery for the Ladies European Tour. A two-year agreement was finalized at TPC Deere Run, site of the 2007 John Deere Classic, an annual PGA Tour event. Through the agreement, John Deere will provide its tournaments with its agronomic maintenance equipment, utility vehicles and irrigation products. Superintendents in the Carolinas recently pitched in nearly $20,000 to help offset medical expenses for nine-year GCSAA member Bob Spearman, a past president of the Coastal Plains GCSA and recently superintendent at Wrenwoods GC at Charleston Air Force Base. Friends and fellow superintendents created a tournament that attracted 160 players. Bolstered with gifts from the Carolinas GCSA and Midlands Turfgrass Association, the event raised $15,000. An additional annual challenge match between the Coastal Plains GCSA and Lowcountry GCSA raised another $4,000. To learn how to contribute to the cause, contact Jason King, the Class A superintendent at Daniel Island GC, 843-856-2438 (jason.king@ |
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