7/27/2026 3:07 PM
Over the years, there have been studies on farmers and their rates of mortality in relation to other lines of work. This has been the closest study to compare superintendents to since both professions typically apply pesticides and fertilizers. There was another study that claimed residents living a particular distance from golf courses have increased incidence of cancer.
Who will do a study on superintendents and staff who actually work on golf courses? For many years superintendents repeat what we are told by the pesticide companies on how safe the products are that we use. We have become the mouth piece of these chemical companies .Doing the work of calming our constituents of the safe and responsible use of these products. As time goes on, it turns out that some products have become problematic and get restricted or banned from use. This does not address the harm that they may have cause to human health while they were in use. As Golf Course Superintendents, we are the ones working at ground zero with these products. If the GCSAA is really about us and our profession, it should conduct this research on the health of golf course workers. I realize that it is a slippery slope for the organization since it gets a great deal of funding from the pesticide and fertilizer industry and it may impact that revenue stream. Is the GCSAA about the health and safety of its members or the funding and power of the organization. I mean no disrespect to the GCSAA on this matter. It is a great organization that has done so much for the profession and the game of golf. I bring up this subject to focus on all the people who work in close contact with these products on a regular basis. As we all age out in our careers, will we make it through in tact or did our success come at the expense of our health. Something to think about while working your tail off.